WELLBEING GUIDE This guidance is for anyone who wants to know how to deal with stress and how to learn to relax Human Resources October 2016
Contents Introduction... 2 Section 1... 2 Stress... 2 1.1 What is stress and what causes it?... 2 1.2 How can I tell if I'm under too much stress?... 3 Section 2... 5 Coping with pressure... 5 2.1 Manage your time... 5 2.2 Act positively... 5 2.3 Try to accept things you can t change... 6 Section 3... 7 What can I do to cope with stress?... 7 3.1 Relaxation... 7 3.2 Acknowledging your problems... 7 3.3 Sleep... 7 3.4 Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT)... 8 3.5 Physical activity... 8 3.6 Healthy eating... 9 3.7 Having fun... 9 1 P a g e
Introduction This guidance 1 is for anyone who wants to know how to deal with stress and how to learn to relax. It explains when and how stress can be bad for you, and provides helpful strategies for dealing with it and where to go for further help. Section 1 Stress 1.1 What is stress and what causes it? Stress is a physical and psychological reaction when pressures and demands are beyond your ability to cope. Stress is not a medical diagnosis, but severe stress that continues for a long time may lead to a diagnosis of depression or anxiety, or other wellbeing issues. You can reduce the effects of stress by being more conscious of the things that cause it, and learning to handle them better, using relaxation techniques as well as other life-style changes. Situations which are recognised to be very stressful are associated with change, and with lack of control over what is happening. However, stress can also be positive, and a certain level may be necessary and enjoyable in order to help you prepare for something or to keep you alert and focused. Not having enough work, activities or change in your life can be just as stressful as having too much activity and change to deal with. People s tolerance of stress varies. A situation that is intolerable to one person may be stimulating to another. What you feel is determined not just by events and changes in the outside world, but how you perceive and respond to them. 1 Developed from How To Manage Stress mind.org.uk 2 P a g e
1.2 How can I tell if I'm under too much stress? There are a number of symptoms that suggest you are under stress. These are illustrations of some of the typical things that might be experienced. How your body may react: fast shallow breathing; headaches; tiredness; restlessness; sleeping problems; cramps or muscle spasms; feeling sick or dizzy; lack of appetite. How you may feel: irritable; aggressive; tearful; depressed; fearing failure; dreading the future; a loss of interest in others; taking no interest in life; a loss of sense of humour. How you may behave: difficulty in making decisions; finding it difficult to concentrate; avoiding difficult situations; emotional outbursts; unable to show your true feelings; 3 P a g e
being very snappy or aggressive; finding it difficult to talk to others. The important point is that you can learn to recognise your own responses to stress; this can help you recognise when signs of stress begin and develop skills to deal with it well. 4 P a g e
Section 2 Coping with pressure Try these things: 2.1 Manage your time Identify your best time of day (you may be a morning person or an evening person) and do the important tasks that need the most energy and concentration at that time. Make a list of things you have to do. Arrange them in order of importance, and try to do the most urgent ones first. Try to vary your tasks in a day. Vary dull jobs with interesting ones, tiring jobs with easier ones. Try not to do too many things at once. If you have too many things going on at the same time, you will start to make mistakes. 2.2 Act positively Once you've finished a task, take a few moments to pause and relax. Have a change of scene. A short walk can make a big difference to how you feel, even if it s a simple walk round the Broad at lunchtime. Try to focus on what is happening around you, rather than thinking about your worries. At the end of each day, sit back and reflect on what you've achieved, rather than spending time worrying about what still needs to be done. Develop an absorbing hobby or interest an activity that uses your brain in a completely different way from your everyday work can be beneficial and a great way to make new friends. Make time for your friends. Talking to them about your day and the things you find difficult can help you keep things in perspective and you can do the same for them. Smiling and laughing with them will also produce hormones which help you to 5 P a g e
relax. Practise being straightforward and assertive in communicating with others. If other people are making unrealistic or unreasonable demands on you, explain how you feel. Tell your manager if you are becoming overwhelmed with work. If you find yourself in conflict with another person, try to find solutions which are positive for them as well as for you. Try to find the real cause of the problem and deal with it. Your manager can help you with this; so can Human Resources. 2.3 Try to accept things you can t change It isn t always possible to change the things you don t like or find difficult, but you can try and change your own attitude to them so that you don t build up feelings of resentment or start taking your feelings out on others. 6 P a g e
Section 3 What can I do to cope with stress? 3.1 Relaxation This is the natural answer to stress. Everyone should make time in the day to relax, whether we feel under stress, or not. People often confuse relaxation with recreation. However, if hobbies or other activities including exercise become excessive, and make you feel even more driven or pressurised, they cease to be relaxing. The first thing is to become more relaxed in daily life and not to waste energy on things that don't require it; such as getting impatient with the photocopier. Instead take the opportunity for a few moments of calm while waiting for the copies to be done. CSED provides lunchtime sessions and courses on a number of relaxation techniques. 3.2 Acknowledging problems There will be times when our lives run smoothly and we can cope- at other times it can feel as though life is overwhelming, chaotic and unmanageable. If this is happening it may be a good idea to consider talking things through with a professional. This can be useful as you may be able to discuss difficult issues more easily with someone who is fully detached from your situation and can give you full attention in a safe and confidential environment, than you would with friends and family. The University has a Staff Counselling Service which may be a good place to start. Taking this step can be the beginning of a sense of re-establishing control as you talk through issues and explore potential solutions. Once you've begun to tackle your problems, you will then be more able to relax. 3.3 Sleep Sleep is very important to health, and sleep problems, such as insomnia, are a common sign of stress. Lying awake worrying about things can make everything 7 P a g e
seem a lot worse and the small hours of the morning are the worst time to be thinking about them. If you find you can t stop worrying it may help to write a list of the things that are bothering you, or write yourself a letter about them. Once they are recorded, you may be able to switch off and relax more easily. Some people find it very helpful to keep a diary. 3.4 Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) This is something you may be able to get a referral for from your GP. It is recommended by NICE (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence) for recurrent depression, and has also been found to be effective for anxiety and insomnia. 3.5 Physical activity Physical activity as long as it is not done to excess is important for reducing stress levels and preventing some of its damaging effects on the body. Exercise helps to use up the hormones that the body produces under stress and relaxes the muscles. It will also help to strengthen the heart and improve blood circulation. Physical activity also stimulates the body to release endorphins natural brain chemicals that give you a sense of wellbeing and can also help to raise selfesteem and reduce anxiety and depression. Exercise does not need to be sporty or competitive; you can benefit simply by becoming more active, as part of your daily routine. Walking or cycling rather than taking the car or bus, or climbing the stairs rather than using the lift, can help a lot. UEA Sportspark is passionate about providing an inclusive, accessible and inspiring facility for all members of the community, and its success has been achieved by offering an affordable and diverse range of sports and activities. Whether you are a beginner, talented amateur or professional-standard athlete, Sportspark offers world-class facilities to everyone. There's no need to be a member, simply pay and play. Did you know that Sportspark also offer a Sports Massage Therapy service? 8 P a g e
3.6 Healthy eating When things get too hectic or difficult, and you feel under stress, it's often easy to forget about eating well. But what you eat, and when you eat, can make a big difference to how you feel and how well you cope. It's important to make time for regular food or snacks and not to miss out on meals, such as breakfast. Try not to rush; take time to enjoy what you're eating. When you are tired and stressed you may feel like a quick sugar rush, but this will leave you feeling tired again later. It s important to keep a steady blood sugar level. Usually we are only aware of this if it has dropped and we suddenly feel weak and hungry; but it may also affect your mood, making you depressed or bad-tempered. If you can, try to eat things that are digested more slowly, such as fruit, and give you a steady supply of energy. It s also important to drink plenty of fluids, however, many sweet fizzy drinks and caffeinated drinks can make you feel quite jittery especially if you are already stressed. Try water instead. 3.7 Having fun Making time for regular leisure activities can help you release tension, and to take your mind off the worries of the day. Whether you unwind by soaking in a hot bath, browsing through your favourite books, listening to music, gardening or photography, the important point is to enjoy the activity, purely for itself, and take your mind off work or whatever is causing you stress. 9 P a g e
Section 4 Further information Follow this link for External Wellbeing Services in the local area 10 P a g e