Dr Anna Rolleston The Cardiac Clinic

Don't stress about stress. Just do something about it. Stress on its own is not detrimental to our health – it is our response to stress that causes all the issues.

You've most likely heard about the ‘fight or flight' phenomenon – this is the physiological response to impending danger. Imagine you lived thousands of years ago and you are peacefully asleep in your cave when you are suddenly startled awake by a roaming tiger. Before you are fully awake your brain has sent an urgent signal (in the form of stress hormones) to your body to put it on notice that quick action will be needed – stand up and fight or take flight.

Breathing quickens, your heart rate and blood pressure increase and blood clotting mechanisms activate in anticipation of injury. The activity of your digestive system slows down and stored fats and sugar gush into your bloodstream to provide you with adequate energy. This is a very appropriate physiological response for a cave person whose life is in danger, perhaps not such an appropriate response for a modern human being who is stuck in traffic. Regardless of what the stressful situation is, your physiological self responds in the same way it did thousands of years ago – 'get me out of here”.

Too often today we experience stress over mild situations. Take the traffic jam example – you are not in danger when you are stuck in traffic. You can't actually do much about the jam when you're in it except bide your time and go with the flow. Traffic only causes physiological stress if you perceive it to be stressful.

We spend a lot of time with people who have a moderate to high risk of heart disease, teaching them how to perceive situations differently so they do not initiate a stress response over the smallest, hardly stressful situation. The first step is to recognise you have a tendency to get stressed and then make a decision to take control of the situation instead of the situation controlling you.

Next, you have to figure out why you are so stressed. Is it work related? Is it something in your personal life? Have you got a type A personality? Are there too many things happening in your life right now? Do you set unrealistic goals for yourself and for others?

Then finally, do something positive to manage your stress. There is no single approach to ‘stress-busting' that works for everyone. You have to find what is right for you. We teach our clients relaxation breathing as a starter, but this is only successful for some. Other options are to take time-out for yourself once a week, do something that is just for you and you alone. Go for a walk along the beach, practice meditation or yoga, listen to music, read a book, get your hands dirty in the garden, go fishing, take up tai chi – whatever works for you.

Remember next time you feel stressed, perceive the situation you are in differently, in a more positive light and you will reduce the damage that occurs in your body that is caused by your physiological reaction to what you perceive.