Preventing stress

The following practices may help you from becoming overwhelmed and overanxious, or can be used when you feel tension building up to a crisis point:

Eat a balanced, nutritious diet. General health and stress resistance can be enhanced by eating well and by avoiding intake of alcohol, caffeine, tobacco and junk food.

Exercise regularly, because exercise promotes emotional well-being as well as physical fitness.

Schedule your time more effectively using a diary and to-do lists, prioritising activities and realising you can't do everything.

Learn how to say no to requests that add extra burdens and can wreak havoc on your day.

Insist on help with regular chores.

Balance work and play by planning time for hobbies and recreation - activities that relax your mind and take you away from stresses temporarily. Even diversions like taking a warm shower, going to the cinema or taking a walk can help you feel better.

Practise relaxation exercises every day, including visualisation, deep muscle relaxation, meditation and deep breathing.

Rehearse for stressful events. Imagine yourself feeling calm and confident in an anticipated stressful situation. You will be able to relax more easily when the situation arises.

Let yourself laugh and cry. Laughter makes your muscles go limp and releases tension, so try to keep a sense of humour. Tears can help cleanse the body of substances that accumulate under stress.

Talk out troubles. It sometimes helps to talk with a friend, relative, member of the clergy or other figure within the community. Another person can help you see a problem from a different point of view.

Help others. Because we concentrate on ourselves when we're distressed, sometimes helping others is the perfect remedy for whatever is troubling us.

Learn acceptance when a difficult problem is out of your control, which is better than worrying and getting nowhere.

Develop and maintain a positive attitude. View changes as positive challenges, opportunities or blessings.