0:00:02 > 0:00:04Every day we're bombarded with conflicting messages
0:00:04 > 0:00:07about how to live a healthy, happy life.
0:00:09 > 0:00:12One minute we're told something's the right thing to do,
0:00:12 > 0:00:14the next it's the complete opposite,
0:00:14 > 0:00:17and we are left without a clue which advice to follow.
0:00:19 > 0:00:23So we've been wading through the confusion to separate
0:00:23 > 0:00:25the scare stories from the truth,
0:00:25 > 0:00:28to help you work out what's best for you.
0:00:33 > 0:00:37Hello, and welcome to Health: Truth Or Scare, the series that cuts
0:00:37 > 0:00:41right through those conflicting claims about our health
0:00:41 > 0:00:44that seem to be appearing just about every day, don't they, Kevin?
0:00:44 > 0:00:45They certainly do, Angela.
0:00:45 > 0:00:47Today's programme isn't so much about,
0:00:47 > 0:00:49well, keeping our bodies healthy, but our minds,
0:00:49 > 0:00:52and because we're the only ones who know what's really going on
0:00:52 > 0:00:56up here, I mean, there's no way every single bold headline
0:00:56 > 0:00:59or sweeping statement we read has advice that's right for us all.
0:00:59 > 0:01:01So, whether it's sleep or stress,
0:01:01 > 0:01:04by the end of today's programme you really should be pretty clear
0:01:04 > 0:01:08about how to make sure that you are getting plenty of one of those
0:01:08 > 0:01:10and not too much of the other.
0:01:11 > 0:01:12Coming up:
0:01:12 > 0:01:17We all deal with it differently, but can stress ever be good for us?
0:01:17 > 0:01:19There is the word pressure and there is the word stress.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22When pressure exceeds your ability to cope,
0:01:22 > 0:01:24then you're in the stress arena.
0:01:24 > 0:01:29And why you shouldn't lose sleep if you don't get eight hours shuteye a night.
0:01:29 > 0:01:31- Five hours.- Six hours' sleep, I got.
0:01:31 > 0:01:34- Four hours' sleep.- I got six hours, that's not really enough.
0:01:39 > 0:01:43Now, stress has long been linked to all manner of health problems,
0:01:43 > 0:01:46from the old claims that it can cause ulcers to much more
0:01:46 > 0:01:49modern ones, linking it to dementia and even to cancer.
0:01:49 > 0:01:52Now, while you might be worried by headlines like this one
0:01:52 > 0:01:55that was in The Times, which actually says anxious people are
0:01:55 > 0:01:57more likely to die from cancer.
0:01:57 > 0:02:00I mean, you'd get stressed just reading the headline, wouldn't you?
0:02:00 > 0:02:03- Absolutely. - There is, in fact, a flipside,
0:02:03 > 0:02:08because some stories do suggest that stress can actually be good for us -
0:02:08 > 0:02:11an idea that, I think, to anyone who's ever experienced
0:02:11 > 0:02:15too much stress, might seem a bit far-fetched, so I wanted to find out
0:02:15 > 0:02:20once and for all what stress really does mean to our health.
0:02:21 > 0:02:23Good evening. First...
0:02:23 > 0:02:26'I've spent my career working in a fast paced industry,
0:02:26 > 0:02:31'from tight newsroom deadlines to presenting live programmes to millions of people.'
0:02:31 > 0:02:33Let me pick up on that point...
0:02:33 > 0:02:35'I know a fair amount about workplace pressure.'
0:02:35 > 0:02:38While there's always been a certain amount of pressure
0:02:38 > 0:02:41in the job that I do on a day-to-day basis, I think I've been
0:02:41 > 0:02:45lucky enough to ensure that that pressure doesn't turn into stress.
0:02:47 > 0:02:50Unfortunately for many people stress in the workplace is
0:02:50 > 0:02:52a regular occurrence.
0:02:52 > 0:02:55I have a child at home, so knowing that I'm not going to be at home
0:02:55 > 0:02:59to put him to bed after a long day is quite hard.
0:02:59 > 0:03:02It's believed to be behind 45% of sick days
0:03:02 > 0:03:04and one in five visits to GPs.
0:03:06 > 0:03:10I sometimes have problems with my back, which is quite painful,
0:03:10 > 0:03:12so it means I can't do things that I really want to do.
0:03:12 > 0:03:16And behind the wheel it can even lead to road rage.
0:03:16 > 0:03:19The things that really stress me out are, like, traffic in Manchester.
0:03:19 > 0:03:23Manchester driving is horrible. People in Manchester cannot drive.
0:03:23 > 0:03:27Many of the people we met thought stress is always bad
0:03:27 > 0:03:31and according to lots of reports, being stressed can also have
0:03:31 > 0:03:33serious implications for our health,
0:03:33 > 0:03:37but last autumn two other stories really took me by surprise
0:03:37 > 0:03:41because they said stress might actually be good for us and,
0:03:41 > 0:03:45in some cases, people with stressful jobs might even live longer.
0:03:46 > 0:03:50My boyfriend tends to stress me out a lot. He can be a pain.
0:03:50 > 0:03:55Clearly stress can come in different guises, but the idea that it
0:03:55 > 0:03:58can be good for us is so different to what we've come to believe
0:03:58 > 0:04:02that I want to find out how stress really does affect us.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09And I'm starting with people who have what's reported to be
0:04:09 > 0:04:14- one of the most stressful jobs around.- There you are.
0:04:14 > 0:04:20On a typical night Mr Thomas's Chop House in Manchester can seat up to 90 people at a time,
0:04:20 > 0:04:23not to mention the drinkers standing at the bar.
0:04:25 > 0:04:27Cheers.
0:04:27 > 0:04:29And, while it might not look stressful now,
0:04:29 > 0:04:32the team is well aware of how bad it can get.
0:04:32 > 0:04:34Thursday nights can get quite busy
0:04:34 > 0:04:37because it's that last day before Friday.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40People just want to go out and just try and get
0:04:40 > 0:04:43a head start on the weekend.
0:04:43 > 0:04:44Steak and ale, yeah.
0:04:44 > 0:04:48Most stressful times are just kind of when it gets really busy.
0:04:48 > 0:04:51You've got ten different things to do and ten different people
0:04:51 > 0:04:55waiting to get sat down and that's the most stressful time.
0:04:56 > 0:04:58Some parts are stressful,
0:04:58 > 0:05:01so if it is particularly busy and you've got ten other customers
0:05:01 > 0:05:04to serve you might not get a break for probably two hours,
0:05:04 > 0:05:07you are always on the go, so, yeah, things can get a bit more stressful.
0:05:09 > 0:05:13But what is it that makes their job apparently one of the most stressful around?
0:05:15 > 0:05:17- Hi, Angela.- Cary, hi. - Good meeting you.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20'Professor of Psychology Sir Cary Cooper is behind
0:05:20 > 0:05:24'one of the UK's largest studies into workplace stress.'
0:05:24 > 0:05:28Now, we've been talking to some people who work in the restaurant business.
0:05:28 > 0:05:32First of all, would you expect being a waiter to be a stressful job?
0:05:32 > 0:05:36It's frenetic, a lot of people there, a lot of demands.
0:05:36 > 0:05:38The chef's not getting the food out in time.
0:05:38 > 0:05:42Where I think it becomes more stressful for them is where
0:05:42 > 0:05:47the customer then says, this is lousy food, terrible service,
0:05:47 > 0:05:51you know, and causes problems, because they have to be polite
0:05:51 > 0:05:56so the stress for me occurs in situations like that.
0:05:56 > 0:05:59The study that said restaurant waiting staff are among
0:05:59 > 0:06:02the most stressed blamed the fact that they often don't have
0:06:02 > 0:06:06much control over their day-to-day jobs, and feel powerless to stop
0:06:06 > 0:06:09a shift getting on top of them.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12That's very different to some other professions where you might
0:06:12 > 0:06:17think they're seemingly more stressed, but Cary says, unlike
0:06:17 > 0:06:21many low-paid waiting jobs, those are careers that people strive for.
0:06:21 > 0:06:25A lot of people think that things like being a pilot,
0:06:25 > 0:06:26an air traffic controller,
0:06:26 > 0:06:31a dealer in the City of London, are very stressful jobs,
0:06:31 > 0:06:34but they self select in, so people know what they're going to get.
0:06:34 > 0:06:38There's what we call a person/job fit in a sense, psychological fit
0:06:38 > 0:06:42between me, the individual, my psychology and the psychology of the job.
0:06:43 > 0:06:47And there are some people who thrive on high-pressure situations.
0:06:47 > 0:06:50There is a word pressure and there's the word stress.
0:06:50 > 0:06:53Now, pressure is stimulating and motivating.
0:06:53 > 0:06:56You go on camera, it's stimulating, you love it,
0:06:56 > 0:06:58I go and give a lecture, it's stimulating.
0:06:58 > 0:07:01But when pressure exceeds your ability to cope
0:07:01 > 0:07:03then you're in the stress arena.
0:07:03 > 0:07:08Waiting staff Chris, Sarah and Sam are all very experienced
0:07:08 > 0:07:12at their jobs, so they're used to the challenges and the pressure
0:07:12 > 0:07:13that it can throw at them.
0:07:15 > 0:07:20I'm showing Cary some of the footage to get his take on how they all cope.
0:07:20 > 0:07:25Working in hospitality, I think the majority of people need to have quite a thick skin.
0:07:25 > 0:07:29You get a lot of bad comments towards you sometimes,
0:07:29 > 0:07:34it may be towards you personally, it may be towards the environment
0:07:34 > 0:07:37you're in, maybe something to do with the food and some people
0:07:37 > 0:07:39can get quite nasty sometimes,
0:07:39 > 0:07:42but you've just got to learn to kind of shake it off.
0:07:42 > 0:07:46He's got the right attitude, his attitude is I'm going to get this
0:07:46 > 0:07:49from time to time from customers, they're going to be difficult,
0:07:49 > 0:07:52and I have to find a way in which I cope with that.
0:07:52 > 0:07:54He's got it right.
0:07:56 > 0:07:59Being front of house you obviously have to present the brand
0:07:59 > 0:08:02that you're working for, so the restaurant, and yourself
0:08:02 > 0:08:06so you give good service so doing it for a length of time,
0:08:06 > 0:08:11doing it for sort of six hours at a time, it can get quite stressful.
0:08:11 > 0:08:13Definitely compared to other jobs where if you are behind
0:08:13 > 0:08:16a computer screen you can have a few minutes to yourself
0:08:16 > 0:08:19or go and get a cup of tea, you're not always being watched upon, in
0:08:19 > 0:08:24a way, so waitressing and bar staff definitely,
0:08:24 > 0:08:26cos you're always standing there,
0:08:26 > 0:08:28people are always watching you, whatever you're doing.
0:08:28 > 0:08:32She makes an interesting point there, which is being under
0:08:32 > 0:08:34- scrutiny, in vision, if you like... - Yeah.
0:08:34 > 0:08:36..that that can add to your stress level.
0:08:36 > 0:08:39Yes, for anybody customer-facing all the time
0:08:39 > 0:08:41it's potentially very stressful.
0:08:41 > 0:08:45It can turn into stress if you actually need some space for yourself.
0:08:45 > 0:08:47They're not allowed to take a few minutes off
0:08:47 > 0:08:50and so it is potentially a stressful aspect of their job.
0:08:50 > 0:08:54But the staff say there's one thing above everything else
0:08:54 > 0:08:55that helps them to cope.
0:08:55 > 0:08:58I think we're very lucky here with the team that we've got,
0:08:58 > 0:09:00we help each other a lot.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03Having the supportive team within this environment,
0:09:03 > 0:09:07within hospitality, if you don't have that it easily crumbles.
0:09:07 > 0:09:11In any job, if you get on with the people you work with, fine,
0:09:11 > 0:09:13they are what we call your social support system.
0:09:13 > 0:09:15They're your safety net.
0:09:15 > 0:09:17They're your safety net, they're people you can talk to,
0:09:17 > 0:09:20they're people who can see when you are not coping and they
0:09:20 > 0:09:22come in and help you, so the team is really important.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25If you don't get on with the people you're working with, then you're
0:09:25 > 0:09:28in trouble. Then the pressure easily could turn into stress.
0:09:28 > 0:09:31Let's broaden this out now because you have said right at the very
0:09:31 > 0:09:35beginning that there is a difference between pressure and stress.
0:09:35 > 0:09:37Where, for you, is the tipping point?
0:09:37 > 0:09:40You know you're moving from pressure to stress
0:09:40 > 0:09:42when your behaviour begins to change.
0:09:42 > 0:09:46OK, so, you become... Normally you have a great sense of humour,
0:09:46 > 0:09:49you lose it. In other words, change of behaviour.
0:09:49 > 0:09:52When you're in the stress zone, the next set of symptoms you get
0:09:52 > 0:09:54would be health symptoms.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57Ultimately, you can get a stress-related illness.
0:09:57 > 0:10:01Stress can raise your chances of developing conditions ranging from
0:10:01 > 0:10:04depression to heart disease and, if some of the claims I've heard
0:10:04 > 0:10:08are true, it could have a serious impact on our lifelong health.
0:10:08 > 0:10:13GP Dr Arun Ghosh regularly sees patients with stress in his practice.
0:10:13 > 0:10:18Arun, we tend to think of stress as affecting us psychologically
0:10:18 > 0:10:22and emotionally, but it actually can have a major effect
0:10:22 > 0:10:23on us physically, can't it?
0:10:23 > 0:10:26What sort of things can stress do to our bodies?
0:10:26 > 0:10:30So, stress can have a number of effects on different parts of
0:10:30 > 0:10:33the body. One of the main things is that it can cause fatigue.
0:10:33 > 0:10:36You can also get problems with your diabetes and controlling
0:10:36 > 0:10:38chronic conditions such as your asthma, with your breathing.
0:10:38 > 0:10:43Dermatological conditions, such as psoriasis, can easily flare up if stress come around.
0:10:43 > 0:10:45All of these can be affected by stress, as well as
0:10:45 > 0:10:48very serious conditions such as hypertension
0:10:48 > 0:10:50and cardiovascular disease, but the problem in the modern-day
0:10:50 > 0:10:54world is the stress now can actually be there every single day,
0:10:54 > 0:10:57five days a week, if not longer, and when that goes on for
0:10:57 > 0:11:01weeks and weeks and weeks, the body cannot cope with that.
0:11:01 > 0:11:04So, while some of those reports about the impact of stress
0:11:04 > 0:11:07on our health might have seemed far-fetched,
0:11:07 > 0:11:11Arun says they are actually much closer to the truth.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14What evidence is there that stress can exacerbate cancer?
0:11:14 > 0:11:18We know again stress can make you choose poor lifestyle choices
0:11:18 > 0:11:21so you can tend to be, if you're stressed, less likely
0:11:21 > 0:11:25to exercise, more likely to have a poor diet, more likely to smoke,
0:11:25 > 0:11:28more likely to drink. Now, all those have a cascade effect
0:11:28 > 0:11:32to causing cancer, so again, stress is a risk factor for cancer,
0:11:32 > 0:11:36but at this moment in time we don't know the direct cause.
0:11:36 > 0:11:39That's all very worrying, but I can't forget those reports that
0:11:39 > 0:11:43claimed that far from causing cancer or putting us in an early grave,
0:11:43 > 0:11:45stress could actually be good for us,
0:11:45 > 0:11:48and it's something that the visitors to our stress booth
0:11:48 > 0:11:50mostly agreed with.
0:11:50 > 0:11:52I think stress can be a positive, can be positive,
0:11:52 > 0:11:55cos it releases all the chemicals in your body,
0:11:55 > 0:11:58doesn't it? You know, and your adrenaline and things.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01Fear is a form of stress so overcoming that challenge,
0:12:01 > 0:12:03overcoming that fear and then feeling good afterwards,
0:12:03 > 0:12:05I think is very positive.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08I think stress can sometimes be a good thing, yeah,
0:12:08 > 0:12:11like, if it makes you get things done.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14But some reports take it one step further than that, by claiming
0:12:14 > 0:12:17that it can even have a beneficial impact
0:12:17 > 0:12:19on conditions such as Alzheimer's.
0:12:19 > 0:12:23How do you react to a headline which says "Stressful job?
0:12:23 > 0:12:26"It might help you to fight Alzheimer's"?
0:12:26 > 0:12:28I think it's quite misleading, isn't it,
0:12:28 > 0:12:31when we talk about stress because there's a large spectrum of stress
0:12:31 > 0:12:34and some people will work under stress very, very well.
0:12:34 > 0:12:38In that particular instance those people often keep their brain
0:12:38 > 0:12:41exercising, so often what they do is they're very intelligent,
0:12:41 > 0:12:44so they'll often be working, they'll be reading, they'll be studying,
0:12:44 > 0:12:48and we know that can help prevent conditions like Alzheimer's, but
0:12:48 > 0:12:52chronic stress, stress that goes on for a long period of time, without
0:12:52 > 0:12:55a doubt has a devastating effect on the body and is actually more
0:12:55 > 0:12:59likely to cause dementia because of the ongoing effects if not treated.
0:12:59 > 0:13:02So if we want to keep Alzheimer's, dementia,
0:13:02 > 0:13:05any of the dementias at bay, the answer is, you've got to keep
0:13:05 > 0:13:10your brain working, not necessarily under stress, but challenged?
0:13:10 > 0:13:11That's the key word.
0:13:11 > 0:13:14'So we shouldn't take any claims about stress being good for us
0:13:14 > 0:13:18'as a reason not to act when it starts to get too much.'
0:13:18 > 0:13:20What should we be doing?
0:13:20 > 0:13:23I think as the population, we've really got to identify when we become stressed.
0:13:23 > 0:13:26It's very important that we realise that it's just a symptom.
0:13:26 > 0:13:29It's something that if we get too early,
0:13:29 > 0:13:32like any other condition, there's a lot more we can do about it.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35Once we've identified it, it's very important that we look at
0:13:35 > 0:13:37some of the lifestyle ways of trying to change and adjust it,
0:13:37 > 0:13:40but, if you can't, it's very important that you think the door
0:13:40 > 0:13:44is open to have a chat with your GP JUST about stress
0:13:44 > 0:13:46because very often it isn't JUST about stress.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49Even if you're someone who thrives under pressure,
0:13:49 > 0:13:52when it turns to stress it can easily feel too much,
0:13:52 > 0:13:56and that can have a much bigger impact on your health.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59But of course a trip to your GP doesn't have to be the first step,
0:13:59 > 0:14:02you can implement other simple measures to stop it getting
0:14:02 > 0:14:05the better of you, as our stress booth visitors suggest.
0:14:06 > 0:14:09I'm all the time singing and smiling,
0:14:09 > 0:14:13and I think, "OK, it's fine, I will be fine, I will survive,
0:14:13 > 0:14:15"it's not the end."
0:14:15 > 0:14:18I take my kids out, like, walk in the park or something.
0:14:20 > 0:14:23I look at on more as a logical problem and just accept that
0:14:23 > 0:14:26there's some things I can't do today and hopefully tomorrow
0:14:26 > 0:14:29I'll be able to manage them a little bit better.
0:14:29 > 0:14:33Don't hold it all in, just share your burden with somebody else.
0:14:35 > 0:14:38If your in the car and you're driving, shut the windows,
0:14:38 > 0:14:40roll them up, but the music on, have a chill out.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43I feel in this country that people, they need to smile
0:14:43 > 0:14:47a little bit more, calm down, and live the moment.
0:14:51 > 0:14:55And back at the restaurant, the staff there also have their own tips
0:14:55 > 0:14:56for winding down.
0:14:58 > 0:15:01Tomorrow's my day off, so I'm looking forward to that,
0:15:01 > 0:15:05so have a little lie-in and probably go out to dinner myself
0:15:05 > 0:15:07and get served by someone else.
0:15:07 > 0:15:09Today's been a pretty good day overall, yeah,
0:15:09 > 0:15:12so now to relax with a pint.
0:15:20 > 0:15:24Next, something that a lot of us may think we don't get enough of -
0:15:24 > 0:15:26sleep - but, you know, Angela,
0:15:26 > 0:15:29when we're busy and stressed, it tends to be one of the first things
0:15:29 > 0:15:32that get worse, making it even harder to deal with the
0:15:32 > 0:15:35initial thing we were getting stressed about in the first place.
0:15:35 > 0:15:37- That was probably keeping you awake. - Stress!
0:15:37 > 0:15:40One thing I think we do agree on, Kevin, or at least
0:15:40 > 0:15:44most people do, is the benefit we get from a good night's sleep.
0:15:44 > 0:15:48What very few of us agree on is how many hours that should be.
0:15:48 > 0:15:51- Now, for years people have said it's eight hours.- Yes.
0:15:51 > 0:15:54But in actual fact very few of us actually hit that target, but
0:15:54 > 0:15:57I tell you someone who takes his sleep very seriously indeed
0:15:57 > 0:16:00is the former Paralympian Steve Brown,
0:16:00 > 0:16:04so we thought he was the best person to get to the bottom of this.
0:16:06 > 0:16:09So what's the real story about sleep?
0:16:09 > 0:16:12- Last night I got seven hours' sleep. - Five hours.- Eight hours.
0:16:12 > 0:16:14Six hours' sleep, I got.
0:16:14 > 0:16:17The amount of shuteye we get each night varies massively.
0:16:17 > 0:16:20- Four hours' sleep.- I got six hours, that's not really enough.
0:16:20 > 0:16:23And, while we might think we should be aiming for eight hours
0:16:23 > 0:16:27a night, a whopping 90% of us actually get less than that.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30- For a healthy night's sleep, I need eight hours.- Eight hours' sleep.
0:16:30 > 0:16:31ALL: Eight hours' sleep.
0:16:31 > 0:16:33But judging by some reports
0:16:33 > 0:16:35the idea we need eight hours is a bit of a myth.
0:16:35 > 0:16:38Some say it's too much and we should be aiming for around
0:16:38 > 0:16:40six hours instead.
0:16:40 > 0:16:43Before you relax about how much sleep you get, hang on,
0:16:43 > 0:16:46because other reports say too little might contribute to some
0:16:46 > 0:16:50serious health conditions like asthma, heart disease and strokes.
0:16:51 > 0:16:53So how much do we really need?
0:16:53 > 0:16:57When I was an athlete, getting at least seven hours a night
0:16:57 > 0:16:59was vital for me, so I had a night-time routine
0:16:59 > 0:17:03to send me quickly into a deep, sound sleep all night.
0:17:03 > 0:17:06I have a warm bath, followed by a hot drink with honey,
0:17:06 > 0:17:09an hour before bed and then I brush my teeth and read.
0:17:13 > 0:17:16I can't remember the last time I had less than seven hours,
0:17:16 > 0:17:19but obviously I'm one of the lucky ones.
0:17:19 > 0:17:23One national study says two thirds of Brits get less than that
0:17:23 > 0:17:26and around one in 15 people sleep for less than five hours a night.
0:17:28 > 0:17:32If some of the headlines are right then those people are putting their health at risk.
0:17:32 > 0:17:35Now, there's no way I'd manage on that little sleep,
0:17:35 > 0:17:38so how do some people get by?
0:17:38 > 0:17:40Sleep expert Neil Stanley might have some answers.
0:17:40 > 0:17:43I know that if I don't get a good seven or eight hours' sleep
0:17:43 > 0:17:45at night I'm not at my best,
0:17:45 > 0:17:48yet I've got friends and family that can get by on four, five,
0:17:48 > 0:17:51six hours' sleep, what is it that I'm doing wrong?
0:17:51 > 0:17:53I don't think you're doing anything wrong.
0:17:53 > 0:17:57Some people do genuinely need less sleep than others.
0:17:57 > 0:17:59Sleep's like height,
0:17:59 > 0:18:02we're all different and it's genetically determined
0:18:02 > 0:18:05so, just as you have short people and tall people, you have
0:18:05 > 0:18:08short sleepers and long sleepers, so some people can get away with
0:18:08 > 0:18:11just having four hours, other people need to have 11 hours' sleep
0:18:11 > 0:18:13in order to feel good during the day.
0:18:13 > 0:18:17But, as we heard earlier, there's a big difference between
0:18:17 > 0:18:20how much sleep we need and how much we actually get.
0:18:20 > 0:18:23According to one study, the number of people getting seven or eight
0:18:23 > 0:18:27hours a night has fallen, whilst those getting five or six is up,
0:18:27 > 0:18:30and it could be modern life that's to blame.
0:18:30 > 0:18:33It is very easy to get distracted when you're on your phone and
0:18:33 > 0:18:37trying to go to bed, so it's not ideal to have both at the same time.
0:18:37 > 0:18:40I do have a TV in my bedroom and I do watch TV at night
0:18:40 > 0:18:41and that probably doesn't help.
0:18:41 > 0:18:44Especially kids, I think they spend too much on their laptops
0:18:44 > 0:18:48and tablets and basically they're distracted by that.
0:18:48 > 0:18:51Neil Stanley says these experiences are common
0:18:51 > 0:18:54because modern life makes it very hard for us to switch off.
0:18:54 > 0:18:57When I was growing up pubs closed at half-ten,
0:18:57 > 0:19:00late-night shopping was six o'clock on a Thursday night,
0:19:00 > 0:19:02TV went off at ten o'clock.
0:19:02 > 0:19:06It was very easy to get sleep because there was nothing else to do.
0:19:06 > 0:19:09Now we work longer, there's 24-hour entertainment,
0:19:09 > 0:19:13and so we neglect sleep, we don't see sleep as being important
0:19:13 > 0:19:16because, you know, everything else seems much more exciting.
0:19:16 > 0:19:22We've yet to learn that the 24-hour society is not the new, shiny thing,
0:19:22 > 0:19:25and it's conning us out of a good night's sleep.
0:19:25 > 0:19:28Losing sleep, whether it's working late, trawling the internet,
0:19:28 > 0:19:31or staring at your tablet or smartphone in bed can
0:19:31 > 0:19:34very quickly start to affect the rest of your life.
0:19:34 > 0:19:37Just one hour less sleep than you need has an effect
0:19:37 > 0:19:40on the way you perform during the day.
0:19:40 > 0:19:43So you find it difficult to focus,
0:19:43 > 0:19:46you're not good at problem-solving, there are emotional things -
0:19:46 > 0:19:49you're going to be more argumentative with your partner
0:19:49 > 0:19:52or your colleagues at work, you're going to have less empathy.
0:19:52 > 0:19:56If you do have a fight you're less liable to make up
0:19:56 > 0:19:59so the effects that you sort of just put down to
0:19:59 > 0:20:02"It's Monday morning" or "I don't like my job"
0:20:02 > 0:20:05are usually actually the effects of having poor sleep.
0:20:06 > 0:20:09If you can't get the amount of sleep your body needs at night
0:20:09 > 0:20:13there is, of course, the continental solution - a midday siesta -
0:20:13 > 0:20:16but the papers can't decide whether napping is good or bad for you and
0:20:16 > 0:20:20Manchester's coffee-loving morning commuters are equally divided.
0:20:20 > 0:20:22Do you find yourself napping in a day?
0:20:22 > 0:20:26No, I try not to. My girlfriend does, but I don't.
0:20:26 > 0:20:28She believes in it, she has her power naps.
0:20:28 > 0:20:32No, I only nap if I decided to nap and the structure of my day allows it.
0:20:32 > 0:20:34Are you a napper?
0:20:34 > 0:20:37I find that does help, yeah, even if it just you having to sleep,
0:20:37 > 0:20:40just find a quiet place and, you know.
0:20:44 > 0:20:48Now, I've got to admit I love a good nap, but, thanks to my job,
0:20:48 > 0:20:51I don't get the chance all that often, but if I worked in
0:20:51 > 0:20:53a place like this it might all be a bit different.
0:20:53 > 0:20:57Technology firm UKFast is so happy to let its staff nap at work
0:20:57 > 0:21:00that it's even installed special sleep pods.
0:21:00 > 0:21:04Many multinationals like Uber and Google have them in their offices too
0:21:04 > 0:21:08because, the theory goes, letting staff sleep on the job
0:21:08 > 0:21:10makes them more productive when they're awake.
0:21:10 > 0:21:13Jonathan, lovely to see you. Nice to meet you.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16'Jonathan is the managing director here.'
0:21:16 > 0:21:19The opportunity just to get your head down and get some quiet time
0:21:19 > 0:21:22to yourself can often be very advantageous for people
0:21:22 > 0:21:26and can refresh them really enough to feel as though they are starting the day again.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29We have a growing team of people having young children and babies at the moment,
0:21:29 > 0:21:32who are probably a little bit sleep-deprived at home
0:21:32 > 0:21:34and are able to actually think,
0:21:34 > 0:21:36"Do you know what? At lunchtime I'm going to get 45 minutes' shuteye."
0:21:36 > 0:21:39And they'd rather do that in a sleeping pod than down in
0:21:39 > 0:21:43the lounge area where you are surrounded by noisy people.
0:21:43 > 0:21:46But it's not just sleep-deprived new parents who use the sleep pods,
0:21:46 > 0:21:49there are workers, like avid office-napper Chris,
0:21:49 > 0:21:52who say being able to sleep at work is vital to his job.
0:21:52 > 0:21:54Sleeping pods are fantastic for us.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57We've got lots of big businesses that require maintenance work
0:21:57 > 0:21:59to be done out of hours, rather than during the daytime,
0:21:59 > 0:22:03and the sleeping pods are brilliant because we can go in there,
0:22:03 > 0:22:05have a nap in the middle of the work if you've got a period
0:22:05 > 0:22:08of a couple of hours where nothing's going on.
0:22:08 > 0:22:12Of course, for most of us, napping is impractical, even if our
0:22:12 > 0:22:16employers allow it, and Dr Neil Stanley isn't a massive fan either.
0:22:17 > 0:22:20Well, it's a 50/50 argument.
0:22:20 > 0:22:22Of course there are benefits to napping,
0:22:22 > 0:22:26if you are sleepy during the day and you're not performing well,
0:22:26 > 0:22:30then a 20-minute power nap will give you great benefit,
0:22:30 > 0:22:33much more than two strong black cups of coffee, for instance.
0:22:33 > 0:22:36If you need to nap because you are sleep-deprived,
0:22:36 > 0:22:40then it is a good thing, but the question should be
0:22:40 > 0:22:42why are you sleep deprived?
0:22:42 > 0:22:45But we've got headlines right here that are saying
0:22:45 > 0:22:47napping is good for you on so many levels.
0:22:47 > 0:22:50It is good for you if you need to do it,
0:22:50 > 0:22:53so we shouldn't get hung up on napping and we shouldn't
0:22:53 > 0:22:55build in napping into our work days,
0:22:55 > 0:22:59we should actually be getting the sleep at night that we need.
0:22:59 > 0:23:02Napping might be one of the side-effects of not sleeping
0:23:02 > 0:23:06properly you're happy to put up with, but according to some
0:23:06 > 0:23:09headlines there's others that are much more serious.
0:23:09 > 0:23:12They say the estimated quarter of us in the UK who have
0:23:12 > 0:23:16problem sleep may, according to American studies, have a higher risk
0:23:16 > 0:23:20of developing diabetes, heart complications and even cancer.
0:23:20 > 0:23:22I've come to see how true this is at the sleep clinic at
0:23:22 > 0:23:26Wythenshawe Hospital in Manchester, which assesses and treats patients
0:23:26 > 0:23:29whose bad sleeping patterns could be putting their health at risk.
0:23:31 > 0:23:34Hundreds of patients pass through the clinic every year,
0:23:34 > 0:23:35including Jane.
0:23:35 > 0:23:38Jane, tell us a little bit about your relationship with sleep.
0:23:38 > 0:23:41How many hours of sleep do you think you do get on average?
0:23:41 > 0:23:44I'll average at say about three hours probably.
0:23:44 > 0:23:46That's not much sleep at all, three hours.
0:23:46 > 0:23:49How do you function during the day on that kind of level?
0:23:49 > 0:23:51Quite well actually, yeah.
0:23:51 > 0:23:55I get tired, but obviously I probably put that down to my age.
0:23:55 > 0:23:58What about your partner, surely they slept more,
0:23:58 > 0:24:00they must have realised with you that that wasn't normal?
0:24:00 > 0:24:03Yeah, he did actually realise it's not normal,
0:24:03 > 0:24:05but what I tend to do, cos if I was snoring, I'd wait till
0:24:05 > 0:24:08he'd go to sleep, then I wouldn't wake him up!
0:24:08 > 0:24:10So that was the plan, let him fall off to sleep first...
0:24:10 > 0:24:14Let him fall asleep first so I could sleep, so I'm not disturbing him.
0:24:14 > 0:24:16I just thought it was normal for me to just snore.
0:24:16 > 0:24:20It was only after the staff at Jane's local weight management
0:24:20 > 0:24:23clinic suggested her sleeping habits could have a more serious impact
0:24:23 > 0:24:26on her health that Jane was referred here to the sleep clinic.
0:24:26 > 0:24:30Last week, the team ran tests on her sleep and she's back for the results.
0:24:30 > 0:24:32What are you expecting from the result?
0:24:32 > 0:24:35Hopefully to feel better, not as tired during the day.
0:24:35 > 0:24:38But, whilst Jane thinks three hours' sleep is just making her tired,
0:24:38 > 0:24:42sleep expert David Jones has much more worrying news
0:24:42 > 0:24:44when he delivers her test results.
0:24:44 > 0:24:47You stopped breathing 83 times every hour,
0:24:47 > 0:24:49which is more than once a minute,
0:24:49 > 0:24:53for quite a considerable period of time, so most of the time
0:24:53 > 0:24:56you're not sleeping and not breathing very well at all.
0:24:56 > 0:25:00Jane only sleeps for three hours a night because she wakes up
0:25:00 > 0:25:02every time she stops breathing.
0:25:02 > 0:25:04David diagnoses Jane with sleep apnoea,
0:25:04 > 0:25:07a condition that's caused by a variety of factors, including
0:25:07 > 0:25:11being overweight and having sinuses that could collapse easily.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15If kept untreated, it can lead to significant heart problems
0:25:15 > 0:25:17and potentially even strokes,
0:25:17 > 0:25:21and David says Jane's sleeping habits influence how much she eats.
0:25:22 > 0:25:25That reflects back on to the hormone system,
0:25:25 > 0:25:29which means that it is very difficult for you to resist eating,
0:25:29 > 0:25:32you'll tend to want to eat a little bit more than
0:25:32 > 0:25:34what the fair average person might want to eat,
0:25:34 > 0:25:36you may want to graze as well,
0:25:36 > 0:25:39your satisfaction with the food that you put in is not as great,
0:25:39 > 0:25:43so that leads to the potential of diabetes developing as well,
0:25:43 > 0:25:46so it's not a very nice prognosis if we leave it untreated,
0:25:46 > 0:25:49- but we can treat it. OK.- Thank you.
0:25:49 > 0:25:50Just a bit shocked.
0:25:50 > 0:25:54Yes, it is a big shock and frequently people get a little bit
0:25:54 > 0:25:57of a fright about this, but the positive side of it is that
0:25:57 > 0:26:02there is a way forward and the consequences of it are huge,
0:26:02 > 0:26:04but the treatment system is very simple.
0:26:05 > 0:26:09Curing Jane's sleep apnoea will transform her health.
0:26:09 > 0:26:13Hi, Jane, my name is Colette, I'm going to be providing you
0:26:13 > 0:26:15with your magic machine today.
0:26:15 > 0:26:18In the short term, she will need to wear a mask in bed, which will
0:26:18 > 0:26:20help regulate her breathing through the night.
0:26:20 > 0:26:23- How do you feel about everything? - A bit daunted at the minute.
0:26:23 > 0:26:27- OK, so we'll go slowly, we'll go very slowly.- Thank you.- No worries.
0:26:27 > 0:26:30With the machine regulating her breathing Jane should start
0:26:30 > 0:26:34getting good quality sleep for more than three hours a night.
0:26:34 > 0:26:38If she applies herself and works steadily with us
0:26:38 > 0:26:44then she should see results within days - not weeks, not months, days.
0:26:44 > 0:26:47- How did that feel? - It felt fine.- Yeah?- Yeah.
0:26:49 > 0:26:52Over the next few months, Jane should find it easier to sleep,
0:26:52 > 0:26:55and over time that will help her lose weight,
0:26:55 > 0:26:58strengthen her heart, and make breathing easier.
0:26:58 > 0:27:01The hope is she'll no longer need the machine.
0:27:01 > 0:27:04When it comes to conditions like Jane's, there is no doubt that
0:27:04 > 0:27:07reports saying lack of sleep can lead to heart problems and diabetes
0:27:07 > 0:27:10are true, but doctor Neil Stanley says that even those of us
0:27:10 > 0:27:14who don't have such serious conditions should be wary of
0:27:14 > 0:27:16the impacts not sleeping can have on our health.
0:27:17 > 0:27:22Sleep is as important as diet and exercise for wellbeing, if not more
0:27:22 > 0:27:27important, because poor sleep leads you to make poor food choices,
0:27:27 > 0:27:29eat more sugary and fatty foods,
0:27:29 > 0:27:31leads to less motivation to exercise,
0:27:31 > 0:27:36so we should be prioritising sleep above anything else that we do.
0:27:36 > 0:27:38- Would you like a coffee? - Yes, please.- OK.
0:27:38 > 0:27:42It's now five days after leaving the hospital with her new breathing machine.
0:27:42 > 0:27:46Jane and her husband, Steve, have noticed a huge improvement.
0:27:46 > 0:27:49The first couple of days were hard work, just getting used to wearing
0:27:49 > 0:27:52a mask and having something over, covering my nose and mouth
0:27:52 > 0:27:55was quite scary at first because, obviously,
0:27:55 > 0:28:01it's something you're not used to doing, but once I had got used to it
0:28:01 > 0:28:05and it's made a difference already to me,
0:28:05 > 0:28:08- I don't feel as tired in the mornings.- You don't get up as much.
0:28:08 > 0:28:12- No, I don't, do I? I don't visit the bathroom as much.- Which is a bonus.
0:28:12 > 0:28:14It certainly is, isn't it?
0:28:14 > 0:28:18After a week, Jane is getting an extra hour of good sleep a night.
0:28:18 > 0:28:23Now she's got her sights set on getting the same number of hours a night as Steve.
0:28:23 > 0:28:25It can only get better.
0:28:25 > 0:28:27It's definitely made a big improvement
0:28:27 > 0:28:30and I would recommend it to anybody.
0:28:30 > 0:28:33Of course, not everybody struggles with sleep in the way Jane did,
0:28:33 > 0:28:36but if you're otherwise healthy and feel great after
0:28:36 > 0:28:39just five or six hours' sleep a night, then there's probably
0:28:39 > 0:28:42no need to worry you're not getting enough.
0:28:42 > 0:28:45The best news for me is that it works the other way too,
0:28:45 > 0:28:49so I'm going to stick to my seven or eight hours a night.
0:28:49 > 0:28:51- HE YAWNS - Night, then.
0:28:55 > 0:28:59For hundreds of thousands of students all over the country,
0:28:59 > 0:29:03- springtime means just one thing - exams.- Exams, yes.
0:29:03 > 0:29:06It really is the most intense time of the year, isn't it, for study?
0:29:06 > 0:29:08It certainly is, absolutely.
0:29:08 > 0:29:11Because, what, they start with the mocks and that works its way
0:29:11 > 0:29:13through up until the real thing.
0:29:13 > 0:29:16Sadly, however, all of that work really does become
0:29:16 > 0:29:19just a bit overwhelming for too many of them, doesn't it?
0:29:19 > 0:29:22It can be, yes, and if students can conquer that exam stress
0:29:22 > 0:29:25they really can see their exam results and, I guess,
0:29:25 > 0:29:27more importantly, their overall health soar.
0:29:27 > 0:29:30I paid a visit to a really interesting college
0:29:30 > 0:29:33that's helping its students do just that.
0:29:33 > 0:29:36I remember the feeling of exam stress.
0:29:36 > 0:29:39I felt like the workload was making my school life out of control.
0:29:39 > 0:29:42It really stressed me out being so paranoid that I wasn't
0:29:42 > 0:29:44getting enough stuff done.
0:29:44 > 0:29:46I was never positive about anything I did.
0:29:46 > 0:29:49Any pressure that I did receive was mainly self-inflicted.
0:29:49 > 0:29:53I was losing hours because I would sometimes just give up.
0:29:56 > 0:29:57'As a dad of three,
0:29:57 > 0:30:00'I know all too well how stressful exams can be.
0:30:00 > 0:30:03'My middle child, Joe, is preparing for his AS-levels
0:30:03 > 0:30:06'after sitting his GCSEs last year.'
0:30:06 > 0:30:09What's the feeling just before you're taking the exam?
0:30:09 > 0:30:11For me, I find it really nervous
0:30:11 > 0:30:13because, you know, I want to do well.
0:30:13 > 0:30:15You're going to be packing in all of the revision,
0:30:15 > 0:30:17- and that's when the stress starts...- Yeah.
0:30:17 > 0:30:21..cos you just start overloading, yeah, and it's not good.
0:30:22 > 0:30:25And just as Joe was busy revising for his exams in 2016,
0:30:25 > 0:30:27some really shocking
0:30:27 > 0:30:28news reports hit the papers,
0:30:28 > 0:30:30saying not just that teens
0:30:30 > 0:30:32are feeling stressed more acutely
0:30:32 > 0:30:33than ever before
0:30:33 > 0:30:36and it could have a huge impact on their health in later life,
0:30:36 > 0:30:38but, worse still,
0:30:38 > 0:30:40that exam stress was a factor
0:30:40 > 0:30:42in teen suicides.
0:30:44 > 0:30:46I'm sure, like most parents,
0:30:46 > 0:30:48I found those headlines really worrying
0:30:48 > 0:30:52because your child is going through their exams and they're stressed,
0:30:52 > 0:30:56and sometimes it's hard to know how deep it's affecting them,
0:30:56 > 0:31:00and, actually, sometimes it's even harder to know how to help.
0:31:03 > 0:31:05I'm about to go into my GCSEs
0:31:05 > 0:31:08and I'm finding it quite hard work and stressful.
0:31:08 > 0:31:10I found there was a lot of pressure put on me,
0:31:10 > 0:31:12but I try to contain it well.
0:31:12 > 0:31:15We have a bit of a revision schedule.
0:31:15 > 0:31:18- Arguments, really, a lot. - Yeah, arguments.
0:31:18 > 0:31:21It's just a difficult time, really.
0:31:21 > 0:31:25Usually, it ends up Mum taking all my electronics off me,
0:31:25 > 0:31:27- making me do work. - SHE LAUGHS
0:31:27 > 0:31:30I think it's key, for any child going through exams,
0:31:30 > 0:31:32to have supportive parents.
0:31:32 > 0:31:36Even though you can be calm at home, you can help with all of that,
0:31:36 > 0:31:39it's very, very difficult come the day of the exam.
0:31:40 > 0:31:44For lots of students, that stress can easily become overwhelming.
0:31:44 > 0:31:46One study found that two thirds
0:31:46 > 0:31:48of 16 and 17-year-olds
0:31:48 > 0:31:50have felt overwhelmed by their schoolwork,
0:31:50 > 0:31:52and almost half have been
0:31:52 > 0:31:53so anxious about their exams,
0:31:53 > 0:31:55it made them feel sick.
0:31:55 > 0:31:57But those concerns pale in comparison
0:31:57 > 0:32:01to some of the problems reported to children's charities.
0:32:01 > 0:32:04Hi, you're through to someone you can talk to at Childline.
0:32:04 > 0:32:08Last year, Childline received more than 3,000 calls
0:32:08 > 0:32:11about exam stress, almost a quarter of them in May
0:32:11 > 0:32:14when pressure really mounted ahead of exam season.
0:32:14 > 0:32:18And manager Anna Krayla says those headlines about how bad it can get
0:32:18 > 0:32:21for some teens really aren't overstated.
0:32:21 > 0:32:27There are young people who disclose quite concerning behaviours.
0:32:27 > 0:32:31We have calls where young people say that they cannot cope any more
0:32:31 > 0:32:34because they're very, very fearful of what's going to happen tomorrow.
0:32:34 > 0:32:36Their anxieties are so high.
0:32:36 > 0:32:40Those are the calls that we're really, really concerned about
0:32:40 > 0:32:42because, obviously, nobody wants to hear
0:32:42 > 0:32:44that young people are feeling this way
0:32:44 > 0:32:46because of the pressures of exams.
0:32:46 > 0:32:50So, when children actually ring up, what are they ringing up about?
0:32:50 > 0:32:52What are they stressing about?
0:32:52 > 0:32:54Well, they're stressing about not achieving.
0:32:54 > 0:32:57They obviously don't want to let parents down.
0:32:57 > 0:33:00They might have, you know, lots of anxieties.
0:33:00 > 0:33:05So, thinking about exams is making that worse for them
0:33:05 > 0:33:07and they're picking up the phone saying
0:33:07 > 0:33:09they just cannot cope with this,
0:33:09 > 0:33:11they don't know what to do, they need help,
0:33:11 > 0:33:15who can they talk to, they can't do these exams.
0:33:17 > 0:33:20So, teaching teenagers how to cope with the pressure of exams
0:33:20 > 0:33:24is starting to be seen as something that's absolutely key
0:33:24 > 0:33:26to their future success.
0:33:26 > 0:33:28I'm in Merseyside to visit a school
0:33:28 > 0:33:31whose approach to dealing with exam stress is,
0:33:31 > 0:33:35well, let's just say, I think you might be surprised.
0:33:38 > 0:33:41Just let yourself be fully aware of your breathing.
0:33:41 > 0:33:44Notice the air as it moves in and out of your nose.
0:33:45 > 0:33:47Notice, too, how your chest and abdomen are rising.
0:33:51 > 0:33:53These students are all part of a course
0:33:53 > 0:33:57designed to help them cope with the stresses of revision and exams.
0:33:57 > 0:33:59OK, everybody. So, in your own time,
0:33:59 > 0:34:03just bring yourself up to a seated position on the mat.
0:34:03 > 0:34:07Over six weeks, they're taught techniques including positivity,
0:34:07 > 0:34:08thoughtfulness and resilience.
0:34:08 > 0:34:10Kevin, good to meet you.
0:34:10 > 0:34:13- Glad you get to experience the BePART programme.- Yeah, thank you.
0:34:13 > 0:34:15- Is it all right to have a seat? - Yeah, of course. Take a seat.
0:34:17 > 0:34:19Would any of you like to tell me, just briefly,
0:34:19 > 0:34:20how you found that experience?
0:34:20 > 0:34:23Yeah. I reckon, like, it proper relaxes you.
0:34:23 > 0:34:25- Like, I struggle, do you know?- Yeah.
0:34:25 > 0:34:28"Oh, I've got this due tomorrow, I've got this next week,"
0:34:28 > 0:34:30- and, like, it really just clears your head.- Mm.
0:34:30 > 0:34:32So, that's the idea of the meditation.
0:34:32 > 0:34:34It's to move your attention away from your busy mind
0:34:34 > 0:34:36more into your breathing and your body
0:34:36 > 0:34:38so you can get to sleep an awful lot easier at night.
0:34:38 > 0:34:42And if you can sleep better, then you can be more efficient students during the day.
0:34:42 > 0:34:43You can focus more in class.
0:34:43 > 0:34:45You can hopefully get more done, as well.
0:34:45 > 0:34:50Meditation classes are a far cry from when I was doing exam revision,
0:34:50 > 0:34:52but for the students here like Ben,
0:34:52 > 0:34:54it's been vital in helping him deal with stress.
0:34:54 > 0:34:56So, what kind of things were you stressed about?
0:34:56 > 0:34:58I was very much, like, "I need to do well.
0:34:58 > 0:35:00"I need to do this because I want to go to university.
0:35:00 > 0:35:02"I want to get a really good job."
0:35:02 > 0:35:03So, I was putting a lot of pressure on myself.
0:35:03 > 0:35:06And then, obviously, you've got your teachers being like,
0:35:06 > 0:35:07"You could do this. You could do that."
0:35:07 > 0:35:11So, you're just thinking, "I've got to live up to their expectations, as well.
0:35:11 > 0:35:14A nice, big, deep in-breath just through your nose.
0:35:14 > 0:35:18All the students I spoke to said the course really helps them deal
0:35:18 > 0:35:20with the stress of exams and revision,
0:35:20 > 0:35:23and there's no doubt that stress is now part and parcel
0:35:23 > 0:35:24of modern teenage life.
0:35:24 > 0:35:27Psychologist Anna Colton works with teenagers,
0:35:27 > 0:35:31and she's seen how acutely exam pressure can affect them.
0:35:31 > 0:35:34You know, I'm thinking back to when I went to school, you know,
0:35:34 > 0:35:37and I'm thinking, "I can't even begin to think
0:35:37 > 0:35:39"how close it was to being as stressful
0:35:39 > 0:35:42"as the things I'm reading now." What do you think has changed?
0:35:42 > 0:35:46There is relentless testing nowadays,
0:35:46 > 0:35:48and it starts really young, and so they're having to jump
0:35:48 > 0:35:51through more and more hoops through their educational life.
0:35:51 > 0:35:55But also there is increasing competition for university places,
0:35:55 > 0:35:56for degrees, for schools, even.
0:35:56 > 0:35:58You know, it's increasingly difficult,
0:35:58 > 0:36:01and that's adding to it, as well.
0:36:01 > 0:36:05And for today's teens who are never far from a mobile or laptop,
0:36:05 > 0:36:07there's another big, new, 24/7 factor
0:36:07 > 0:36:12that wasn't around when I was that age - social media.
0:36:12 > 0:36:15Everyone posts, particularly successes, on social media,
0:36:15 > 0:36:17so it makes it hard if you're not successful,
0:36:17 > 0:36:18and young people worry about that.
0:36:18 > 0:36:20Children and young people compete with each other
0:36:20 > 0:36:23and that's a real pity cos it's much, much healthier
0:36:23 > 0:36:24if they compete with themselves.
0:36:24 > 0:36:26They know what their level is
0:36:26 > 0:36:28and they go and try and better their level each time
0:36:28 > 0:36:30rather than worrying about their friends.
0:36:30 > 0:36:33But whatever fans the flames of their exam stress,
0:36:33 > 0:36:35Anna says there's a clear difference
0:36:35 > 0:36:39between the way boys and girls cope with it.
0:36:39 > 0:36:42Girls report a much higher level of anxiety than boys
0:36:42 > 0:36:44at both 16 and 17.
0:36:44 > 0:36:47Whether that is that they experience more anxiety
0:36:47 > 0:36:50- or they just report more... - I'm with you.- ..is the question.
0:36:50 > 0:36:52My sense is that boys under-report,
0:36:52 > 0:36:55and actually that is why boys get into more difficulties,
0:36:55 > 0:36:58from a mental health perspective, a bit later on in life,
0:36:58 > 0:37:00is because they don't report, so they don't get the help.
0:37:00 > 0:37:03But if what some of the headlines say is true,
0:37:03 > 0:37:06students who don't talk about their exam stress now
0:37:06 > 0:37:08are at even greater risk
0:37:08 > 0:37:09because some reports claim
0:37:09 > 0:37:10it's one of the key causes
0:37:10 > 0:37:12of teenage suicide.
0:37:12 > 0:37:14But Anna says it's just not
0:37:14 > 0:37:16that simple, and those reports are
0:37:16 > 0:37:18taking the situation out of context.
0:37:18 > 0:37:22What's important to note about that is that those young people
0:37:22 > 0:37:24who do do that, it won't just be exam stress.
0:37:24 > 0:37:26There'll be a lot of other stuff going on,
0:37:26 > 0:37:28and it will have built up over a long time.
0:37:28 > 0:37:34That said, those teens who are pushed to that extreme act
0:37:34 > 0:37:36are the ones who haven't done the talking,
0:37:36 > 0:37:39who haven't processed, and they are completely overwhelmed
0:37:39 > 0:37:40by what they're feeling
0:37:40 > 0:37:43and by the levels of stress and the hopelessness that accompanies,
0:37:43 > 0:37:45you know, feeling profoundly stressed.
0:37:45 > 0:37:48None of us want our kids to experience exam stress
0:37:48 > 0:37:49as severe as this.
0:37:49 > 0:37:53To help students manage, however hard they find it...
0:37:54 > 0:37:57..the BBC has brought together advisors like Anna
0:37:57 > 0:38:01and a group of 12 students to form the Mind Set,
0:38:01 > 0:38:04which helps young people cope with the pressure of exams
0:38:04 > 0:38:07using Bitesize online tips and advice.
0:38:07 > 0:38:09Where did you get this from, again?
0:38:09 > 0:38:11One of the mentors is 17-year-old Angel,
0:38:11 > 0:38:14who faced her own exam stress last year.
0:38:14 > 0:38:16One night, before a maths exam,
0:38:16 > 0:38:18I thought that doing an all-nighter
0:38:18 > 0:38:21and surviving on energy drinks only was a good idea.
0:38:21 > 0:38:23Everything was running out of my head
0:38:23 > 0:38:25and I just wasn't prepared,
0:38:25 > 0:38:28and so when I went into the exam, I was stressed.
0:38:28 > 0:38:29I actually ended up falling asleep in it.
0:38:32 > 0:38:35Angel sat 12 GCSEs in 2016,
0:38:35 > 0:38:38and while her maths exam was the worst point,
0:38:38 > 0:38:41she says she found the whole experience stressful,
0:38:41 > 0:38:43especially because of social media.
0:38:43 > 0:38:46I was worried that I wouldn't get the grades I wanted to.
0:38:46 > 0:38:49There's often a lot of people putting up posts
0:38:49 > 0:38:51of specific grades they've got,
0:38:51 > 0:38:53and I guess, when you're comparing yourself,
0:38:53 > 0:38:55you put a lot of pressure on yourself.
0:38:55 > 0:38:58I learned to not use social media as a negative thing.
0:38:58 > 0:39:00Facebook has several revision groups
0:39:00 > 0:39:02where people can talk about their problems,
0:39:02 > 0:39:05and so I used it in the better way.
0:39:05 > 0:39:08And it's by turning negatives like that into positives
0:39:08 > 0:39:12that Angel thinks other students can learn from her experience.
0:39:12 > 0:39:14I retook some exams and I learned,
0:39:14 > 0:39:17from experience, that retaking isn't a bad thing.
0:39:17 > 0:39:19You don't need to put pressure on yourself.
0:39:19 > 0:39:21You need to take time and understand your way of learning.
0:39:21 > 0:39:23So, understand if you're a visual learner
0:39:23 > 0:39:25or if you're a verbal learner.
0:39:25 > 0:39:29Ask your teachers for help, talk to your parents, and with time,
0:39:29 > 0:39:31you should get the grades you want to.
0:39:33 > 0:39:36So, today, we're going to be looking at gratitude to build resilience.
0:39:36 > 0:39:39And in Birkenhead, it's just that kind of support
0:39:39 > 0:39:42that underpins the college's pioneering approach
0:39:42 > 0:39:44to dealing with exam stress.
0:39:44 > 0:39:46OK. So, we're going to do a little game.
0:39:46 > 0:39:48We're going to go round each person one at a time.
0:39:48 > 0:39:49We're each going to name something
0:39:49 > 0:39:52that we're grateful for having in our lives.
0:39:52 > 0:39:55While this might sound a bit like New Age therapy,
0:39:55 > 0:39:59the students say it encourages them not to bottle up their stress.
0:39:59 > 0:40:03So, Ben, what were your initial thoughts about the programme when you heard about it?
0:40:03 > 0:40:06I was very sceptical cos it's all a bit cliche and cringey
0:40:06 > 0:40:07with the "express gratitude,
0:40:07 > 0:40:10"challenge your negative thoughts" and stuff.
0:40:10 > 0:40:13But then it actually changed a lot throughout my life,
0:40:13 > 0:40:15and I know that, if I am stressed, I can go,
0:40:15 > 0:40:18calm myself down and then get back into the swing of things.
0:40:18 > 0:40:21And then it's the same at home, like, with revision, as well.
0:40:21 > 0:40:24'And as deputy principal Mike Kilbride tells me,
0:40:24 > 0:40:27'this holistic approach produces great results
0:40:27 > 0:40:29'for the students and the college.'
0:40:29 > 0:40:31What kind of results are you seeing, Mike?
0:40:31 > 0:40:35Well, the students themselves are reporting back to us
0:40:35 > 0:40:37that they are seeing the benefits
0:40:37 > 0:40:40in terms of how they engage with their studies,
0:40:40 > 0:40:42with their life and with their challenges.
0:40:42 > 0:40:46We've had students who have had, say, very, very deep exam anxiety,
0:40:46 > 0:40:49and there was a couple of students who had such exam stress,
0:40:49 > 0:40:51they couldn't even go into an exam hall.
0:40:51 > 0:40:53They can now do exams.
0:40:53 > 0:40:57- So, that's a very, very sort of quantifiable improvement...- I see.
0:40:57 > 0:40:58..in those sorts of students.
0:40:58 > 0:41:02We're now top 10% in terms of A-level results in the country,
0:41:02 > 0:41:05and this programme is integral to what we want students to do.
0:41:05 > 0:41:08I have to say, it seemed unorthodox at first,
0:41:08 > 0:41:11but the college's programme is clearly working.
0:41:11 > 0:41:14OK. So, thanks, everybody, for taking part today.
0:41:14 > 0:41:16You can close your booklets over,
0:41:16 > 0:41:19pack your things away, and I'll see you all next week.
0:41:19 > 0:41:21For more advice from the BBC's Mind Set coaches
0:41:21 > 0:41:26like Angel, as well as tips to help you revise effectively, visit...
0:41:33 > 0:41:37Whatever the cause, stress affects us all in so many different ways.
0:41:37 > 0:41:40- But, Angela, it was SO lovely to meet the students...- Yes.
0:41:40 > 0:41:43..and so refreshing to see their approach to exam pressure,
0:41:43 > 0:41:46and so determined not to let it get the better of them. It was lovely.
0:41:46 > 0:41:49And I bet that that'll be reflected in their exam results.
0:41:49 > 0:41:50- Hopefully, yeah. - Let's hope so, anyway.
0:41:50 > 0:41:53And I have to say, I certainly learned an awful lot
0:41:53 > 0:41:54from my own report into stress,
0:41:54 > 0:41:57but you know what I'm going to take away most from today's programme?
0:41:57 > 0:42:00- And that was in the report that Steve did on sleep.- Oh, yeah.
0:42:00 > 0:42:04It is great to know we don't all need eight hours a night anyway.
0:42:04 > 0:42:07- Yeah.- I get, I suppose, somewhere between six, six and a half.
0:42:07 > 0:42:09- How about you, Kev?- What, BC?- Yes.
0:42:09 > 0:42:11- Before children? - SHE LAUGHS
0:42:11 > 0:42:13Back in the day, eh? Eight, nine hours' sleep, maybe.
0:42:13 > 0:42:16- But now, probably... I'd be lucky if I get six hours a night now.- Yeah.
0:42:16 > 0:42:18I have to say, the make-up artist has done
0:42:18 > 0:42:20a great job on your bags, darling.
0:42:20 > 0:42:22- They look really good. - Soft focus. Soft focus.
0:42:22 > 0:42:25But I'm afraid that's all we've got time for today,
0:42:25 > 0:42:26but don't you lose any sleep over that
0:42:26 > 0:42:28because we will be back very soon
0:42:28 > 0:42:31to debunk even more of those conflicting headlines.
0:42:31 > 0:42:34- But until then, thanks so much for joining us.- Bye-bye.- Bye-bye.