Mental health update: stress survey

There were quite a lot of news stories about stress levels in the UK last year. And one of the most significant ones was the news that hospital admissions for stress related ilnesses had risen sharply year on year - by 7%.

One of the possible reasons for this that has been suggested in the recession. This could well be the case for such a noticeable rise, but on the other hand it's possible that as we become more open about mental health, people generally will be more willing to seek a diagnosis if they feel affected by stress.

Companies these days are also embracing mental health promotion more and more, as part of their workplace wellbeing programmes - alongside offering things like EAPs and business health care insurance. It's a very different world from the times when mental health at work simply wasn't a matter that was ever discussed.

But while so much good work is being done in terms of changing attitudes and drawing up wellbeing policies for the workplace, are we seeing the benefits yet in terms of stress levels?

This week yet another survey was published on the subject of stress, and the results are interesting. This one was  a little bit different in that the volunteers for the study actually had their body temperature recorded at different pints throughout the week. Apparently when you're stressed, your temperature increases a bit. Interestingly, Wednesday was found to be the least stressful day of the week, while Friday scored quite highly - this is believed to be down to the fact that on Fridays many of us have to get the decks cleared before the two day weekend break.

A spokesman for the survey's author said that many people in the UK are working under "dangerous" levels of stress and highlighted the stress reduction value of ensuring employees getting a full lunch break and maybe even doing exercises in the office.

A healthy heart - and why stress is the enemy

According to recently published research findings, it looks like the amount of stress we encounter at work should be something we need to pay close attention to – in order to try and stay as stress free as we possibly can. The research was based on information from over 20 studies in Europe into the effects of stress, and apparently it indicates that job stress can increase the risk of heart attacks.

The NHS Choices website – often useful for a very balanced view of the stories that dominate the health headlines – describes the findings as ‘plausible’ and makes mention of the fact that many research projects that have taken place in the past also suggest a link between job stress ‘and the risk of coronary heart disease’. However, as the research paper states – and the NHS site reminds us – the increased risk is “much smaller” than those posed by smoking or not taking exercise.

If you’re looking for some useful online resources on stress, then there’s a good range of webistes and pages out there. Insurance provider AXAPPP healthcare has a stress centre are on its website, providing fact sheets on the topic plus a range of articles designed to help you find strategies for stress management and reduction.

Stress has been in the news a fair bit recently. And the news last week that hospital admissions in England for people suffering from stress has risen this year just goes to highlight the importance of acknowledging the effect it can have on us, and also the need to make stress management a priority within UK health and wellbeing.

health news: stress levels rising?

Stress is probably something that many of us have encountered at some point during our lives. The symptoms of stress can be fairly unpleasant – disturbed sleep, upset stomach, anxiety and so on. And so, too can the health risks – while stress isn’t – according to the British Heart Foundation – a ‘direct risk factor’ for cardiovascular disease, some of the ways we deal with it may be risky. Examples of this are things like smoking to deal with stress, and also eating too much or drinking too much alcohol.

Managing stress is a definite health plus – and if you’re looking at ways to manage stress you might find that it also helps you approach stressful situations in a different way. Recognising stress triggers and understanding what causes you to become stressed means that you’ll be able to look at situations with objectivity and manage stress accordingly.

Some of the recommended ways of managing stress will also have benefits in other areas of your life – for instance getting exercise and staying active are well known ways to fight stress. And they will, of course, also help to keep your weight in check, and your fitness levels up.  

This week in the health pages there was an interesting statistic making the headlines – a 7 percent rise in English hospital admissions due to stress. The reason for the rise could be down to a combination of factors but leading mental health organisation The Mental health Foundation believe it could be a result of the recession . It could also be that people in work feel they have to stay later and get more done during the working day in a recession.