As development director of Mosaic Fashions, Meg Lustman handles high stress for long periods. Feeling drained, low in energy and a bit overweight, Lustman decided to do something about it. "At the age of 43, I have had years of stress and unhealthy living but I cannot change these demands on my life," she says.
Lustman saw executive stress expert Pete Williams, who has developed a specially tailored Executive Burnout Programme in response to the growing number of stressed executives coming through his door. He believes that, physiologically, executives are unable to cope with what is expected of them.
"When we are stressed our levels of [the hormones] cortisol and DHEA become unbalanced. We can lose the ability to adapt to stress; our decision-making could be impaired. In the workplace, such an imbalance can hinder cognitive ability, lead to irritability and forgetfulness and poor performance," says Williams.
Neil Shah, founder of the Stress Management Society, says a lack of oxygen is also to blame. "When we are stressed our breathing is shallow, depriving the brain of oxygen," he says. "The brain of a stressed person will only operate between 20-40 per cent. We need to be in a relaxed state to think clearly. A person in a relaxed state can do the same job in 10 minutes that would take a stressed person an hour."
But lost concentration and impaired decision-making are not the only problems. Williams and Shah see many other health effects linked to stress such as increased risk of heart disease and central adipose weight-or a "beer belly", as well as increased insulin resistance, often an early indicator of diabetes.
Are you stressed?
Here are some classic warning signs:
Irritability
Anxiety
Forgetfulness
Poor concentration
Low self-esteem
Low energy
Weight gain around the abdomen
According to Shah many people don't understand what stress is. He explains: "When we are stressed a series of physiological changes take place in our body. Chemicals in the form of hormones are released to give us the energy to fight or run away from a stressful situation. A few thousand years ago, this might have been because we were in the vicinity of a lion. Today we can feel stress sitting behind the wheel of a car or a desk, but the hormones are not dealt with or the energy they provide is not burnt off."
He says the best way to counteract this is to expend energy with a brisk walk around the block, yoga techniques or deep breathing. "This needn't take long, just a couple of minutes, and it can help dissipate the chemicals in our system and quickly change our physiology back to normal."
Shah tests stress levels using heart-rate variability by measuring the variation of beat-to-beat intervals, where a bigger variability generally shows a fitter heart.
Breathing rates and the temperature of hands and feet can also indicate stress levels. "When you're stressed, your hands and feet cool down, since the less blood there is in your hands, the less likely you are to bleed to death if they're bitten off," he says.
Williams focuses on monitoring the balance of cortisol and DHEA. This is tested via an adrenal stress-index (saliva test) that is non-invasive and can be done at work. A relatively simple recovery programme includes supplements, improving diet and perhaps some gentle exercise.
Since Lustman has been following Williams' programme, she finds herself more able to cope with the tough times at work. "I have higher energy levels and a clearer head, I generally feel less drained and better balanced," she says. "I also look better and have lost weight that I wasn't able to shift previously."
Useful contacts
The Stress Management society
What does it offer? A charity offering company audits and training, as well as stress-busting techniques such as massage, yoga, hypnotherapy, homeopathy and advice from nutritionists. Free courses may be available for small businesses.
Contact: 0870 199 3260 or www.stress.org.uk
Pete Williams
What does he offer? Works with executives on a one-to-one basis. The Executive Burnout Programme uses scientific evidence and psychological profiles to assess stress levels resulting in a bespoke health programme.
Contact: 07901 554 176
The Samaritans
What does it offer? Two WorkLife courses-one for managers, one for managers and their team-which aim to help people cope better with stress and emotional issues. Includes the Samaritans' "active listening skills" adapted for the workplace.
Contact: www.samaritans.org.uk
