Ongoing pressures and demands can impact both our mental and physical health when they become overwhelming and put us in a state of ‘distress’. A survey from 2024 found that one in nine people in the UK feel ‘stressed’ every day and one in four report being stressed more days than not.
It also found that 41% put the primary causes of ‘stress’ down to lack of sleep and feeling tired. Nearly a third of people find that work in general makes them feel stressed and 28% felt workload demands were another key contributor.
The difference between ‘stress’ and ‘distress’
The word ‘stress’ is often misunderstood, as stress is more like ‘pressure’, which is a natural part of everyday life. For example, you may feel pressure before a job interview or before taking an exam. In these types of situations, short-lived pressure can be beneficial, as it can help us to perform better.
However, when demands exceed our ability to cope, it can cause us to become ‘distressed’. Over a prolonged period of time, this can lead to mental and physical illnesses. For example, it can increase your risk of having anxiety, depression, a heart attack, stroke, insomnia, digestive issues and low immunity.
What can cause feelings of distress?
All sorts of situations can cause distress. Common triggers include problems with partners, children, other family members, difficulties at work, or financial worry. It can also be caused by major life changes, such as a bereavement, moving house or going through a divorce. Also, if our coping resources become depleted, it can leave us feeling overwhelmed with what is happening in our life. This can mean we start to feel distressed or burnt out.
Putting a plan of action in place
If you’re not sure where to start, below are some steps to help you begin to put a plan of action in place:
- Step 1 – Identify the sources of pressure in your life. Try to look at why they are causing you to feel overwhelmed.
- Step 2 – Try to list things you can do to either reduce or avoid these specific pressures. For example, if you are struggling with debt worries, you could try reaching out to a free debt advice service, such as PayPlan.
- Step 3 – Identify regular habits you can adopt to build your resilience and ability to manage pressure. Having good coping strategies in place is key, as this helps you to avoid becoming distressed. Below we’ve shared some suggestions you can try.
Healthy ways to improve your coping strategies
Recognise what’s in your control – This exercise can help you to identify the things you can and can’t control.
Physical exercise – Not only can it help to reduce feelings of distress, it also helps to relax your body and supports your sleep.
Breathing exercises – Calm your body and mind using different breathing techniques.
Prioritise good quality sleep – Whether it’s sticking to regular times or winding down an hour before bed, look at ways to improve your sleep.
Write down your worries – Writing these down can help to ease anxiety and put things into perspective. It can be especially useful to do this before going to bed if worries are racing around your head.
Try to eat a healthy balanced diet – Eat for your wellbeing to boost your energy levels and support your immune system.
Try to actively manage pressure at work – For example, this could include asking your manager for help, improving your time management skills or reviewing your work-life balance. Visit Mind for other ideas on managing pressure at work.
Further support
Mental Health Foundation – Advice on achieving a healthy work-life balance
Stress Management Society – Resources for personal stress and stress at work
Every Mind Matters – Using CBT techniques to help build resilience
Mind – Mental health support
The above links often talk about ‘stress’, but hopefully this article has helped to explore the different types of pressure and stress we can experience.
Ref: WPW0224 this information was reviewed February 2025.
