Its never ending isnt it? Every day the responsibilities, tasks, problems and work mounts up. Everyone needs it now! And all the high tech gadgets and tools dont seem to help either. If anything, they seem to speed up your life.

Did you know that 1 in 2 people have experienced stress by the time they are 40? So, are you suffering from stress and can you cope?

Admitting you cannot cope

Okay, so you admit it. You are stressed. It takes courage to recognise you cannot cope and youre suffering, but its the first step to beating stress. And the solution to every problem starts with taking that first step. Trouble is, most people cannot see it.

You are often the last person to see you have a problem. If you were to ask your friends and family, they would tell you. But they wont tell you unless you ask(they dont want to be rude!).

But now that you have taken the first step, what part of your life do you not enjoy anymore? When do feel on edge? Do you have time for your own indulgence? To relax? To do something for yourself?

Does that feel selfish? Are you starting to resent all the responsibilities, jobs, tasks or people who fill your life night and day? Or maybe, its been like that for as long as you can remember.

Its time to stand back, take stock and take action.

Recognising the signs of your distress

How do you know if its stress youre suffering from? What are the symptoms to look for? There are 3 different types of symptom, physical, emotional and mental.

Physical symptoms can include,

Heart pounding

Headaches

Sweaty palms

Indigestion

Skin breakouts

Shortness of breath

Cold hands

Sleeplessness or sleeping too much

Fatigue

Nausea

Diarrhoea

Tight stomach

Tight muscles or pain

Emotional symptoms can include,

Moodiness

Irritability

Depression

Anxiety

Lack of sense of humour

Abrasiveness

Hostility

Nervousness

You can be easily upset

Mental symptoms can include,

Forgetfulness

Loss of concentration

Poor judgement

Disorganisation

Confusion

Lack of interest in anything

Simple maths errors

Inability to think when required

Negative self-talk

You may experience any combination of these symptoms. As everyone is different you may react in different ways.

Recognising and admitting your problems, if only to yourself, is an important start. The next stage is discover what you can do about it. And it doesnt necessarily mean medication or pills.

You may not realise it, but there are many natural ways of relieving and managing stress that are much kinder to you and your health.

You owe it to yourself to discover what's best for you.