2. Contents
Getting the most out of the booklet
Introduction
Understanding Stress
What is stress?
Is stress a problem for you?
Physical symptoms of stress
Causes of stress
What keeps stress going?
Vicious cycle of stress
Where next?
How Stress affects the body
The stress response
Hyperventilation
Going from Distress to De-Stress
How to de-stress using relaxation
Top tips for de-stressing
Power breathing - controlled breathing
The calming breath
Progressive muscle relaxation
Getting a good night’s sleep
Other Tips for Managing Stress
Improve your physical health
Change your behaviour
Change your thoughts
Get practical
Get informed
Useful Links and Organisations
2
3. Getting the most out of the booklet:
What you'll need:
A notebook and pen (to keep notes and use to complete exercises within booklet).
Time for reading and practising new skills.
Somewhere quiet to read and practise new skills.
To keep going and pace yourself by using a step by step approach.
Support from a family member, friend or health professional if possible.
If you are struggling to read and do the exercises in the booklet, do discuss this
with a health worker, such as your doctor or practice nurse. Your concentration,
energy or motivation levels may be low at the moment and there may be other
things it would be better to try first.
3
4. Introduction
Stress, nervousness, worry, panic, and fear are all words commonly used to
describe anxiety. This is something we all feel from time to time.
Stress is a natural response to something that our body thinks is threatening.
Stress affects how we think, behave and feel, both physically and in our mood.
Although physical signs of stress are normal, and sometimes even useful, they
can be uncomfortable and distressing.
This booklet is part of a set of booklets aimed at improving your well being and
mood. It looks at your body's physical signs of stress and how you can get rid
of them. It shows how you can use relaxation, breathing and other ways to go
from 'Distress to De-stress'.
The booklets are based on a Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) approach.
This aims to identify unhelpful thinking patterns and behaviours and to change
them so as to make you feel better in your body and mood. Research has
proved this approach can help to manage common symptoms and problems
that cause stress and keep it going.
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5. Understanding Stress
What is stress?
Stress is the feeling we have when our body reacts to something it thinks is a
threat. The physical signs result from our body getting ready either to fight the
threat or to run away from it. This is known as the 'fight-or-flight' response.
Stress is a normal reaction. A job interview, exams, taking a driving test,
having to do something new or difficult at work – these can all make us feel
anxious and stressed. This can sometimes help, for example, to push us to
prepare for an exam or job interview. It can get us out of situations fast without
thinking, such as jumping out of the way of an oncoming car.
When is stress unhelpful?
m Stress is a problem when we feel we can't cope with something and it's
out of our control.
m Being stressed in situations where there is no threat/danger
m It affects how you live your life
m It stops you doing what you want
m Worrying affects your sleep
m Symptoms are severe/unpleasant
m It happens too often and for too long
Is stress a problem for you?
Over the page there is a list of symptoms caused by stress.
Please tick any that you often experience.
5
6. You feel…
m Anxious, worried, fearful, nervous
m Like something terrible is going to happen
m Like things are out of your control
m Tense/on edge/agitated
m Mentally and physically tired
You mind is...
m Racing/difficult to switch off
m Going over and over things
m Difficult to focus and jumps from one topic to another
m Over-estimating danger
m Underestimating your ability to cope
m Underestimating help available
m Unable to control or stop worrying
m Imagining the worse case scenario
m Concentrating on what your body feels like
Your thoughts might be...
m “I can't cope”
m “Things are out of control”
m “I'm going mad”
m “I'm going to faint/collapse”
m “I'm going to have a heart attack”
m “I'm going to make a fool of myself”
m “I've got to leave, now!”
You might behave by...
m Not being able to sit still and/or finding it hard to relax
m Starting one job before finishing another
m Avoiding situations were anxiety might occur
m Leaving situations that make me feel stressed/panicky
m Trying to do things perfectly or trying to control events to prevent danger
m Eating more or less
m Drinking, taking drugs and/or smoking more
6
7. Physical symptoms of stress
Please tick any symptoms that you experience regularly:
m Can’t sleep
m Dizzy
m Tired
m Headaches
m Blurred vision
m Pupils dilate
m Tearful
m Ringing ears
m Hot and flushed
m Heart racing
m Heart palpitations
m Chest pain
m Butterflies in stomach
m Feel sick
m Need to go to toilet
m Can’t concentrate
m Forgetful
m Depersonalisation -
feel like you are not really there
m Dry mouth
m Throat tightening
m Different taste/smell
m Neck & shoulder
m Muscles tense
m Breathing fast & shallow
m Hyperventilation
m Shortness of breath
m Sweating
m Leg muscles tense
m Shakiness
m Numbness/tingling toes & fingers
This is how stress can affect the body.
No wonder we can feel so bad when we are stressed out.
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8. Causes of Stress
Things we are excited about
Things we are worried about
Arguments
Internet
Debt
Illness
The future Aches & pains
Responsibilities Where you live
Relationships Feeling lonely
Childhood Life changes
Alcohol misuse
Divorce
Feeling bored
Children
Getting married
Kids playing up
Moving house
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9. What keeps stress going?
Stress can become a long term problem because of:
m Things that happen in your life: If we have lots of things we are trying
to cope with in our lives (even if they are things we enjoy, like holidays),
that can start our stress response and keep it going.
m A vicious cycle of stress: This means our thoughts, physical symptoms and
how we behave keep stress and worries going.
You've started to look at how stress affects you by using the checklists on
pages 6 and 7. Now let's put it all together and look at how each of the areas
combine to maintain stress.
The diagram over the page shows that what we think about a situation or
problem may affect how we feel about it, physically and emotionally. It can
also change what we do or don't do (our behaviour).
Look at the arrows in the diagram. They show how they all affect each other.
9
10. Things in your life
Things in our lives and in our past all have an affect on emotions and how we think,
physically feel and behave.
So if you are worried about going to the shops a vicious cycle like this could develop:
Thoughts
“I can’t cope”
“Something awful is
going to happen...”
Your thoughts affect
your emotions... so
if you think that you
can’t cope, you are
Behaviour likely to become Emotions
anxious and stressed. Anxious, worried,
Leave the situation
nervous
Your behaviour can
further reinforce your
Your thoughts,
thoughts, so you
and your emotions
are relieved at first
affect how you feel
but when it happens
physically... the ‘stress
again you may feel
response’ causes
even less able to
physical symptoms.
cope. This leads to
the vicious cycle.
Physical
Hot, heart pounding,
breathing speeds up
As your physical
symptoms and
emotions increase,
this reinforces
your thoughts that
something bad is
going to happen and
affects the way you
behave... So you
leave the situation.
10
11. Use the sympton checker from page 6 and 7, or think of the last time you felt stressed,
to have a go at drawing your own cycle on the blank diagram below:
Things in your life
Thoughts
Behaviour Emotions
Physical
11
12. The good news is that just as all the areas work together to maintain stress, if you
work on making small changes in one of the areas, it will help with the others.
So, by making changes to how you think or behave, or how your body reacts
physically, you can make changes to how you feel and break the cycle of stress.
Where Next?
This booklet will help you to start making changes in the physical symptoms of
stress. Turn over the page and read through the rest of this booklet.
There are other booklets which will help you to:
m manage your thoughts
m change your behaviour
m focus on things in your environment
m focus on managing anxiety in more detail
They are available
m free in your local library
m to buy from the website: www.fiveareas.com
m free to download from: www.ntw.nhs.uk/pic/selfhelp
12
13. How Stress affects the body
The Stress Response (Fight and Flight System)
Our bodies are really good at protecting us from danger. When the body
senses a threat it releases lots of the hormone Adrenaline into the blood. This
makes the body ready to react to the danger. It is an automatic reaction that
you do not control.
Imagine a caveman, hunting and gathering. If a sabre-toothed tiger jumped
out, he needs to either fight it or run away (flight). Adrenaline makes the
heartbeat and breathing faster. This gets blood to the muscles and brain. This
made the caveman more alert and his muscles had more strength and stamina.
When he ran away or fought the sabre-toothed the effects of adrenaline wore
off and his body then returned to normal (as long as he got away!)
The problem is that our bodies have this 'fight or flight' reaction to things that
stress us out, like driving in rush hour traffic. But we rarely flee or fight our way
out of the situation. This means that the stress is not 'burnt off' and it keeps on
affecting our bodies.
The physical affects of stress can feel dangerous but it is normal. The table
over the page gives you more information about the symptoms of stress and the
reason why the body has that response.
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14. What happens Why
Pumping blood to get oxygen and
Heart racing
glucose to the arm and leg muscles
Heart palpitations
and the brain.
Breathing fast and shallow
Shortness of breath Body needs more oxygen so the chest
Chest pain muscles are being used a lot
Tight chest
Brain is working overtime. More
Headaches
blood to brain so it is ready for action
Tense neck & shoulder muscles The body is getting ready for action
Shaky legs and arms and more blood is going to muscles
Butterflies in stomach feel sick Less blood to stomach and intestines
Numbness / tingling toes and fingers Less blood to fingers and toes
Vomiting
Body wants to be lighter for escape
Need to go to the toilet
Dry mouth Body does not want to digest food
Throat tightening when running away or fighting
Sweating The body is getting ready to cool you
Hot and flushed down. Extra activity will make you hot
Nervous system uses up energy even
Tired
when the body is at rest
Pupils get bigger to see surroundings
Blurred vision
better. Eyes take time to focus close
Pupils dilate
up
Reaction to worry and the physical
Tearful
symptoms of stress
Can’t concentrate
Forgetful
Nervous system is overloaded. The
Feel like you are not really there
brain is trying to process too much
Can’t sleep
information at once.
Ringing in ears
Strange taste / smell
14
15. Hyperventilation
This is when you breathe too much, with shallow fast breathing.
Sometimes when we feel scared or stressed we can tend to over-breathe and
this can create more problems.
The body reacts by:
m Less blood goes to the brain - so you could feel dizzy, confused, have a
sense of unreality. It may make your vision blurry and you feel breathless
or as if you are choking.
m Less blood gets to other parts of the body - so you can get numbness /
tingling in hands and feet, faster heart rate and tight muscles.
m Chest tightness or pains - your chest muscles are doing a lot of work
Hyperventilation is not dangerous. The symptoms will get less as you take
control your breathing.
15
16. Going from Distress to De-Stress
So now you know what is happening to your body, the good news is that you
can do something about it.
The opposite of the ‘Fight and Flight’ system is the ‘Rest and Digest’ system.
They are like two sides of a seesaw. The ‘Fight and Flight’ System is at one
end and the ‘Rest and Digest’ System is at the other end. When stress is high,
relaxation is low and when relaxation is high, stress is low.
Stress
‘Fight and Flight’
Relaxation
‘Rest and Digest’
The body cannot be stressed and relaxed at the same time
How to De-Stress using Relaxation
Sometimes when we focus on what is stressing us out, it can make us feel even
more stressed. This is because it sets off the ‘Fight and Flight’ system. So
instead we need to set off the ‘Rest and Digest’ system to help the body and
mind to deal with things more easily and with a clearer head.
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17. Why does Relaxation work?
Relaxation techniques allow the ‘Rest and Digest’ system to take over.
The body can then de-stress itself and reduce the unpleasant symptoms of stress.
It can reduce the usual level of adrenaline in your blood. So it takes more to
stress you out than it did before!
It can improve your physical health, for example, it can lower blood pressure.
Relaxation
‘Rest and Digest’
Stress
‘Fight and Flight’
By learning the following techniques, you can take back control over your
body. Instead of feeling rotten, you can spend some time practising the
techniques and start to feel better.
The relaxation techniques covered in this guide are:
m Controlled Breathing - Page 19
m Calming Breath - Page 21
m Progressive Muscle Relaxation - Page 21
Turn to the next part of this guide to learn how.
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18. Top Tips for De-Stressing
Breathing Exercises
Breathing is a simple way of taking back control of your body. It reduces the
physical symptoms of stress.
1. Practise as much as possible - try at least 2-3 times a day
2. Get comfortable - where everything is ‘just right’ (some people call this
the ‘Goldilocks Zone’ ).
Not too hot, not too cold
Not too hungry, not too full
Nothing is too tight: Loosen any tight garments and take off shoes,
watch, glasses etc if you want to.
3. Find a quiet location with nothing to distract you.
4. Choose a time of day when you feel most relaxed to begin with.
5. Make a decision not to worry about anything - if you don’t do it quite
right, don’t worry, just practise some more.
6. Try to breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth. (Don’t get
too worried about this as it is better to breathe than not!)
Sometimes when people first begin to use breathing
exercises they can feel dizzy. This is because the
body is not used to lots of oxygen getting to the
brain. So for the first few weeks, it is a good idea
to lie down or sit when you practise your breathing
exercises.
Talk to your GP before you try these exercises if you
have medical concerns about the breathing exercises
and your health.
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19. Power Breathing - controlled breathing
Breathing is a simple way to take back power and control over your body.
1. Lie down comfortably with your eyes closed. Let your arms, legs and feet
flop out to the sides and let your mouth fall open if it feels comfortable.
2. Take your hands and place them on your stomach - at the level of your
bellybutton.
3. Start by emptying your lungs (exhale) - pull your stomach in as much as
possible as you breathe out.
4. Next breathe in (inhale) and push out your belly. Don’t worry about
moving your chest. You should feel your hands rise up as your stomach
goes out. Breathe in as deeply as feels comfortable. See the diagram
over the page.
5. As you breathe out, feel your stomach fall. Try and breathe out as slowly
as possible. And repeat for at least 5 minutes.
Practising is the Key
You may find that it feels weird and uncomfortable when you first start
breathing this way. This is because it is different from how you have been
breathing for years.
Fold your arms like you usually do - it feels really comfortable doesn’t it. Now
try folding them the opposite way - it feels really strange and uncomfortable.
But if you kept folding your arms like that, after a while it would feel OK.
You may need to remind yourself to use your belly to breathe while you are
getting used to it. But after a while it will become a habit. You will breathe
with your belly without having to think about it. It will just happen!
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21. The Calming Breath - extend the out breath
This techniques leads to even deeper relaxation once you have mastered the
power breathing technique.
1. Sit down and close your eyes for a little while.
2. Practise the power breathing technique and in your head count how long
it takes you to breathe in.
3. Now take longer to breathe out, for example if you breathe in to the
count of 4, breathe out to the count of 6.
4. You could also hold your breath for a couple of seconds at the end of
your out breath (but only if that is comfortable for you).
5. As you get used to this technique you can take even longer to breathe -
just make sure you take longer to breathe out. For example: Take 10 to
breathe in and 16 to breathe out.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation
You are going to teach yourself to tense and then relax groups of muscles. You
should breathe in whilst tensing and breathe out when you relax.
When you do the exercise, focus on your muscles. If your attention wanders,
bring it back to the particular muscle group you're working on.
If an area feels painful when you tense it, then stop. If it continues to be a
problem then it is worth checking it out with you doctor or practice nurse.
Each time you relax a group of muscles think how they feel when they are
relaxed. Don’t try to relax, just let go of the tension. Notice the difference
between the tension and the relaxation. You might feel a slight tingling. This is
the relaxation starting to take effect.
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22. Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Lie down comfortably with your eyes closed. Concentrate on your breathing
for a few minutes. Breathe slowly and calmly. Try to practise the power
breathing and calming breath.
Next follow this guide:
1. Hands: Clench your fists. Hold for 7-10 seconds and then release for 15-
20 seconds.
2. Biceps: Draw your forearms up toward your shoulders and "making a
muscle" with both arms. Hold... and then relax.
3. Triceps: Extend your arms out straight and lock your elbows. Hold ...
and then relax.
4. Forehead: Raise your eyebrows as far as you can. Hold ... and then
relax.
5. Eyes: Clench your eyelids tightly shut. Hold... and then relax.
6. Jaw: Open your mouth so wide that you stretch the muscles around the
hinges of your jaw. Then stick out your tongue. Hold ... and then relax.
7. Back of your neck: (Be gentle with this muscle group to avoid injury.)
Pull your head way back, as if you were going to touch your head to
your back. Hold ... and then relax.
8. Head: Take a few deep breaths and tune in to the weight of your head
sinking into whatever surface it is resting on.
9. Shoulders: Raise them up as if you were going to touch your ears. Hold
... and then relax.
10. Shoulder blades: Push your shoulder blades back as if you were going
to touch them together. Hold the tension in your shoulder blades ... and
then relax.
11. Chest: Take in a deep breath. Hold for up to 10 seconds ... and then
relax.
12. Stomach: Suck your stomach in. Hold ... and then release.
22
23. 13. Lower back: (You should not do this exercise if you have lower back
pain.) Arch it up. Hold ... and then relax.
14. Buttocks: Pull them together tightly. Hold ... and then relax.
15. Thighs: Squeeze together all the way down to your knees.
16. Calf muscles: Pull your toes toward you (flex carefully to avoid cramps).
Hold ... and then relax.
17. Feet: Point your toes downward (like a ballerina!). Hold... and then
relax.
18. Toes: Curl your toes downward. Hold ... and then relax.
19. Mentally scan your body for any tension that is left in any muscles. If a
particular area remains tense, repeat one or two tense-relax cycles for
that group of muscles.
You can download an audio of a PMR exercise from
www.studentnet.manchester.ac.uk/counselling/self-help/downloads/
Getting a good night’s sleep
Without a good night’s sleep everything can feel like it is hard work. Getting
a good night's sleep can be difficult at times, especially if you are stressed out
about something (or things!).
The good news is that you can use all three of these exercises to help you get to
sleep at night!
So when you are lying in bed at night, trying to sleep, start with your breathing.
Firstly, use your belly to breathe; then focus on extending your out breath.
If you have restless legs or feel agitated, you could try the progressive muscle
relaxation exercise to relax your body.
Remember to be patient, and just keep practising.
It takes time to learn new skills: how long did it take you to learn to walk?
23
24. Other Tips for Managing Stress
Improve Your Physical Health
m Eat Well - Eating the right things and avoiding the wrong things can affect
your mood and ability to cope with stress. The Food and Mood booklet
on the mhim.org website has lots of good information.
m Get Physical - Physical activity is great for releasing stress. Find an activity
that you enjoy, maybe walking and listening to an audio book. The
Physical Activity and Mood booklet on the mhim.org website has lots of
good information.
m Listen to music - Can help to relax or give you energy.
m Take time out to play - Having fun is a great way to reduce stress.
m Know your physical symptoms - You can use relaxation exercises to
reduce them as soon as they start.
Change your Behaviour
m Reduce your commitments - Allow some time for yourself. You can’t do
everything yourself, so don’t be afraid to ask for help.
m Take one thing at a time - Things can sometimes feel overwhelming.
Set your priorities and tackle the most essential job first. The ‘How to
Fix Almost Everything’ booklet available from fiveareas.com and local
libraries explains a simple way to solve problems.
m Treat yourself - Take time out, enjoy being yourself and do something just
for you.
m Distract yourself - Having something else to focus on helps to lessen
stress. So you could try out a new hobby!
m Avoid self-medication - Using drugs or alcohol can often become an extra
problem.
m Ask for help if you need it - There are useful organisations at the back of
this booklet.
24
25. Change your Thoughts
m Challenge your thoughts - Just because you think it, doesn’t make it true.
The ‘Why does Everything Always Go Wrong’ booklet available from
www.fiveareas.com and local libraries.
m Be creative -- Express yourself by painting, writing, dancing. The ‘Get
Creative’ booklet is on the mhim.org website and has lots of good ideas.
m Do something for others - It makes you feel good and helps put your own
life back in perspective.
m Talk to someone you really trust - Just talking about what is stressing you
out can make you feel better.
Or use a helpline like the Samaritans: 08457 90 90 90
m Try computerised Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (cCBT) - three FREE
websites are:
m livinglifetothefull.com;
m moodgym.anu.edu.au; and
m ecouch.anu.edu.au
m cCBT is also available from Self Help Services at venues across Manchester.
Get Practical
Manchester City Council: manchester.gov.uk
m
Consumer Credit Counselling Service: cccs.co.uk
m
onecentralplace.org
m
getselfhelp.co.uk
m
citizensadvice.org.uk
m
Get Informed
Mental Health In Manchester: mhim.org.uk
m
Royal College of Psychiatrists: www.rcpsych.ac.uk
m
25
26. Useful Links and Organisations:
Manchester Primary Care Mental Health Team
You can refer yourself to the team in your area for support with common mental
health issues such as stress, anxiety and depression:
m North Manchester: 0161 231 0017
m Central Manchester: 0161 861 2236
m South Manchester: 0161 946 8260
42nd Street: 42ndstreet.org.uk
Offer a range services to young people (14-25 year olds) under stress and/or
experiencing mental health problems
m Helpline: 0161 832 0170 (Mon, Thu & Fri 12.30pm-4.30pm)
African & Caribbean Primary Care Mental
Health Service: acmhs.co.uk
Offer a range of services that accepts self referrals:
m Telephone: 0161 226 9562
Anxiety UK: anxietyuk.org.uk
m Helpline: 08444 775 774 (Mon-Fri)
Self Help Services: selfhelpservices.org.uk
Offer a range of services including:
m Counselling
m Psychological Well Being Practitioners
m Computerised Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
m Self Help Groups
m Range of courses
m Telephone: 0161 226 3871
The Roby: theroby.org.uk
m Telephone: 0161 257 2653
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