It is especially important to tackle stress effectively in the workplace. Each year several million working days are lost as a result of stress, in the UK, 30 working days are lost because of stress or mental illness for every one day lost to industrial disputes. Two out of three medical consultations concern stress‑related conditions. According to the CBI, illness caused by stress in the workplace has increased by 500% since the mid 1950’s and 60% of all visits to healthcare professionals are for stress‑related illnesses.
Stress is not only caused by a high‑pressure job; anyone can succumb: from the Managing Director, to the office cleaner. We spend a major part of our lives at work, or looking for it. Thus, what happens at work is vitally important to our health and well-being. Stress can occur if you are working in an environment or a job that is not really right for you, or if you feet that your abilities are being over or under stretched. Your section leader or your boss may not appreciate your personal attributes or strained. Personal relationships may begin to have an extremely negative effect on you. Your physical working conditions can also cause stress: a noisy office, working in a factory all day, sitting at a screen, bad lighting and insufficient working space can all take their toll on your health and well‑being.
Examples of occupational stress:
- Change in work practice requiring new skills
- Trapped in unsatisfying job
- Numerous deadlines
- Geographic relocation
- Lack of feedback on performance
- Lack of stimulation at work
- Responsibility without adequate authority
- Unsympathetic boss
- Unclear goals
- Lack of clarity about job
- Inadequate rewards ‑ low salary, poor prospects
- Hostile customers
- Threat of redundancy
- Frequent night shifts
What are the symptoms of stress?
Mental, emotional or physical strain or tension. The non‑specific response of the body to any demand made upon it (this can be good or bad). The psychological and physical effects this pressure has on us if it is very severe or lasts too long. Emotional or mental pressure from life’s demands. Stressors (causes of undue stress) tend to be threats, change or extreme demands. However, they may not always appear unpleasant e.g. holidays, marriage or celebrations.
Physical symptoms of stress:
- Headache or migraine
- Neck or backache
- Indigestion
- Raised blood pressure
- Nausea or vomiting
- Muscle tension ‑ forehead, jaw, neck, shoulders
- Dizziness
- Sleep disturbance
- Asthma
- Breathlessness
- Need for alcohol
- Excess sweating
- Excessive smoking
- Loss of appetite
- Addiction to medication or drugs
- Becoming accident‑prone
- Ulcers
- Constant tiredness
- Constipation or diarrhoea
- Onset of allergies
- Pancreatic disease
- Craving for food
- Impotence
- PMT
- Strokes
- Heart disease
- Cancer
- Hair loss
Psychological symptoms of stress:
- Tiredness
- Poor concentration/forgetfulness
- Insomnia
- Irritability
- Excessive tearfulness
- Loss sense of humour
- Feeling overwhelmed/flooded
- Anxiety
- Nightmares
- Anger or violence
- Depression
- Phobias
- Low self esteem
- Memory lapses
- Feelings of hopelessness
Stress at work can lead to:
- Reduced productivity
- Poor interpersonal relationships
- High staff turnover
- Poor concentration and judgement
Stress itself is not always a bad thing ‑ it is only a problem if taken to excess over a period of time; a certain amount of pressure can lead to greater achievements resulting in more self‑confidence. For example, if one wants to excel in sport, a certain amount of stress is necessary to provide the motivation to perform and compete. What determines whether a particular situation is stressful or not will be determined by the balance of the following: – external demands, internal needs and values, personal coping resources and external resources of support.
The body’s response to stress prepares us for ‘fight or flight’ but our modem way of living does not usually allow us to do either, so the body is left in a tense and alert state. Positive stress prepares you for action and provides motivation to cope with everyday life and it creates a sense of well‑being and anticipation.
Over the last few hundred years, ever increasing technological changes have caused large shifts in patterns of social and work organisation, leading to a faster pace of life. Combined with a general lack of awareness within society of how to cope with increased stress levels, the effects of stress go untreated over time, often resulting in illness, which affects individuals and organisations. Excessive stress is very harmful, leading to heart, respiratory and digestive disorders, muscle tension, allergies, accidents and mental disorders. Stress can also be disastrous for organisations where the levels can be very high. Stress that carries on for a long time can lead to more serious and long‑term mental illness.
Harmful stress is often caused by problems in one or more of 7 main areas:
- Bereavement (e.g. loss of spouse, family member, friend)
- Relationships (e.g. divorce, marriage)
- Family (e.g. addition to family
- Health (e.g. personal injury or illness)
- Housing (e.g. moving house)
- Money (e.g. taking out a loan/mortgage)
- Work (e.g. changing job)
Managing Stress in the Workplace
Stress in the workplace can be transformed from a negative to positive situation whereby stress can be re‑experienced as a motivator to challenge people to reach higher. Champissage is well suited to the corporate environment because of its portable nature, and the fact that the treatment is quick and does not require any undressing.
If stress is properly managed it can be re‑experienced as a motivator. Champissage is well suited to the corporate environment because of its flexible and portable nature and the fact that the treatment is quick and the recipient does not need to undress. No creams, oils or special equipment are used. It is a time‑saving therapy when time is of the essence because the therapist can come to you, the treatment is quick (just 15 to 20 minutes) and easy to perform. It is therefore perfect for the office where time is precious.
Head massage is a touch therapy which in itself creates a bond and a comfort for the client. Most people are starved of physical touch and may simply find the human contact very therapeutic. There are no language or intellectual barriers, and the contact can be very valuable for people, especially those experiencing isolation or loneliness. Head Massage, brings about feelings of inner peace. It releases muscular tension and stimulates the flow of blood which causes a sense of well‑being in the body, allowing the mind to slow down and relax.
One of the most common stress‑related complaints is headache. One in three individuals consults their doctor with this symptom every year, and 95% of the population suffers from them at some time. Massaging the scalp, face, neck and shoulders relieves headaches, eyestrain, improves concentration, eliminates muscles tension and restores joint movement.
Massaging the head encourages the supply of oxygen to the brain, which is one of the best ways of reducing stress. Oxygen helps you think clearly and creatively ‑ the same effect is brought about through exercising.
Head Massage attacks stress in an immediate way by accessing the physical effects. It also aids better relaxation and sleep, the lack of which is often a strong component in stress‑related illnesses, which can lead to more serious mental breakdown. The relaxation opposes the stress response and helps the re‑balancing process.
By working on stress, Head Massage has the effect of slowing down behaviour. Time becomes less important for the duration of the massage as sensual awareness takes over. Afterwards, the feeling of being less hurried allows you to be less compulsive and more considered in your outlook. Thoughts quieten and awareness is brought to the here and now.
Working in a more deeply therapeutic way, the Head Massage can locate tension that is being held in the body, for instance in the jaw, or neck, and work to release it, sometimes, easing away years of pent up feelings. Often you are unaware of where you are holding tension ‑ the massage can draw this out and bring life back to those parts.
The treatment is quick (up to half an hour). It is done in a chair with the client fully clothed, and therefore avoids any embarrassment or anxiety. It is perfect for the person with a busy life, and can easily be performed in the office, where stress levels are often very high and time is precious.
WE ALL EAT TOO MUCH SUGAR
I continue to be shocked at how much sugar hides in foods marketed as healthy. For example, Granola, protein bars, iced coffees, fruit juices and bottled smoothies. We all eat too much sugar.
The advice is to keep free or added sugar to around 6 teaspoons a day, about 25grams, and sweetened drinks to less than one a week. Most of us are having three times that!
Start with sweet drinks, because they don’t look like desserts (a slice of cake is an occasional treat a sweetened drink is an everyday habit) they have become our biggest blind spot. They don’t make you full, the sugar hits quickly (leaving you craving more), each extra daily serving is tied to the risk of obesity, heart disease stroke and even depression.
Artificial sweeteners are no better. They affect gut microbes, blood sugar control and keep your sweet tooth ‘switched on’.
Swapping just one drink a day can cut more than half of your sugar intake and you will feel it in your energy, mood and sleep.
DANGERS OF LOW CHOLESTEROL
Cholesterol, as commonly described, is not what people think. It’s low-density lipoprotein, and as a protein, it carries fat-soluble compounds like cholesterol and other essential factors such as fat-soluble antioxidants, fatty acids, and vitamins through the plasma (the water-based portion of the blood). Otherwise, these vital compounds could not be transported throughout the body. What’s often labeled “bad cholesterol” is, in reality, a vital transport system that sustains cellular function and survival. There are dangers of having low cholesterol.
OVER 65
n study after study of adults over 65, those with the lowest cholesterol (LDL) consistently experience higher death rates, while higher cholesterol in late life becomes protective rather than harmful. Past a certain age, cholesterol becomes a marker of vitality, and chronically low levels signal underlying frailty or disease. Low cholesterol has been consistently linked to higher rates of cancer and cancer death.
YOUR BRAIN
Your brain is the most cholesterol-rich organ in your body, containing about 25% of your total cholesterol(in dry weight form). So what happens when pharmaceutical companies convince you to drive those levels into the ground? Cognitive decline, memory loss, and brain atrophy. A study in the lancet as long ago as 1993 found that men over 70 with low cholesterol were three times more likely to be diagnosed with major depression than those with higher levels. Middle-aged men with long-term low cholesterol show significantly more depressive symptoms, and women in the lowest cholesterol decile experience much more depression and anxiety.
Cholesterol is essential for serotonin receptor function in the brain. When cholesterol drops too low, serotonin activity plummets, leading to depression, impulsivity, and violent behaviour.
A NATURAL ANTIBIOTIC
Cholesterol is Your Body’s Natural Antibiotic.LDL particles don’t just transport cholesterol—they actively bind and neutralize bacterial toxins, particularly endotoxins from dangerous gram-negative bacteria. They serve as a crucial first line of defense against infection. Studies consistently show that healthy individuals with low LDL levels suffer significantly higher rates of infectious disease than those with normal or high LDL. People at the bottom of the LDL range have markedly increased risk of hospitalizations for infections, pneumonias, and sepsis.
This doesn’t mean cholesterol-lowering drugs are universally harmful. In fact, one theory is they may help a subpopulation reduce inflammation in their arteries, which could have a slight benefit in the reduction of cardiovascular mortality, even if it increases mortality from infection, cancer, and cardiomyopathy. Context matters enormously:
HIGH CHOLESTEROL
For a high-risk, middle-aged person with very high cholesterol, moderate reduction can be lifesaving. For an elderly person, someone with depression, or anyone with a history of infections, pushing cholesterol to ultra-low ranges may do more harm than good. The true goal should be extending healthspan and cultivating overall well-being—not merely chasing lower numbers on a lab report. In fact, there are a wide variety of natural agents shown to support healthy cholesterol balance, many of which demonstrate effectiveness and greater safety compared to the statin drug class. Cholesterol serves essential roles in every cell, every organ system, and every aspect of human health. When we artificially suppress this vital molecule, we create new diseases while claiming to prevent old ones.
DANGERS OF LOW CHOLESTEROL
The evidence for the dangers of low cholesterol is hiding in plain sight—in peer-reviewed journals, major medical databases, and large-scale population studies. The only reason you haven’t heard about it is because there’s no money (statin sales are worth $200 billion) in telling you that your body might actually know what it’s doing.
Escape into Nature to calm your nervous system
If you do nothing else………………………. Escape into Nature to calm your nervous system
Go forest bathing. The Japanese believe in a comfort instinct they call shinrin-yoku, which translates literally as ‘forest bath’. Put simply, forest bathing is about spending time among trees. Experts say that trees emit essential oils, or phytoncides, which are their natural protection from germs and insects and might even be part of the way different trees communicate with each other.
One study found that time spent among trees leads to lower cortisol levels, reduced pulse rate, and lower blood pressure. Another found that phytoncides can reduce stress levels, increase the quality of our sleep, improve our mood and wellbeing, lower blood pressure, decrease anxiety and increase heart-rate variability.
If it’s difficult to get to a forest or wood, similar benefits can come from engaging with a single tree, house plants or even using essential oils such as cypress, which contain phytoncides. But there are few things more relaxing than strolling through woodland – so see if you can find some to escape to this weekend, especially if temperatures rise and you need that shade.
Some recent reviews from clients
‘I found it was a wonderful experience, bringing me back to me. I left with a feeling of relaxation, which I’m still feeling and of course, tiredness, but its a ‘different’ sort of tiredness, like my body just wants to ‘flop’, haha. I guess that’s the release of tension. I’m walking (atm) with less tension, so there’s less pain, though it still ‘feels’ deep.
I look forward to my next treatment, with more hope than I’ve felt in a long time.’
Some quotes I am thinking about
Other peoples words often stay with me for a long time, and pop up again when they are releveant. Here are examples of some quotes I am thinking about:
“Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” “The future depends on what you do today.” “In a gentle way, you can shake the world.” “Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony. Mahatma Gandhi
“negative emotions are a call to action. When you feel them, it’s because you’re supposed to do something. Positive emotions, on the other hand, are rewards for taking the proper action.” ― Mark Manson
“Worrying is like praying for something you don’t want to happen.” ~ Robert Downey Junior
The Chinese word for stress means ‘Heart Killing’.
There is no nutritional requirement for wheat, sugar or vegetable oils.
Better in the bin than in my tummy.
Stitch the sadness into the tapestry of your life.
Men don’t know how the touch of a hand on the back of neck can feel like a request.
Where there is risk there needs to be a choice.
Talking to people who we love and who love us is the safety valve that is open to everyone.
If I could wave a magic wand how would you like to feel?
I ask if I could wave a magic wand how would you like to feel?
Answers I have received
What people have said after a session
I feel like:
STRESS IN THE WORKPLACE
It is especially important to tackle stress effectively in the workplace. Each year several million working days are lost as a result of stress, in the UK, 30 working days are lost because of stress or mental illness for every one day lost to industrial disputes. Two out of three medical consultations concern stress‑related conditions. According to the CBI, illness caused by stress in the workplace has increased by 500% since the mid 1950’s and 60% of all visits to healthcare professionals are for stress‑related illnesses.
Stress is not only caused by a high‑pressure job; anyone can succumb: from the Managing Director, to the office cleaner. We spend a major part of our lives at work, or looking for it. Thus, what happens at work is vitally important to our health and well-being. Stress can occur if you are working in an environment or a job that is not really right for you, or if you feet that your abilities are being over or under stretched. Your section leader or your boss may not appreciate your personal attributes or strained. Personal relationships may begin to have an extremely negative effect on you. Your physical working conditions can also cause stress: a noisy office, working in a factory all day, sitting at a screen, bad lighting and insufficient working space can all take their toll on your health and well‑being.
Examples of occupational stress:
What are the symptoms of stress?
Mental, emotional or physical strain or tension. The non‑specific response of the body to any demand made upon it (this can be good or bad). The psychological and physical effects this pressure has on us if it is very severe or lasts too long. Emotional or mental pressure from life’s demands. Stressors (causes of undue stress) tend to be threats, change or extreme demands. However, they may not always appear unpleasant e.g. holidays, marriage or celebrations.
Physical symptoms of stress:
Psychological symptoms of stress:
Stress at work can lead to:
Stress itself is not always a bad thing ‑ it is only a problem if taken to excess over a period of time; a certain amount of pressure can lead to greater achievements resulting in more self‑confidence. For example, if one wants to excel in sport, a certain amount of stress is necessary to provide the motivation to perform and compete. What determines whether a particular situation is stressful or not will be determined by the balance of the following: – external demands, internal needs and values, personal coping resources and external resources of support.
The body’s response to stress prepares us for ‘fight or flight’ but our modem way of living does not usually allow us to do either, so the body is left in a tense and alert state. Positive stress prepares you for action and provides motivation to cope with everyday life and it creates a sense of well‑being and anticipation.
Over the last few hundred years, ever increasing technological changes have caused large shifts in patterns of social and work organisation, leading to a faster pace of life. Combined with a general lack of awareness within society of how to cope with increased stress levels, the effects of stress go untreated over time, often resulting in illness, which affects individuals and organisations. Excessive stress is very harmful, leading to heart, respiratory and digestive disorders, muscle tension, allergies, accidents and mental disorders. Stress can also be disastrous for organisations where the levels can be very high. Stress that carries on for a long time can lead to more serious and long‑term mental illness.
Harmful stress is often caused by problems in one or more of 7 main areas:
Managing Stress in the Workplace
Stress in the workplace can be transformed from a negative to positive situation whereby stress can be re‑experienced as a motivator to challenge people to reach higher. Champissage is well suited to the corporate environment because of its portable nature, and the fact that the treatment is quick and does not require any undressing.
If stress is properly managed it can be re‑experienced as a motivator. Champissage is well suited to the corporate environment because of its flexible and portable nature and the fact that the treatment is quick and the recipient does not need to undress. No creams, oils or special equipment are used. It is a time‑saving therapy when time is of the essence because the therapist can come to you, the treatment is quick (just 15 to 20 minutes) and easy to perform. It is therefore perfect for the office where time is precious.
Head Massage a counterbalance to stress
Head massage is a touch therapy which in itself creates a bond and a comfort for the client. Most people are starved of physical touch and may simply find the human contact very therapeutic. There are no language or intellectual barriers, and the contact can be very valuable for people, especially those experiencing isolation or loneliness. Head Massage, brings about feelings of inner peace. It releases muscular tension and stimulates the flow of blood which causes a sense of well‑being in the body, allowing the mind to slow down and relax.
One of the most common stress‑related complaints is headache. One in three individuals consults their doctor with this symptom every year, and 95% of the population suffers from them at some time. Massaging the scalp, face, neck and shoulders relieves headaches, eyestrain, improves concentration, eliminates muscles tension and restores joint movement.
Massaging the head encourages the supply of oxygen to the brain, which is one of the best ways of reducing stress. Oxygen helps you think clearly and creatively ‑ the same effect is brought about through exercising.
Head Massage attacks stress in an immediate way by accessing the physical effects. It also aids better relaxation and sleep, the lack of which is often a strong component in stress‑related illnesses, which can lead to more serious mental breakdown. The relaxation opposes the stress response and helps the re‑balancing process.
By working on stress, Head Massage has the effect of slowing down behaviour. Time becomes less important for the duration of the massage as sensual awareness takes over. Afterwards, the feeling of being less hurried allows you to be less compulsive and more considered in your outlook. Thoughts quieten and awareness is brought to the here and now.
Working in a more deeply therapeutic way, the Head Massage can locate tension that is being held in the body, for instance in the jaw, or neck, and work to release it, sometimes, easing away years of pent up feelings. Often you are unaware of where you are holding tension ‑ the massage can draw this out and bring life back to those parts.
The treatment is quick (up to half an hour). It is done in a chair with the client fully clothed, and therefore avoids any embarrassment or anxiety. It is perfect for the person with a busy life, and can easily be performed in the office, where stress levels are often very high and time is precious.
Unique, potent, bodywork therapy
What is Zero Balancing?
Zero Balancing is a unique, potent but little-known bodywork therapy. It is one of those well-kept healing secrets. I would describe it as massage with your clothes on. Therapy without the talk. Meditation without the mantra. It goes to right to the heart of healing by bringing your energy and your structure (your physical body) into balance.
Zero Balancing is a bodywork that has only been around for 30 years. According to its founder, US physician and osteopath, Dr Fritz Smith, it is the first healing technique to work on the mind and body by integrating the Eastern concept of energy flow with a Western understanding on body structure.
What happens during a session?
Yes, you do lie on a couch but only after an assessment of the current state of your energy field and your skeletal flexibility. For this, you sit on the edge of the couch and allow your pelvis to be rocked from side-to-side and your arms to be rotated in their sockets.
You then lie down and do nothing for the 40 minutes an average session will last.
How does it Work?
As a Zero Balancing practitioner I have been trained to recognise energy pathways clearly mapped out by Dr Smith and so your session will always follow the same pattern.
I use fulcrums or “pivotal points” that I create in the body using the pressure of my fingertips to bring your energy and structure into a balanced relationship. You should immediately feel you are being worked on by someone who knows their way around the body and who knows exactly what they are doing.
Whatever state you are in when you first get onto the couch, you can expect to jump off again feeling relaxed, lighter in your body, stretched out and quieter.
What will I feel after a session?
You may, when you step down, realise your legs feel like jelly and that your head is still reeling from the deep meditation. You may feel a release either during or after a treatment.
Zero Balancing can relieve muscular-skeletal problems and help clear other blockages and emotional or spiritual issues. It can also enhance sports performance.
Unless you are dealing with a specific problem, such as back pain or headaches, then you probably only need a session once every three weeks to help you stay both connected and in balance.
Feel Good in Dartmouth, South Devon
I often ask my clients at the beginning of a session, ‘if I could wave a magic wand how would you like to feel’. They say things like:
Some of the things people have said after a session are :
Walking
Here in South Devon we are spoilt for choice with beautiful countryside and beach walks. Walking is one of the safest and most effective forms of exercise to do and regular walking can help to increase your energy levels, increasing productivity throughout the day. Read more