Have we got worse at dealing with stress?

Barely a month seems to pass without a public exhortation to ‘raise awareness’ about the plight of some marginal section of society, or for some worthy cause on behalf of the vulnerable. If you find this trend tiresome, irritating or indeed stressful, then help is at hand: April has seen the arrival of Stress Awareness Month.

Bearing in mind that we are said to be undergoing a mental health crisis, with one in five 16-25 year-olds now citing poor mental health as a reason for not seeking work, the timing couldn’t be better. As a nation, we clearly aren’t coping, so some reflection and introspection is surely in order.

And help is indeed on hand. There is a whole host of guidance out there on how to reduce stress levels. Common advice includes identifying your problems and what’s been stressing you out, eating well, exercising, sticking to a routine, maintaining a regular sleep cycle, meeting your friends, having a chat.