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All this week on The One Show Michael Mosley is looking at how stress can affect our daily lives.
See also: How stressed are you? Take our test.
See also: Read all our Stress Week blogs.
See also: Watch our exclusive Stress Week videos.
Michael Mosley meets Jenny, a recently retired teacher currently struggling with the change in pace. She's found that having little to do and few people to talk to is making her anxious.
Retirement stress is quite common, says Michael. The people that struggle with it, often mention dealing with boredom and the feeling that they have lost their role in society.
Michael convinces Jenny to join a local art group to socialise. Research shows that retired people with support networks report significantly lower levels of stress and a greater satisfaction with life. Not only that but studies have shown that people with a wide range of social contacts are better protected against colds and some diseases.
Ways to cope with retirement stress
Think positive - A 2002 study at Yale University found that thinking positively helps you to live longer.
Create a structure for your new phase of life - Get yourself some interests, consider a part time job or even volunteering.
Get a hobby - If you're getting close to retirement and you don't have any hobbies already - find some! The state of being absorbed in a creative or fun activity is a great way of relieving stress.
Can retirement really be that stressful? What do you think? Have your say, below.
Comments
There is some really awful artwork out there. Art is not the answer to everyone. Why not point people towards textiles. Suitable for all standards and it most definitely ISN'T all cross stitch or tray cloths. I have no intention of retiring until I have to. My uncle is still working at the age of 85
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There is some really awful artwork out there. Art is not the answer to everyone. Why not point people towards textiles. Suitable for all standards and it most definitely ISN'T all cross stitch or tray cloths. I have no intention of retiring until I have to. My uncle is still working at the age of 85
Myfanwy Hampshire
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Hold on a moment. Whilst I'm happy to see that the lady on your show was happier in her retirement one thing she said really riled me. She mentioned she has a part time job now, teaching again. Even before the current crisis many young graduates have found it very hard to get teaching jobs because of retired teachers coming back to the job market as supply teachers. This should be stopped as it people are now being discouraged from entering the teaching profession as they will probably not be able to get employment.
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Although I miss the stress and challenge. but nothing can beat retirement, I took early retirement 4 year ago at the age of 52 and I have found a lots of thing to keep me occupy.
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I couldn't believe that a fit newly retired teacher could say she was bored..since I retired from teaching I am busier than ever with mountain climbing, researching local history(I have published a book and give illustrated talks) ,voluntary work (local elderly people), playing church organ, RSPB surveys, car driving for disabled, piano playing not to mention the "G" word (gardening) etc etc...bored? what's that?
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I believe retirement can make you stressed. I'm not working at the moment and at first I enjoyed the spare time and the peace and quiet, but after a while it just gets so boring and with all my friends and family still working, I have lost my social life. My work was my social life. People think it must be great not getting up every day and going out to work, especially on the cold wintery days, but it's not a good thing at all. After a while, you feel as though you have no value, no role and you miss the routine and discipline. Not having to get up for work, sometimes means not having to get up and that makes you depressed. I've also foudn that friends resent the fact that they are still working hard every day while, in their opinion, I'm sat on my backside at home. It's a sad and lonely life and one that has no appeal, the more time you are in that situation. I feel as if I ahve lost my place in society and have no value now!
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I could not settle into retirement. Having decorated the house from top to bottom, got the garded up to scratch, decorated my daughters house and caught up on all those little "odd jobs" that had been outstaning for ages - I quickly found myself very bored and looking for things of interest to do.
Result, I've gone back to work, albeit on a part time basis.
I'm happy again.
Kind regards,
Norman Fordham
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I was also a teacher and have been retired for two years now. It has been the best thing I have ever done and I cannot understand why being free from the constraints of working to someone else's timetable should be stressful. I agree with the comment about the retired teacher going back to work part time. Offer your skills to the voluntary sector and make a contribution to society while still being in control of your own time. Give something back, especially if you are relatively free from the worst financial worries and have a good pension. Leave the paid work for the struggling young.
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There is no reason for any retired person to be stressed out with boredom. Just contact The Retired and Senior Voluntry Programme (RSVP) to find a range of voluntary opportunites available throughout the UK. see their site http://www.csv-rsvp.org.uk/site/home.htm
Suggestion for Michael Mosley - why not follow up this article by doing a piece on RSVP so that your viewers can find out about all the different voluntary possibilities.
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If you're retired and bored get involved in your local U3A (University of the Third Age).
I'm the Chairman of my local branch and I've not got a minute to spare, it's good fun and you meet new people too. Check out your local branch on the U3A web site.
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I think the lady who was on tonights show should have planned her retirement better especially as she was a teacher. Did she not attend a retirement course for guidance on how to handle this great change in your life. Let's hope when she finally retires from her new employment as a part time teacher she will have planned it more carefully instead of burying her head in the sand and pretending it's might not happen. I took early retirement from the Civil Service when I was 56 5 years ago and I couldn't be more happy. I'm renovating an old house in Spain along with my husband and there is never a dull moment , we are certainly never bored and it was planned 16 years ago. Plus I am learning the language locally.
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I've just done the stress test and found I was normal-retired 1 yr from NHS
I re-did test as I felt when I left work- wow
as I thought-- I would be challanging Adrian for top spot! Three cheers for retirement- I did my 40 yrs in full time employment and now it's MY TIME
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I retired end of March and have never looked back. No stress, doing things I really want to do, involved in volunteer work one day a week, more gardening in the summer, started doing more cooking and baking, meeting friends, it is endless. I don't think the lady in the film prepared for retirement at all. You have to have some goals, and going back to work isn't one of them ! I worked since I was 17 and it is now time to do what I want. Hurrah !
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Many years ago there was a famous interview with Eartha Kitt on radio, which was silent for 20 mins!! in the end her only comment to the anoyed interviewer was "if youve got nothing to say, why say it!"
seems mad but so true.
I then had a situation where public transport was in turmoil and I was an hour late getting to work and fearfull of what my employer wold say. He only asked why I was late, and after explaining he gave me this well remembered advice on lowering stress: IF IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT, WHY WORRY! after all it wont change the situation and being stressed over something out of your control is totally unproductive.
Having watched my father have a heart attck and die in front of me, I have remembered the above phrase to keep my heart healthier and have long passed the age at which he died.
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Hi all,
I've particularly enjoyed and have a keen interest in your "stress week" items.
I'm currently living in Spain on the Costa Tropical. I was lucky enough to come here last year, thanks to our son Lawrence (he provided the finance!) after being ill for over two years with anxiety and depression.
The worst illness I've EVER had and one that is almost unrecognisable to others. Even close family, which causes it to be dreadful to cope with. I've been married to Kath for 36 years and thought nothing could possibly affect our relationship in the way this has. Fortunately she's been able to come out here for the last two weeks and we've sorted a lot of stuff out and hopefully we can save our marriage.
I joked with my Doctor to give me a prescription for a couple of months in the Sun and now I've been out here and met some GREAT people (I'm a people person) and enjoyed the weather BIG TIME I feel more like my old self. So for anyone who can do the same and come out here or somewhere similar I suggest they try it.
Kind regards Phil. Keep the Show going por favor X
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i am not sure if i should be commenting on this page yet as i am not yet retirement age,but after takeing your quiz and getting a score of 19 or 99.1 i thought i would comment.i've had to take some time off work to get my head back together after 3 years of tormoil,firstly me and my wife seperated in oct' 2005,then in june 2007 my son died crashing his motorbike,then my daughter and her partner went to norway,she's home now,it was to hard for her to handle with her only brother dieing.then there's my work,farming,that's a joke nowadays,we divercified a few years ago to create a simple golf course,my dads project,he's now in an old folks home,to me it's like he's been locked away like a prisoner,and the rest of the farm me and my brother worked with that's now been rented out to another farm.my brother is now on a sailing ship doing his own thing.i have no ambition left,i have no motivation let,my family was my motivation,and of course my son was my motivation to carry on working,eventually with the aim of passing it on to him.that's all gone now,son,brother,dad,and i'm left with a world of women.even though ,if i had just retired and none of the previous events had happened i would still be doing the same thing,trying to find something of interest to keep me occupied.because the only other option is to give up,and as my son can now tell you you're a long time dead.i personally might have 20 or 30 years to go,hopefully,and unless you beleive in reencarnation this is the only chance you get at life.make the most of it.it could be worse,you could have all this other stuff to think about rather than just retirement.as brian once said "CHEER UP YOU OLD B----R".
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Once I had done my "fifty years hard labour", I was only too glad to retire. Boredom has never entered into it. Now, just think:- I don't have to worry about redundancy; I don't have to worry about my mortgage; and I haven't enough money to worry about what the banks are up to !!
My stress test shows me to be about a fourth of the way up the normal area.
Yesterday was my eightieth birthday and the party that my daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren gave me was fantastic ! Life has been good to me!
Remember, snow on the roof doesn't mean the fire has gone out!!!
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Having reached the age of 63 I have decided that retirement is not an option. I have just been made redundant and am actively looking for another job, if I don't I will go mad, as I am pacing the lounge like a caged lion.
I enjoy meeting with friend and belong to a gentlemen's organisation and to two golf societies but retirement - not yet.
I have tried to rationalise why I have this drive and can only come to two answers:
1) I am now twenty years into my third career (which is office based), one of which was as a Police Officer which was totally different to today's set up and involved a great deal of activity and gave me a great deal of fun.
2) I do not feel old enough to retire, more than that, I do not want to admit to being old enough to retire.
So I guess retirement is a state of mind and is something that we will all have to accept, but only when we are ready to accept it, physically but more importantly mentally.
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Thanks so much 'beebizzy', for introducing an association I never knew existed. I've found out that I have a brand new local U3A just about a mile away so I shall be joining this week when I've phoned the Membership Sec!
As a recently retired (6 months) deputy head, it is a HUGE change from working at least 70+ hours a week and being the hub of activities, to making decisions and planning priorities for myself about what to do. (I didn't have time previously, to plan for retirement!) Yes, I do have lots of interests but the mental conflicts and personal questions (why am I bothering? am I really of value any more?) are quite debilitating.
By the way, I did rate 'severe' on Stress Test as you might guess!
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I was particuarly interested in the two respondents who were, or who have just joined, the U3A. As the newly appointed Press and Media Relations Officer for the Third Age Trust - the umbrella organisation for the 700 U3As in the UK - I would like to suggest to anyone who feels bored with their retirement that they either refer to the U3A website or ring the national office on 020 8466 6139. As a retired person myself I find that my membership of the U3A has given me more possibilities for later learning than I can possibly take up. The U3A is a self help organisation where the learners are the teachers and the teachers the learners. In that way nobody`s experiences or knowledge is ever lost and they are giving something as well as receiving. It`s also a splendid organisation for getting to know new people in a mutually congenial atmosphere - after all there are over 200,000+ of us, and rising. In terms of my new job, I would be very glad to provide the BBC with the answers to any questions they might like to ask about the University of the Third Age.
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I have been retired from teaching for 1 year now, my husband also. We came to live in France last November, and we haven't looked back. Our working lives now seem miles behind us. We have lived a completely new experience. I have set my main goal, it is to learn French and be able to speak as well as the locals. We have a completely rural life, a bit like 'The Good Life'. We are so pleased that we made the big step.
I can understand that some people could get bored, unless they find something new to do with themselves. It's up to them really.
I was very surprised that an obviously intelligent person wasn't able to find something new to inspire her new amount of free time.
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If you make the effort to look around there are hundreds of things retired people cna do. i retired early and have never been busier
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Contentment in retirement is all in the mind, think positive and it will be the best years of your life. Pursue hobbies and pastimes, I am now almost 67 and hillwalking regularly, nothing to strenuous mind, maximum so far 10miles and 3015ft climb. I am not super fit just slow. Keep your mind on the things you always wanted to do and if possible get on with it. Moping only makes things worse. The ex teacher you had on the show was very negative god only knows the impression she has left with those she taught. RETIREMENT IS GREAT>
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I co-ordinate a Walking for Health scheme which keeps me busy at 66. I enjoy persuading retired people to get out and meet people whilst getting fit themselves.
There is plenty of volunteering out there for those who want to "give something back".
But not everyone wants to..............
Fancy being a volunteer walk leader?
Theres a scheme near you.
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I retired a year ago after 41yrs as a Civil Servant. My last job was as a Snr Exec. I can't believe that a retired teacher had not planned for retirement earlier. I have been a widow for 7yrs and realised that life would be very lonely after retirement without the social interaction and brain stimulation, which I had from my job . I certainly have not found retirement stressful. In fact quite the opposite. I have always had an interest in sport and began cycling, swimming and even joined an indoor lawn bowls club. I also go to pottery classes and help friends to become "silver surfers"i.e helping to teach , set up and maintain their home computers. Until I retired I didn't realise how many leisure activities there are for we so called wrinklies! I absolutely love retirement. I only wished I could of afforded to do it when I was 30yr!!
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Judging by the majority of my friends who have retired, it is bad for your health and your pocket.
I have no intention of retiring - everyone needs aims and goals in life, and so many retire with none of them and fade away. One of my friends spent his last 5 years coming up to 60 longing for retirement - 2 years on, he looks 10 years older, his company pension has lost a significant amount of its value, and he wishes he hadn't made the decision - where I live, Welsh farmers don't retire, and there are many healthy 80 and upward folk - so, don't retire, it's bad for your life!
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I was medically retired from my job 13 years ago, and the struggle to survive during that time, was made much worse by the DWP and this government, because my illness which is recognised by the World Health organisation as neurological, still is not properly recognised by the government and it's organs, and therefore every bit of help is a battle, with everything stacked against it.
The illness is such that attending a job regularly worsens the condition and can lead to being bedridden.
On top of that I was penalised for trying to provide myself with a meagre pension, which excluded me from a lot of help.
The situation is improved since I became a bona fide pensioner at 60, but before that it was a stressful nightmare I would not care to repeat.
It makes me so angry when this government paint benefit claimants as enemies of the state, because many disabled people out here are far from that description, would love to do something, but their illness precludes it.
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I think its great being 'retired'. I never have enough time in my day to do the things I want to accomplish.
I have a wonderful family, many grandchildren, beautiful garden, friends, hobbies, how did I ever have the time to go to work?
People should look on being retired as a new way of life and enjoy it to the full.
I do have serious health issues which does alter the way I lead my life but it's still great!
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The teacher featured in this programme is the most amazing teacher. The impact that she had on so many lives was incredible. She worked tirelessly, helping all of her students to achieve. I'm not suprised she found it difficult in retirement, her commitment to her students and the energy with which she supported them was amazing. The teaching profession needs teachers like her. Dedicated, experienced, inclusive and highly skilled.
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