Managing stress has become an important part of our wellness as the Covid-19 pandemic continues and the country is still on lockdown. As a result of this, recognising stress in those you live with is a vital skill to ensuring their health and wellbeing.
Leading Leicestershire developer Barratt Homes has partnered with The Stress Management Society to give its tips on adjusting to a new ‘temporary normal’, and how you can help others to manage their feelings.
As a result of the pandemic, the responsible homebuilder has collaborated with The Stress Management Society to support Leicestershire residents, whilst donating funds to their research and support services.
Chief De-Stressing Officer, Neil Shah, from The Stress Management Society, said: “The modern-day dilemma is not that we get stressed, it’s that we get stressed in situations where it doesn’t serve a constructive or useful purpose and this is especially true for the current situation we’re in.
“We use the analogy of ‘the Bridge’ to explain stress. When a bridge is carrying too much weight, it will eventually collapse. However, before this happens it is possible to see the warning signs, such as bowing, buckling or creaking.”
The experts say the same principle can be applied to human beings and that it is usually possible to spot early warnings of excessive pressure that could lead to a breakdown.
Jan Ruston, Sales Director at Barratt Homes North Midlands, said: “By teaming up with experts in their field, The Stress Management Society, we hope to remind people that their wellness at home during this difficult time is vital.
“We recognise that the key message in this analogy is so important for people during the pandemic and we want to help those in need to recognise when they have too much demand on their bridge.
“By sharing this advice we hope that people can take action to prevent themselves from getting anywhere near the bridge collapsing, which thankfully most of us will never experience or see.”
Some of the signs and symptoms of a bowing and buckling bridge to look out for include:
- Being more accident prone
• Memory problems such as forgetting things
• Showing a negative change in mood or fluctuations in mood
• Avoiding certain situations or people
• Becoming withdrawn
• Showing a prolonged loss of sense of humour
• Becoming increasingly irritable or short-tempered
• Having more arguments and disputes
• Suffering from headaches, nausea, aches and pains
• Tiredness and poor sleeping patterns – sleeping too little or too much
• Loss of pride in appearance
If you recognise any of these symptoms in a loved one, it’s important to speak to them about how they may be able to manage their stress more effectively. Talking to a friend or relative and staying connected is a good way to release some of the pressure they may be feeling.
More can be found on the bridge analogy here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2qq9hR6zVA
To find out more about The Stress Management Society and the support they can provide during this time, visit www.stress.org.uk/
For more information on Barratt Homes, please visit www.barratthomes.co.uk.