DO you waste precious days off fretting, only to find that by the time you've unwound and de-stressed, your holiday is over? We find tips, techniques and strategies to ensure you relax quickly and really recharge.

By Gabrielle Fagan

WHILE we all look forward to the coming May Bank Holidays - as a welcome time to relax and get away from routine - for millions a break may turn out to be a disappointment.

Around 40 per cent of people are caught in a "stress trap", which can leave them feeling worse when they're not working, rather than better, and 10 per cent are even plagued by physical symptoms like nausea, headaches, dizziness or palpitations.

Yet expectations that a holiday will be a "magic bullet" - an instant antidote to tension and pressure - are increasing, perhaps because, as recent research revealed, we're working harder than ever before.

Last year, over a third of us spent more than 60 hours a week at work.

It's all adding up to a double-whammy of pressure, according to Richard Hilliard, director of The Relaxation for Living Institute (www.rfli.co.uk).

"Not only do people often have huge and unrealistic expectations of a holiday - regarding it as a 'magic bullet' that will make them feel amazing overnight - but it makes them more conscious of the burden on them to make a break perfect for themselves and their family."

Ironically, although the thought of doing nothing is so seductive, Hilliard advises stressed, busy people not to immediately succumb to inactivity.

He says: "You can't expect to instantly slow down from 100 miles an hour to zero and feel good. Around 40 per cent of people are so pressured and stressed with the demands of work and family that they're constantly running on adrenaline."

This is commonly called the "fight or flight" hormone, which is produced by the body in times of stress and which we originally relied on in primitive times to help us survive and flee from danger.

Hilliard warns: "Turning that off is not as simple as turning off a tap. If we've become accustomed to continual - and sometimes excessive - amounts of adrenaline to help us cope with stress, the body will not be able to cope with a sudden shutdown, where activity stops dead.

"It's like going cold turkey and can leave the body floundering in a stew of stress chemicals. This affects around 10 per cent of people so badly they can feel quite ill and suffering a range of symptoms from headaches to fatigue, and digestive problems."

In fact, what's needed is a gradual adrenaline climbdown. Hilliard says: "People should prepare themselves for a holiday, in the same way they prepare for work, and take some commonsense steps which can minimise problems."

By following his advice, there could be another bonus, which will last far beyond the holiday.

He says: "If people recognise that their adrenaline overload may be leading to a range of physical symptoms and probably making them feel generally unwell and take steps to alter their lifestyle, they could even set themselves on a healthier path for the rest of the year."

So follow the experts' tips and strategies to ensure you relax, recharge and enjoy the break.

ARE YOU AT RISK?

If you answer yes to one or all of these you could be suffering from the stress-trap - an overload of pressure and anxiety.

Do you spend days off fretting over work and often find by the time you've unwound and de-stressed your holiday is over?

Do you look forward to breaks but find they're spoilt because you often succumb to niggling ailments like headaches, an upset stomach or a feeling of constant "butterflies" in the tummy or back, neck or shoulder pain?

Do you look forward to spending time with friends or family but find when you're free you're too exhausted to take part in activities or are irritable and impatient?

HOW TO DE-STRESS FOR THE HOLIDAY

Try not to overwork in an unrealistic attempt to "finish" everything in the days before a break. "It's not uncommon for people to double their workload before a break which can leave them exhausted, with a low immune system and vulnerable to illness like colds or stomach upsets," says Hilliard.

Instead, delegate work, if possible, and also try to share the work of holiday preparations.

Manage expectations of a holiday. Hilliard advises: "The old saying 'it's better to travel in hope rather than arrive' is often very true!

"Accept that you don't have to be in charge of everything on the break, that it probably won't be perfect and keep a sense of humour if things don't go to plan."

At least at the beginning of a holiday, try to have a structure and a purpose to your day. Richard says: "Don't have a lie-in on the first day of the break. Get up at about the same time as you do for work and have an activity to do that day so there's not a sudden change of pace. Then gradually slow down during the break to acclimatise your body gently."

Eating breakfast by a window, or even getting an early morning walk will help you have a better day. A dose of early morning sunlight helps kick-start your body and boost vitality levels.

A walk round the block or in the park with the kids can help you de-stress and keep blood pressure on an even keel.

Make time to have fun. Just having a giggle will give your immunity a temporary boost by releasing endorphins which make you feel good, relax and de-stress.

Research at the University of Loma Linda in California has shown that even thinking about something funny is enough to bring adrenaline levels down.

Pop Mozart on an iPod or personal stereo. Many experts now believe that this composer's music in particular is calming and de-stressing.

Get sweet dreams by chomping on cherries. Rich in melatonin, they can help you get a good night's sleep.

Dr Russel Reiter, a nutrition researcher, recommends eating a handful 30 minutes before bed and choosing tart varieties which contain more sleep-inducing melatonin than sweeter ones.

Also, ban carbs until 5pm. They encourage a rush of seratonin, which calms the brain, helps you relax and can aid sleep.

Fed up with waking up shattered? A new gadget claims to change all that. The Sleeptracker watch has a movement sensor which detects when you've shifted out of your last deep sleep stage - the best time to wake you up - so you rouse feeling refreshed, not groggy.

It costs £85 plus postage from www.sleep-tracker.co.uk

Check your nutrition - fitness trainer and consultant to Virgin Gyms, Nicki Waterman, says: "Cutting out processed sugar and alcohol even for three days could transform your vitality levels."

She suggests having an energy breakfast of a banana and porridge for slow-release energy. She also advises eating protein at every meal (it increases production of alertness chemicals dopamine and norepinephrine) and snacking on seeds, small amounts of nuts, yoghurt, raw vegetables and hummus.

She recommends Multibionta Probiotic Multivitamin by Seven Seas, which costs from £4.49 from chemists including Boots. Visit www.multibionta.co.uk

BEAT STRESS LONG-TERM

Celebrate your achievements. Spend time at the end of each day thinking about the high spots and what you did well, rather than dwelling on mistakes or worrying about what will happen tomorrow.

Research shows optimists live longer than people with a more negative view of life and are less likely to suffer from lower immune systems.

Going to bed at 10.30pm three to four times a week can have a massive impact on wellbeing. Seventy per cent of us struggle to get around eight hours sleep a night, which most of us need. A study by the University of Sussex found women in their forties only get about six-and-a-half.

Missing three hours can raise blood pressure and double the risk of a heart attack.

Find out from your HR department if cheap membership to a gym could be given as a perk. Research by Cannons health club chain found that 67 per cent of employees with subsidised membership felt healthier and more motivated.

Start a lunchtime walking club or have "walk and talk" meetings. Studies by the British Heart Foundation found walking increases brain function and productivity. Find routes on www.walkit.com Check out whether you have allergies or an intolerance to wheat or dairy products and consider cutting down on caffeine intake, which, if more than four cups of caffeinated drinks a day, may be putting stress on your system and preventing you from sleeping properly at night.