Christmas is a stressful time of year. But some of us spend all 12 months being a worry wart. Whether it's feeling anxious about our career, social life, sex life or size of our backsides, follow these tips and get a handle on your stress

Anxiety isn't just mentally painful. It's physically debilitating - if you're a constant worrier, you could cut up to seven and a half years from your life. Plus, being caught in the worry trap can have a negative impact on your working life, marriage and health. So how can you beat your worries?

Assess the problem
So first, assess the extent of your problem. Respond 'yes' or 'no' to these eight statements
1. I have a lot on my mind at the moment
2. Sometimes I lie awake worrying
3. I find it hard to concentrate because I'm anxious
4. I get edgy if things go wrong
5. I often spend all day fretting
6. People always say I worry too much
7. Sometimes I cry from anxiety
8. Worry gives me tension headaches, back pain or tummy problems

Analysis: The more questions you say yes too, the more caught you are in the worry trap; the ones at the bottom of the list have more serious implications than the ones at the top.

- One or two 'yes' responses particularly if you give them to the early numbers 1-4, mean that you're fine.
- Three to four 'yes' responses, spread out over the statements, mean that you do have a worry problem but are not in crisis.
- More than four 'yes' responses anywhere on the list and you are firmly caught in the worry trap.

Create a non-worry climate
Your first line of attack against worry should be to arm yourself generally against stress and anxiety - because to have the energy and motivation to cope, you need to be physically and emotionally strong.

1. Eat a healthy balanced diet
2. Get at least seven hours of relaxed, deep, good quality sleep each night
3. Take regular exercise, at least three times a week
4. Spend some time outdoors each day, to ward off SAD
5. Make sure your living and working environments are comfortable and supportive
6. Spend at least 15 minutes each day relaxing or meditating
7. At least twice a week, do something so absorbing that you forget your problems: listen to music, garden, write, paint, knit, walk, dance
8. Cultivate the habit of positivity in what you think, feel and say: think well of others, be kind to yourself, notice what's good and shrug off what's bad
9. Give yourself treats: at least one minor self-indulgence per day, at least one major one per week. 10. Find a higher meaning in life, so that when things get hard you are able to remember that there is a plan and a higher purpose

Learn to troubleshoot
Even once you've established a positive life climate, some areas in your life - work, money, love, friendship - may tip you into the worry trap. You need to develop the mental strategy of troubleshooting potentially worrying life issues.

1. Ask: Is it a problem?
Some things you worry about may not actually be a problem. You may have imagined that your man is losing interest, or that your boss is critical of you. You need to confirm your information, maybe even check out your anxieties with the person concerned.

In particular, if you're worrying about something that may happen in the future, look at how high the probability actually is. Sure, you need to protect yourself against disaster - but when you're in the worry trap, sometimes you set your 'smoke detector' way too high and end up worrying about something that just isn't happening or isn't going to happen.

2. Ask: Is it my problem?
Some problems that you worry about may not actually be yours to solve. Either you can't solve it - there is, after all, nothing you can do about getting old or dying. Or, it's someone else's problem to solve - your friend's love life and your Mum's weight problem need your sympathy and support, but not your constant anxiety.

3. Ask: What can I do?
It's always better to sort something out than to worry about it. So set a clear outcome for the problem you're facing. Then get your confidence up by thinking back to the times you've solved similar problems, and remind yourself of your strengths. If you still feel that you couldn't cope, list out the extras you need - assistance from others, extra training, more financial or practical help. Then act - remembering to give yourself motivational rewards at regular intervals along the way.

3. Ask: Am I still worrying?
Once you're taking action, the most effective and useful thing to do is to stop fretting about the issue. But you may still be in the worry trap; worrying has become a habit that you slip into it without thinking.

If so, once you spot the early signs - constant fretting, shakiness, irritability or lack of energy - stop immediately. Calm yourself, by breathing slowly, relaxing deliberately, slowing your actions down, smiling to signal positivity to your body. Then concentrate on positive things: past successes or future hopes.

Finally take one small action - even something absolutely tiny - that will make you feel you are succeeding. Even fixing your make-up or doing the washing up will put you firmly back in control again and lower your worry level.

Resources
There are some excellent resources around at present to help you break out of the worry trap. I would recommend: