Some of the top reasons and causes of stress are money, your job (who knew…), relationships, performance and the loss or death of a loved one. These are all aspects a person has to deal with in everyday life. So what are the symptoms of stress, and how do I manage the stress in my life?

Symptoms of stress:

• Pain in the brain

• Hunched shoulders (a typical sign of stress) while driving, working or sitting causes your neck muscles to tense up. End result? Headaches. Focus on relaxing your shoulders and breathing in deeply regularly when sitting.

• Oops, I forgot!

• Forgetfulness is a tell tale sign of stress. Having to much on your mind can lead to forgetting things, being unable to concentrate or make decisions. Take time to get organized by planning ahead. This will reduce forgetting important things.

• Compulsive sweater?

• A hormonal effect of stress is sweating a great deal. Unfortunately this can be rather uncomfortable as it can give off a rather bad smell. Learning how to deal with stress can improve your situation a bit, and showering and deodorising too of course.

• A beer for the cheer

• Stimulant abuse to deal with with stress is also very common, and includes caffeine, tobacco and alcohol. Here’s one you’ve heard before: Quit smoking, it kills you. For the rest, limit your daily coffee and alcohol intake (the latter at work at least), as it affects your sugar levels, and ultimately, your concentration.

• Sore and stiff

• Muscles, on the back especially, can easily contract into spasms, causing pain. Ease your muscle pains by exercising regularly, and stretching your muscled a bit. This is also great for relieving stress itself.

• Twice the man you used to be?

• Weight gain is a very common sign of stress, especially in your mid section… Once again, get off your bum (which is most probably nailed to the chair in front of your computer) and exercise. Exercising produces endorphins that make you feel, what’s the word… happy?

Tips on managing stress

1. Good nutrition and exercise contributes to reducing stress and improving your overall health. You need your daily intake of necessary nutrients, and an afternoon jog will help release some of the tension you built up during the day.


2. Laugh and be social! Even though it is instinctive to isolate yourself from the world when you’re stressed, it does wonders for your mood to have a good laugh with friends and family. Take time out and enjoy a good meal with friends. It helps to change your environment every now and again.


3. By making your job work for you for a change, you will be able to manage stress and certain situations better. Get involved, ask questions, attend meetings and support your colleagues. Good relationships in the workplace will help you feel more in control.

Massages for Stress:

Theranaka Ultra Deluxe Relaxation Massage:

A soothing full body massage, incorporating beanbags and muscle stretches for ultimate relaxation (90 minutes)

Indian Head Massage:

A relaxing head massage that focuses on areas affected by mental and emotional stress, and can be done with or without massage oils (20 minutes)