A guide to discovering your stress secrets

Stress is a fact of life. As the world becomes more competitive, faster and more overcrowded, the pressures of daily life can mount up. Stress can undermine physical and psychological wellbeing. This in turn can reduce your effectiveness at work and your pleasure in life - which leads to more stress.

Many people fail to recognise that their physical symptoms are the result of stress. It is important to recognise your own early warning signs and treat the cause and the symptoms of stress before stress gets the better of you.

You can do a lot to reduce your susceptibility to the effects of stress by being aware of your own signs, symptoms, triggers and risk factors. Use this questionnaire to discover your own stress.
 
Section 1 - Personality
Do you often find yourself...  
trying to do several things at once?
getting impatient waiting in queues?
doing things quickly e.g. eating, walking?
feeling you must succeed at all costs at whatever you're doing?
being concerned at how others see you?
bottling up your feelings?
feeling that work leaves you with little time for outside interests?
 
Section 2 - Health and Lifestyle
Do you take any form of exercise e.g. housework, gym, sport, etc?
Are you overweight?
How many units of alcohol do you drink each week?
(A unit of alcohol is equivalent to half a pint of beer or a pub measure of wine or spirits)
Do you eat a varied diet including fresh fruit and vegetables?
Do you talk your problems over with friends?
Do you smoke?
Do you actively plan your time e.g. make lists?
 
Section 3 - Symptoms of Stress
Do you ever feel resentful and/or angry?
Are you more snappy/bad tempered with people than you would like to be?
Do you get upset more easily than you think you should?
Do you have problems with getting enough sleep?
Do you feel under par even though you're not actually ill?
Do you suffer from upset stomachs and/or indigestion?
Do you ever feel like you're running just to stay still?
Do you feel restless and find it hard to settle?
Do you feel tense and get muscular aches and pains?
Do you drop things and find you are generally being clumsy?
Do you feel anxious and panicky for no apparent reason?
Do you find yourself being forgetful?
Do you get skin rashes?
Do you suffer from loss of appetite?