-- it's never too late to manage stress better.

Any kind of change is stressful. You may have recently retired (or plan to), your parents may need special care, you may have a new job, a new house, a new baby, a new grandchild. But if you let stress build up, you can feel depressed, isolated or anxious. Stress can even lead to health problems -- unless you do something about it, and you can! Reach out to people you trust is the first step, one you can take right away.

Then with coping skills and relaxation techniques of your own, you can look forward to enjoying life's pleasures to their fullest.

Stress can be positive, stimulating part of your life, but when stress builds up and you feel overwhelmed or unable to relax, that's negative unhealthy stress.

You can't eliminate stress, but you can change the way you react to it.

Coping skills help you manage the major stress in your life. Relaxation techniques relieve the minor stress that can happen day to day.

Health Benefits: Managing stress helps reduce your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke. You're less apt to become dependent on alcohol or prescription drugs (dangerous ways to try to relax). Because stress disrupts your immune system, managing stress may even help to prevent certain kinds of cancer.

Be aware of your stress: Be aware of both positive and negative stress in your life, such as promotion, retirement, a new member of the family, health problems and/or financial worries. Recognise too, your response to stress -- trouble sleeping or focusing clearly, eating too much or too little, or drinking more than two drinks a day.

Relaxation Techniques: Deep breathing, to quiet your body's natural reaction to stress, breathe in deeply through your nose, feel your belly expand, and exhale slowly through your mouth. Try three or four deep breaths.

Meditation: To feel calm, close your eyes and think of a peaceful word or phrase. Pick something that comforts you, and repeat it to yourself -- try this for five to 15 minutes.

Visualisation: To clear away the mental clutter when stress is piling up, do a little mental house cleaning. Imagine a peaceful scene you'd like to be in and "go'' there, try this five to 15 times.

One of the best ways to manage stress is to develop a positive attitude.

Looking on the bright side of life will give you a mental "buffer,'' a resilience that lets you take stress in stride. You'll enjoy life more fully when you're managing the stress in your life. You'll look better, feel better, stay active and independent, and be more relaxed around other people.

And you'll be the captain of your own ship, in control of your life and the course you want it to take.

Jacqueline Lightbourne, Chief Nursing Officer