Students Offer Stress Management Advice
Students from the University of Greenwich have been dispensing stress-testing cards as well as calming words of advice to the public to mark National Stress Awareness Day (Wednesday, November 7).
As part of the International Stress Management Association UK’s (ISMA) awareness campaign called “Stress - Don’t Let It Get To You”, students offered shoppers in Eltham High Street a list of top 10 tips as well as the cards that detect levels of stress through body temperature.
The students were from the BSc Complementary Therapies (Stress Management) degree and course co-ordinator and senior lecturer Josephine O’Gorman said the event was a great way to educate the public.
She said: “There is a real need to make people aware of the consequences of stress. It has a huge impact on all our lives as well as knock-on effects to our work and the UK economy.
“There is a growing demand for qualified specialists to assists companies, as well as individuals, to cope and deal with stress. Our students specialise in all aspects of stress management and they will be well placed to pursue professional careers in this challenging field.”
According to the Government’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE) work-related stress accounts for more than a third of all new incidences of ill health. Each case of stress-related ill health leads to an average of 30.9 working days lost.
Ms O’Gorman added: “We hope the cards and advice proved helpful. Everyone, can benefit from understanding their own level of stress and learning the variety of positive ways to manage it in their lives”.
For further information about stress management, visit www.isma.org.uk or www.hse.gov.uk.
To find out more about courses available at the University of Greenwich, including the BSc Complementary Therapies (Stress Management) degree, call 0800 005 006 or visit www.greenwich.ac.uk.
The Top 10 Tips were:
1) Smile - Smiling is the first line of defence against stress - it’s quick, easy and free. When you smile your body releases feel-good hormones, whiles stress hormone, cortisol is reduced.
2) Exercise - Good for general health, exercise is highly effective in reducing stress as it improves blood flow to the brain and releases endorphins the body’s natural pain killer and feel-good hormones.
3) Rest and Sleep - Lots of sleep and rest provides energy and improves good concentration. Deprivation from sleep is a key factor in raising stress levels.
4) Positive Thinking - Adopting a positive outlook on life stops you seeing external events as determining your happiness.
5) Reach Out to Others - Everyone needs a support network and a sympathetic ear always helps.
6) Work/Life Balance - Don’t let work dominate your life as it’s important to make time for relaxation.
7) Relaxation - Deep breathing, visualisation or meditation are all anti-stress weapons that can be used at any time.
8) Eat A Healthy Diet - A balanced diet delivers all the nutrients your body needs to function at its optimum level and is essential for dealing with stressful situations.
9) Hugging - Not only does hugging feel good, it has been proven to help reduce stress levels.
10) Seek Professional Help If You Need It - Stress management professionals can help.
ENDS
For interview opportunities, please contact:
· University of Greenwich at Medway Public Relations, tel: 020 8331 9420
· Delphine Houlton, Andrew Metcalf or Jez Durrant, at Maxim, tel: 01892 513033
Picture captions:From left University of Greenwich students Janine Homeister, Cecille Clohessy, Anne Wellard, Anne-Marie Turner and tutor Josephine O'Gorman