Debra, age 34, a captain in the U.S. Air Force, complained to her physician about increasing headaches, sleep disturbance, irritability, indigestion, and difficulty concentrating. After a thorough examination, the doctor found no physical reason for Debra's symptoms, so he asked about her daily routine. She responded, "I'm up at 5:30, make lunches for the children, prepare their breakfast, shower while they eat. We're on the road by 7:00 for preschool, I'm in the office at 7:30, charge through a demanding workday, pick up the kids at daycare by 6:00, rush home, make dinner, help with homework, get ready for the next day, and drop into bed."

David, 46, a public-relations executive, confided in a friend, "Sometimes I feel my life is one bad day after another. A relationship at home is tense. The car breaks down. I'm late for work. My boss annoys me. Company stock is down. The school nurse calls to tell me my son is ill and needs to get home. Daily life is not just demanding; it's exhausting!"

An increasing number of people are like Debra and David. They experience the physical and emotional impact of stress on their lives. In fact, studies reviewed by the American Institute of Stress in Yonkers, New York, U.S.A., reveal that an incredible 75 percent of all doctor visits may be stress related. Unmanaged stress over a prolonged period of time can not only wear you down, but contribute to several physical problems, such as heart disease, ulcers, bowel disorders, asthma attacks, backaches, chest pain- even colds and flu. Emotionally, stress can leave you feeling depressed and weary.

However, there is this good news: even a little effort in stress reduction can make a big difference. Nancy Frasure-Smith, Ph. D., conducted a study of the effects of stress reduction on heart-disease patients in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and discovered that patients who were given tips on lowering stress levels were half as likely to die from cardiac problems as patients who did not get such help. Here are eight "tension tamers" to help you get a handle on stress:

1. Respond promptly and positively to stress symptoms. View stress signals such as headaches, insomnia, appetite disorder, and so on as a "gift" from your body, which is trying to tell you something important. Rather than ignoring stress symptoms and just living with them, let them motivate you to take action. Consider the experience of Susan, a 28-year-old recent law school graduate: "Starting up my own law practice was extremely stressful. Although I was constantly exhausted, I couldn't get a decent night's sleep. I was irritable, got headaches almost daily, and was unable to enjoy eating. Amazingly, my solution was simple: I began to walk for 45 minutes every day during lunchtime. I found walking helped me relax, cleared my mind for the afternoon, and invigorated my appetite." Of course, not every stressful condition can be resolved so quickly. But when stress strikes, make an assessment of the forces that you can change, and take appropriate steps. For the kinds of stress that cannot be changed, consider actions that can help make you more resilient.

2. Exhale and say, "Relax." One of the simplest, most effective stress-management techniques is deep breathing. It is something that O. Carl Simonton, M.D., founder and director of the Simonton Cancer Center in Pacific Palisades, California, has been successfully recommending for more than 20 years. He suggests doing this simple relaxation exercise for 10 minutes one to three times per day: " Breathe comfortably. With each exhalation, silently repeat the word 'relax.' Imagine the tension draining out of each part of the body in turn."

3. Plan a good day, every day. Unfortunately, when stress strikes, it becomes hard, if not impossible to look ahead with joy. The most effective way to break that kind of negative mind-set is to approach each day in a positive, upbeat, hopeful, optimistic way. Wolf J. Rinke, Ph. D., a management consultant and adjunct associate professor at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A., says, " If you don't automatically feel upbeat, look around and find something to feel good about. Start out each day in a positive way." Dr. Rinke suggests waking up to a clock radio that plays soft, pleasant music instead of a loud alarm clock; allowing yourself enough time to prepare for the day's activities; thinking about the positive things you expect to accomplish that day; and eating a healthy breakfast.

4. Play for the fun of it. Daily life should not be limited to chores, duties, and responsibilities. Make time to play and experience pleasure. Walk through the park, play tennis, enjoy a round of golf, read a book. And don't feel guilty about pleasure. " A person in mid-life transition can be addicted to work and feel guilty about playing." says Neil Fiore, Ph.D., a psychologist in Berkeley, California. "If not producing, he or she feels that they are doing nothing. In fact, studies have shown that peak performers take more than the average number of holidays - at least six weeks a year."

5. Sleep. The best method for reducing tension may be as simple as getting more sleep. Recently 1,250 adults responded to a survey that revealed that six out of 10 people say they feel great stress at least once a week. Nineteen percent feel great stress almost daily, 15 percent several days a week, and 27 percent once or twice a week. Only 10 percent said they never felt stressed. Interestingly, the survey shows that adults who sleep six or fewer hours each night are much more likely to feel great stress every day than those who get more sleep. Among those who sleep less, 43 percent said they experience great stress daily. In contrast, only 14 percent of adults who sleep seven to eight hours each night feel stress daily.

6. Count your blessings. Much of the anxiety and stress experienced daily can be reduced considerably when people take stock of what is good in their lives and express gratitude. Counting blessings is the technique used by Dr. David Sobel, a busy California physician. He says the last few years of his life have been characterized by great tension. "A tragic death struck my family. I've had book deadlines, job difficulties, and other work- related headaches. If I tell myself life is a series of endless problems, I get depressed and increase my risk of stress-related illness. But if I remember that my wife and I are healthy, have a good marriage and wonderful son, and that, yes, we have the same kinds of problems everyone has, I'm better able to cope."

7. Curb your caffeine intake. 'Too much caffeine damages your health and increases your susceptibility to stress," say researchers Lyle Miller, Alma Dell Smith, and Larry Rothstein. "It makes you irritable and nervous, and disrupts sleep and digestion. It also destroys vital vitamins B and C." Also, because caffeine is addictive, sudden withdrawal results in headaches, lethargy, irritability, depression, and anxiety. The researchers recommend cutting back gradually to only one or two cups of caffeinated beverages daily.

8. If you need help, ask. Chronic, unrelieved stress is probably the most severe threat to your immune system," says David S. McKinsey, M.D., co-director of epidemiology and infectious disease at the Research Medial Center, Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.A. "Along with depression, grief, and anxiety, stress can trigger chemical changes, stimulating the release of neuropeptide, which adversely affects the operation of your immune system." Before stress becomes acute, ask for help. Confide in a friend, speak to a compassionate cleric, consult a counselor or psychologist. Talking over your stresses will not only lighten the burden, but allow you to gain insight on what causes them. Review these questions with another person: "In what ways am I not adapting appropriately to what is happening around me or to me? What can I do about these matters? What are some effective ways of managing my stress?"

A final piece of very good news: research suggests that the older we get, the better we handle stress. Margaret Gatz, Ph. D., a psychologist at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, says that mid-life is often a period of accelerated growth, renewal, and fulfillment for many people. "This makes tremendous sense," she says. "In mid-life, you are getting good at handling difficult situations that used to really 'throw you' when you were younger."

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