stress

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The Importance of being Idle: Over half of us face burn-out from trying to do too much

Too much?

Too much?

New research raises alarm on a nation in overdrive – Brits’ ‘always-on’ approach to life sees them squeezing an extra 90 minutes to the day

Only 1 in 20 of us pauses to take a proper break during the day, compared to 60% 20 years ago 

In 1997, over half of the nation felt their life wasn’t stressful compared to only 11 per cent of Brits who feel the same way today

 

Over half of the nation is bearing the brunt of living an ‘always-on’ lifestyle and experiencing severe health problems in turn, reveals a new research into the lives of over-active Brits by Bupa.

The study that examined how our lifestyles have shifted over the past 20 years reveals that only five per cent of the nation now takes time out to relax. Despite waking up at 6.30am and going to sleep at 10.40pm, the average Brit tries to fit in an extra hour and a half into their day, stretching it out by 90 minutes and often being active right up until the point we fall asleep.

And while we might think that we are being more productive in the short-term, piling on more tasks than the hours can take can have a noticeable impact on our health. Among the surveyed Brits, more than half confessed to suffering from illness, injury or other related issues as a result of trying to do too much.

As a result of our failure to pause and relax, we are living away our years married to stress. While in 1997, over half of the nation felt life was stress-free, only 11 per cent feel the same way today.

Brits have forgotten to take proper breaks during the day the old-fashioned way –reading a newspaper, glancing at nature or simply enjoying some shut-eye. In 1997, over half (60 per cent) of Brits took a proper break, however the same proportion of people today prefer filling that time with things such as updating social media, checking work emails, or exercising in their spare time.

It is no surprise then that the average time spent online in 2017 is almost two and half hours, compared to only 16 minutes spent browsing on the Internet in 1997, and the time spent checking emails has shockingly more than tripled over the past 20 years.

If we continue with our fast-living lifestyle, over half of the nation (64 per cent) fears there will be even less time to rest, recover and repair in the next five years.

We have on hand Bupa’s Medical Director, Dr. Luke James to chat us through the state of the nation’s lifestyles and why it is vital to make time to pause and relax.

PATIENT TALK:    And Luke, can you chat to us through the research findings? How have our lifestyles changed over the last 20 years?

LUKE JAMES:  So our new research carried out by Bupa shows more and more people are taking on an ‘always’ approach to life which sees us trying to squeeze an extra 90 minutes of activity into a 16 hour waking day; and when we compare it to years ago, we’re not taking any time to pause and relax during the day.

PATIENT TALK:    And what are the short term and long term implications of continuing on this ‘always’ lifestyle?

LUKE JAMES: We know that stress, anxiety and depression can be consequences of overwork and not taking time out. It’s a complex picture and we know that it’s also associated with other medical problems such as obesity or cardiovascular disease, risk in diabetes; it’s really important to be able to take a step back, review both your mental health and physical health, set some realistic goals, book a health review, book a physio appointment for that niggling back pain and you’ll really get a benefit from that.

PATIENT TALK:    How is the concept of ‘taking a break’ evolved over the years?

LUKE JAMES: Twenty years ago, taking a break may have involved reading a newspaper or stopping to have a cup of tea, whereas today with the rise in technology that can kind of be a multitasking situation where you’re answering emails, surfing the internet, accessing social media accounts and there’s a real feeling that we’re missing out if we’re not always switched on and that can be damaging in the longer term.

PATIENT TALK:    Now, working Brits aside, are stay at home parents and children, equally piling on more tasks than hours can fill?

LUKE JAMES: Absolutely. Our research shows that no matter what we’re doing, modern day life are opting to fill those moments of down time with other things and that’s exercising, socialising, looking at our phones, all of that so it doesn’t matter  whether you’re stay at home or working population, this is a problem throughout.

PATIENT TALK:    And how can we fine tune our lifestyle to prevent the inevitable burnout?

LUKE JAMES: We’re not suggesting everybody is the same and everybody has to make huge lifestyle changes, but it’s about small steps really. Identifying a few areas in your lifestyle that you can start with, maybe you look at reducing your devices or reducing your multitasking time. Instituting a device down time is a great start especially at home and trying to avoid screen time in the evening wherever possible which can obviously affect things like sleep. If diets are something that you have goals in place for, then planning in advance for the working week, (and the planning is really crucial) making sure you take lunch, maybe just building that into your week as well is really important. And finally, probably worth mentioning: mindfulness. Taking a bit of down time to really help your mental health and resilience is really important.

 

PATIENT TALK:    So Luke, what should we do if something goes wrong?

LUKE JAMES: Our research is showing that 90% of Brits are pushing themselves very hard. They hurt themselves or become ill and more importantly, it’s that delay in getting that advice and help due to our busy lives and our demands of our busy lives that can cause a problem. For example, we put off booking a physio appointment for back pain, which is a result that may take longer to recover. So taking a step back, looking at some of the things you can do around a health assessment, a health review with various different products from Bupa that will look at where you are at that point in time and give you some goals to really improve your health and lifestyle. If you’ve got back pain or a muscular skeletal problem, booking a physio appointment. We also have GP services; if there’s something that’s concerning you, we offer the convenience of an appointment at a convenient time for you. All those services are available and it is important to address anything that is bothering you because it’s better to sort it out early on.

PATIENT TALK:    Where can people go for more information?

LUKE JAMES: If you type Bupa ‘Pay As You Go’ into a search engine, that’ll come up with all the research information and also identify for you, those services that we offer such as GP appointments, health assessments, physio appointments which you don’t need insurance for and you can just pay as you go.

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10 stress busters

National Stress Awareness Day

National Stress Awareness Day

 

Original on the NHS site here

 

If you’re stressed, whether by your job or by something more personal, the first step to feeling better is to identify the cause.

The most unhelpful thing you can do is turn to something unhealthy to help you cope, such as smoking or drinking.

“In life, there’s always a solution to a problem,” says Professor Cary Cooper, an occupational health expert at the University of Lancaster. “Not taking control of the situation and doing nothing will only make your problems worse.”

He says the keys to good stress management are building emotional strength, being in control of your situation, having a good social network and adopting a positive outlook.

Check out our selection of stress-busting apps in the Digital Apps Library.

What you can do to address stress

These are Professor Cooper’s top ten stress-busting suggestions:

Be active

Exercise won’t make your stress disappear, but it will reduce some of the emotional intensity that you’re feeling, clearing your thoughts and letting you to deal with your problems more calmly.

For more advice, read how being active helps mental wellbeing.

Get started with exercise.

Take control

There’s a solution to any problem. “If you remain passive, thinking, ‘I can’t do anything about my problem’, your stress will get worse,” says Professor Cooper. “That feeling of loss of control is one of the main causes of stress and lack of wellbeing.”

The act of taking control is in itself empowering, and it’s a crucial part of finding a solution that satisfies you and not someone else.

Read tips on how to manage your time.

Connect with people

A good support network of colleagues, friends and family can ease your work troubles and help you see things in a different way.

“If you don’t connect with people, you won’t have support to turn to when you need help,” says Professor Cooper.

The activities we do with friends help us relax. We often have a good laugh with them, which is an excellent stress reliever.

“Talking things through with a friend will also help you find solutions to your problems,” says Professor Cooper.

Read about some other ways relationships help our wellbeing.

Have some ‘me time’

Here in the UK, we work the longest hours in Europe, meaning we often don’t spend enough time doing things we really enjoy.

“We all need to take some time for socialising, relaxation or exercise,” says Professor Cooper.

He recommends setting aside a couple of nights a week for some quality “me time” away from work. “By earmarking those two days, it means you won’t be tempted to work overtime,” he says.

Challenge yourself

Setting yourself goals and challenges, whether at work or outside, such as learning a new language or a new sport, helps to build confidence. This will help you deal with stress.

“By continuing to learn, you become more emotionally resilient as a person,” says Professor Cooper. “It arms you with knowledge and makes you want to do things rather than be passive, such as watching TV all the time.”

Avoid unhealthy habits

Don’t rely on alcohol, smoking and caffeine as your ways of coping. “Men more than women are likely to do this. We call this avoidance behaviour,” says Professor Cooper. “Women are better at seeking support from their social circle.”

Over the long term, these crutches won’t solve your problems. They’ll just create new ones. “It’s like putting your head in the sand,” says Professor Cooper. “It might provide temporary relief, but it won’t make the problems disappear. You need to tackle the cause of your stress.”

Help other people

Professor Cooper says evidence shows that people who help others, through activities such as volunteering or community work, become more resilient.

“Helping people who are often in situations worse than yours will help you put your problems into perspective,” says Professor Cooper. “The more you give, the more resilient and happy you feel.”

If you don’t have time to volunteer, try to do someone a favour every day. It can be something as small as helping someone to cross the road or going on a coffee run for colleagues.

See more on giving for mental wellbeing.

Work smarter, not harder

Working smarter means prioritising your work, concentrating on the tasks that will make a real difference. “Leave the least important tasks to last,” says Cooper. “Accept that your in-tray will always be full. Don’t expect it to be empty at the end of the day.”

Read some tips on how to manage your time better.

Try to be positive

Look for the positives in life, and things for which you’re grateful.

“People don’t always appreciate what they have,” says Professor Cooper. “Try to be glass half full instead of glass half empty,” he says.

Try writing down three things that went well, or for which you’re grateful, at the end of every day.

Listen to an audio guide on beating unhelpful thinking.

Accept the things you can’t change

Changing a difficult situation isn’t always possible. Try to concentrate on the things you do have control over.

“If your company is going under and is making redundancies, for example, there’s nothing you can do about it,” says Professor Cooper.

“In a situation like that, you need to focus on the things that you can control, such as looking for a new job.”

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Explaining chronic pain: The role that stress plays and the creation of learned nerve pathways

Explaining chronic pain: The role that stress plays and the creation of learned nerve pathways

Explaining chronic pain: The role that stress plays and the creation of learned nerve pathways

Explaining chronic pain: The role that stress plays and the creation of learned nerve pathways

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Stress in Autism – how can people on the autism spectrum best manage stress? Updated

Stress in Autism

Stress in Autism

Research Autism have produced this brilliant infographic on  Stress and Autism.

They have produced an excellent .pdf on Managing Stress in Autism  – you can download it here.

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Mindfulness – What is it, why do it and is it worth it? Diary of a Mindfulness Course Part One

AMindfulness – What is it, why do it and is it worth it? Diary of a Mindfulness Course Part One

Mindfulness – What is it, why do it and is it worth it? Diary of a Mindfulness Course Part One

As some of you may know I’m the father of a 10 year old boy on the autism spectrum. Even without the autism taken into account the caregiving of children can a bit stressful. Plus I now work from home so socialise much less than I once did so do get a drop of cabin fever!
Add to that a bit of insomnia mixed with a rather bad temper. (In my defence at least I know!).

So a few weeks back I registered for a Mindfulness course in South London. I have to say this was at the suggestion of my wife who has been using Mindfulness apps for a few months now. And, I must say, has been very impressed with them!

Now Thursday week was the start of the course proper. The previous week has been a gentle and much generalised introduction to the idea of mindfulness. So I thought it might be fun to run a little diary about the course – what I’m doing and what effects, if any, it has on my life.
(I should point out at this juncture that I’m a fairly hard boiled atheist with very little sympathy for what Eric Cartman refers to as “tree hugging hippy shit.”) (I should also say that some of my best friends are into “tree hugging hippy shit”.) (No really!) The course I’m doing does seem to be a secular version of the kinds of things practiced by Buddhists. So this course would tick the boxes of either a hippy or resolute non-believers. Or indeed a Christian.

Mindfulness

Mindfulness

The course is delivered by a rather marvellous lady who comes with the most wonderful mid-Atlantic accent. Sort of confirming my prejudices about, well, everything really. She also has that delightful North American habit of being polite at all times. And smiling all the time, when she’s not nodding! This at my age has ceased to irritate. So perhaps I’m mellowing which can be used to prove the course works I suppose.
Okay so what is Mindfulness?

Well Ms Nice North American Hippy Lady used a quote by some bloke called Jon Kabat-Zinn who described it as ““Mindfulness is awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgementally.”

Now I have no idea what that means so another part of this Mindfulness dairy will be trying to unravel the mystery. However it turns out that Jon’s father-in- law was Howard Zinn so he might be all bad!

Anyhow what I think it might mean (if it actually does mean anything) is that one should try and cease spending most of one’s time on autopilot (Ms Nice North American Hippy Lady’s term not mine) be conscious of what you are actually doing at each moment.

I’m going to try and avoid going into any depth about mindfully eating a raisin and listening to middle class pieties turned into truly dreadful poetry. (Come back Ezra Pound all is forgiven! Well, actually, it’s not! You are a bastard still and always were). That being said………….
The key take home for me was the practice called the body scan!

The video below outlines what you do.

The Body Scan uses your mind, and to some degree imagination, to move your awareness (or focussed mind) around your body starting at your feet and ending at your head. It uses visualisation to allow your breath to move through your body. With the emphasis is in feeling your body with your mind while at the same time keeping concentration on your breath. Takes about half an hour. Ms Nice North American Hippy Lady has provided us with an mp3 to play at home while we do, what is, referred to as a practice.

So does it work? Well I’m on Day 5 now and I do find it very relaxing. I’m a bit more conscious of waiting a few moments before I speak. So my initial verdict is so far so good. And yes I can put up with the hippy platitudes even if they are patent rubbish just to feel the tension flowing out of on my shoulders each morning.

Anyhow I’ll tell you how this week goes – next week! But for far Mindfulness gets the thumbs up for me!