But before I go there I must explain that severe stress is a medical issue and is way beyond my expertise or the scope of these articles.  For example, apparently stress in pregnant women can have ramifications for their babies and must be taken very seriously.

I am talking about the everyday common stress that we all get from time to time. I know when I am feeling stressed I have the least energy to work out how to fix it. Sometimes the best I can do is look forward to a good night's rest coming up, avoiding alcohol and sugar and working hard to be in bed by 8:30 pm for eight hours of sleep.

Works well.

Rate yourself on the following list by giving yourself a '1' for a Yes and nothing for a 'No'

The Big Relaxation Test - Do I ...

Score:

11 to 15 = You are probably doing okay but you might have some things to work on

6 to 10 = Do you feel like you could be enjoying life a bit more? If so, could you try to add some of the positive things mentioned in the test above?

Less than 6 = Get professional help, unless you thought the test was bollocks.

The three big things in the lives of my Life After Farming study participants were, in order:

1. Health. Are you proactively working on your health? Sleep, exercise, relaxation and diet.
2. Relationships. Do you put good quality time into your primary relationships which is more than just sitting in front of the TV with them? Do you have a wider set of friends together with your partner and separate to them as well?
3. Purpose in life. Do you have something you want to achieve, that gets you out of bed in the morning?

When in doubt, breathe out ...