As much as we hope for a stress-free life, there’s no avoiding the downs that accompany the ups. We all have to deal with stress, from the everyday trials through to the more serious challenges we all face at some point in our lives.

Top 5 Tips

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by stress:

1. Take deep, slow breaths.

2. Sometimes just accepting ‘I can’t do anything about it, it’s not my problem’ is a relief.

3. Be realistic. For example, if you’ve got small children, keeping the house really tidy is impossible. Set aside a time at the end of the day when you all put the toys away together.

4. Exercise. Set yourself a goal – maybe walk three times a week or spend 15 minutes each day in the garden.

5. Set aside some time for yourself. Sit and read a book for 10 minutes, or phone a friend. Don’t spend all your time rushing around doing things.