What you experience as stress is the result of your reaction to the events, circumstances and people you encounter. You’re surrounded by potential sources of stress. Your job, family, friends, schedule, traffic and finances are among the many possible origins of stress you encounter on a daily basis.

The key to managing stress is monitoring and controlling the way you react. Stress affects you mentally and physically. Mental symptoms include irritability, sleeplessness, a lack of focus, emotional swings, a feeling of helplessness and a short temper. Physical symptoms include elevated blood pressure, ulcers, headaches, weight gain and aches and pains.

The consequences of stress can be debilitating. Left unchecked, stress can cut years from your lifespan and severely undermine your quality of life. It can also aggravate depression and anxiety.

Until you change the way you react to stress, you will keep experiencing the same symptoms. Different people have varying reactions to the same circumstances. Identifying the causes and effects of stress in writing enables you to formulate a stress management strategy.

I like to manage my stress by listening to The Beatles and settling down with a hot cup of Earl Grey tea, sleeping can also relieve stress but too much of it can make you even more stressed or exhausted. Another way to relieve stress is to take up crochet, that’s something my mother does.