Avoid rush hour to remove stress

Seven out of 10 working adults in Britain have experienced stress at work and commuting in rush hour trains is the most stressful situation they face, a survey published on Wednesday said.

The survey, conducted by British insurance company Royal Sun Alliance for National Stress Awareness Day, showed 70 percent of working adults in Britain have experienced stress in the workplace. Nearly half of those surveyed said their stress levels have increased over the last 12 months.

"The survey showed the seriousness of the situation. It is surprising that our stress levels are still going up," Rodney Wernick of the International Stress Management Association said, recalling predictions a decade ago that new technology would lighten the burden for workers.

The survey showed 44 percent of adults in Britain find being in rush hour traffic the most stressful situation. The best advice for rush hour drivers is to keep their cool, listen to relaxing music or educational tapes.

Worry about their children's future came in second with 32 percent, followed by work, with 31 percent. New technology was at eighth place with 21 percent.

The survey also showed 49 percent of men find work stressful compared with 22 percent of women. But 52 percent of men said new technology is not stressful at all.

Wernick said recognizing your own sign of stress is the first thing you can do to reduce it. If you can isolate the problem that is instigating high-stress levels, you will be more successful at overcoming further episodes and take steps towards preventing the instigator.

"Catch the sign as early as possible. Then look after yourself physically. Even a brisk walk of 20 minutes would burn a cocktail of unhealthy hormones that is causing your stress." Exercise has an incredible ability to stimulate hormones and brain chemicals which can positively influence behaviour.

"Whatever you put in to reduce your stress level, you can get that back -- concentration, improved productivity, and quality of life."

Reference Source 89