Too much stress however, can impact on health, causing high blood pressure, ulcers, gastrointestinal diseases, depression or migraines. It can also have a negative impact on the immune system, decreasing resistance to simple infections such as colds and flu.

And where married men with children tend to see their stress levels decrease once at home, the same cannot be said for mothers for whom five o'clock merely means a shift in duties.

The issue was discussed earlier this year by Deborah Armstrong, associate publisher of Working Woman magazine. Ms Armstrong, visiting Bermuda at the invitation of Akinstall International, a group dedicated to the research and development of women's issues.

"Stress doesn't end at quitting time,'' she says in the magazine, "In fact, it usually rises for women with families, according to a study of Volvo employees by Marianne Frankenhaeusser of the University of Stockholm. She discovered that while adrenaline and blood-pressure levels generally decreased for married males with children on their return home from work, they increased for working mothers who were probably facing that notorious second shift.'' Ms Armstrong went on to suggest that stress can best be dealt with by employing certain strategies in all aspects of our lives -- body, mind, job and home. Nutrition, sleep and exercise, she said, are very important when trying to combat any stress in the body.

"Many of us react to high anxiety by trying to bury it in sweet, fatty, comfort foods or drown it in alcohol. Either response only makes matters worse. Instead, have breakfast, curtail caffeine, do lunch, avoid alcohol, dine in, mind your vitamins, drink plenty of water, rest up and exercise but don't overdo it.

"Since your brain is the organ that transmits stress signals to your body, you should unwind mentally too,'' she advises. "Commit to paper, try the relaxation response, review and renew priorities and don't be a passive worrywart.

"Also, too many of us are being run by our work, rather than the other way around. While downsizing and increased work loads are unavoidable, there are steps you can take to rationalise your work life. Play to your strengths, shelter yourself, temporarily relocate, do backup scheduling, look and walk around. And when at home, create a buffer zone, give yourself an after-work special, reward yourself, spread the chore load and handle vacations with care.'' The importance of her ideas were reinforced by local registered nurse, Elizabeth Lawrence, who emphasised the danger of stress, whether physical, environmental or psychological.

She explained that physical stress, or stress caused by strenuous work or physically demanding activities, results in immediate reactions; environmental stressors, such as noise, air and water pollution, are seldom under our control, where psychological stress may elicit more subtle responses.

"Our body's ability to react to these stressors allows us to respond to changing environmental conditions,'' she explained. "Having a sense of control both at home and in the workplace is key to avoiding stress. It is a documented fact that people who work in demanding jobs and have little control over their situation tend to suffer more from stress-related illnesses. While psychological stress may elicit more subtle responses, if not properly managed, chronic psychological stress can pose a serious threat to overall health and well-being.'' Deborah Armstrong, associate publisher of Working Women magazine, spoke in Bermuda earlier this year at the invitation of Akinstall International.

HEALTH HTH