stress

Leave a comment Posted on January 15, 2017December 20, 2017 Mental health

What’s The One Thing You Would Change About Christmas?

Christmas and mental health

Three quarters of Brits are stressed about Christmas; ‘Unrealistic expectations’ and the resulting stress tops the list putting our health at risk

Natural stresses are always in the mix on family reunions around Christmas time but with the added pressure that we put on ourselves in trying to deliver everything to perfection, we can end up feeling worn out before the big day even arrives.

According to recent research by Bupa UK, surveying 2042 Brits, three-quarters of the nation finds Christmas stressful and a fifth wish they could better deal with the ‘unrealistic expectations’ they put on themselves with a quarter of women (24%) feeling the strain.

The culprit rests within us as the findings reveal that twice as many people say it is the pressure they put on themselves (20%) rather than the expectations from family and friends (9%), which they find to be the driving factor of their stresses on the big day.

Almost a third (29%) of the population are failing to address the issue as they do not consider their own wellbeing a priority during the festive period

A quarter of the nation (26%) loses the battle and admits feeling tired and worn out during the lead up to the big day.

So what are the stresses that we choose to carry at a time when we are meant to be jolly:

37% worry about the financial stress of buying presents
32% worry about buying the wrong presents
19% feel stressed about juggling commitments and pressured situations with their family
15% of people are worried about weight gain over Christmas

Joining us to chat more about the risks associated with letting our health drop to the bottom of our priority list is Bupa’s Clinical Director for Mental Health, Pablo Vandenabeele.

Leave a comment Posted on January 8, 2017January 8, 2017 Mental health, Patient Talk

Less stress – 5 great tips for dealing with stress at work.

Yes I know we are only a few days back at work but quite a few of us are beginning to feel stressed again!

Though not my old college buddy Dave. He’s off to Hawaii for a weeks diving! As you can expect he’s off my christmas card list for next year.

So I thought I’d share these great tips for dealing with stress at work.

Do you have any other?

Please feel free to share them in the comments section below.

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Leave a comment Posted on October 25, 2016October 31, 2016 Fatigue

Self-help tips to fight fatigue

[Original article on NHS Choices website]

Many cases of unexplained tiredness are due to stress, not enough sleep, poor diet and other lifestyle factors. Use these self-help tips to restore your energy levels.

Eat often to beat tiredness

A good way to keep up your energy through the day is to eat regular meals and healthy snacks every three to four hours, rather than a large meal less often.

Perk up with exercise

You might feel too tired to exercise, but regular exercise will make you feel less tired in the long run, and you’ll have more energy. Even a single 15-minute walk can give you an energy boost, and the benefits increase with more frequent physical activity.

Start with a small amount of exercise. Build up your physical activity gradually over weeks and months until you reach the recommended goal of two-and-a-half hours of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, such as cycling or fast walking, every week.

Lose weight to gain energy

If your body is carrying excess weight, it can be exhausting. It also puts extra strain on your heart, which can make you tired. Lose weight and you’ll feel much more energetic. Apart from eating healthily, the best way to lose weight is to be more active and do more exercise.

Sleep well

It sounds obvious, but two-thirds of us suffer from sleep problems, and many people don’t get the sleep they need to stay alert through the day. The Royal College of Psychiatrists advises going to bed and getting up in the morning at the same time every day; avoid naps through the day, and have a hot bath before bed (as hot as you can bear without scalding you) for at least 20 minutes.

Read more about how to get a good night’s sleep.

Try these NHS-approved sleep apps to help you sleep well.

Reduce stress to boost energy

Stress uses up a lot of energy. Try to introduce relaxing activities into your day. This could be working out at the gym, or a gentler option, such as listening to music, reading or spending time with friends. Whatever relaxes you will improve your energy.

Talking therapy beats fatigue

There’s some evidence that talking therapies such as counselling or cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) might help to fight fatigue. See your GP for a referral for talking treatment on the NHS or for advice on seeing a private therapist.

Cut out caffeine

The Royal College of Psychiatrists recommends that anyone feeling tired should cut out caffeine. It says the best way to do this is to gradually stop having all caffeine drinks (this includes coffee, tea and cola drinks) over a three-week period. Try to stay off caffeine completely for a month to see if you feel less tired without it.

You may find that not consuming caffeine gives you headaches. If this happens, cut down more slowly on the amount of caffeine that you drink.

Drink less alcohol

Although a few glasses of wine in the evening helps you fall asleep, you sleep less deeply after drinking alcohol. The next day you’ll be tired, even if you sleep a full eight hours.

Cut down on alcohol before bedtime. You’ll get a better night’s rest and have more energy. The NHS recommends that men and women should not regularly drink more than 14 units a week, which is equivalent to six pints of average strength beer or 10 small glasses of low strength wine.

Read more about how to cut down on alcohol.

Drink more water for better energy

Sometimes you feel tired simply because you’re mildly dehydrated. A glass of water will do the trick, especially after exercise.

Read about healthy drinks.

Leave a comment Posted on September 20, 2016February 18, 2017 Cardiovascular disease

5 great ways to lower cholesterol naturally!

High cholesterol is the bane of the developed world. In the modern world we have more, better and much easier to prepare food than in previous centuries. But, this also means, far too many of us now have the opportunity to overindulge. (I’ll put my hands up here and say I’m one of those guilty of what I have to call greed). The problem with this kind of eating is that it does have the tendency to raise our cholesterol levels.

According to the NHS evidence strongly indicates that high cholesterol can increase the risk of:

narrowing of the arteries (atherosclerosis)

heart attack

stroke

transient ischaemic attack (TIA) – often known as a “mini stroke”

peripheral arterial disease (PAD)

So I think we can all agree that we need a few ideas of reducing our cholesterol levels.

So I thought I would share the following five tips which you can use to help reduce your cholesterol with our recourse to medication.

a) Yes indeed I know healthcare professionals sound like a broken record on the subject of drink. But it is important to cut down (if you do drink) to cut a glass or two a day. Oh and make sure that you have a few drink free days each week including weekends.

b) Smoking tobacco. If you still smoke please please do give up. Please check out a previous blog post with a few tips to help you quit.

c) Now I know that many pixels have died in the cause of lecturing us about taking more exercise. But it also has numerous other benefits as this article shows!

d) Chronic stress can impact on your cholesterol levels. To have a look at these great ideas for reducing stress in your life.

e) Foods fortified with plant sterols and stanols. Foods which contain sterols and stanols include corn, coconut, olive and sunflower oils, beans, corn, peanut butter, almonds, oranges, apples, and avocados. A great way of getting down your cholesterol.

If you do have any concerns about your cholesterol levels please do speak with a medical professional as they are best able to advise on your best course of action!

And if you do have any other tips for reducing cholesterol please do share them in the comment section at the bottom of this blog post.

Leave a comment Posted on September 4, 2016September 8, 2016 Mental health

How to De-Stress at Work

What stresses you out? If you’re like many people, money worries probably ranks high—maybe even number one on the list. But what comes after money? Would it surprise you to learn that work ranks second only to money, and that almost two-thirds of all people say their jobs are a significant source of tension?

Stress in the officer and how to get rid of it!

As with any stressor, there are lots of reasons why work can create agitation. Maybe you’re unsure about the day-to-day security of your office. Maybe you’ve got too much to do and can’t figure a way to dig yourself out of a work hole. Or maybe you’ve got a co-worker for whom interactions are rife with arguments.

But there has to be a better way—right? You don’t have to go to work sad or fatigued, filled with nervousness or lack of motivation. Simple techniques that you can do during the day, such as yoga (from your chair) or meditation (at your desk) can help. Healthy choices, such as avoiding alcohol and caffeine, can be great ways to minimize those at-work stress triggers, too. In fact, there are lots of small decisions that can go a long way toward making work a better place, every day. Use this graphic for ideas and tips.