Each stage in life brings with it a challenge. According to developmental psychologist Erik Erikson, the work of all the former stages is reconsidered. Successful stress management in the later years involves:

1. Learning to accept and deal with old age.
2. Learning to make sense of aspirations, achievements and failures.
3. Learning to find meaning and purpose even in the face of an unalterable past.

It is hoped that the present study will aid you in confronting the myth of productivity and earning power as the only measure of self-worth. Perhaps, you will discover within yourself some insight or wisdom that gives you a new, creative perspective.

STRESS AND ITS HARMFUL EFFECTS

Most men do not put a high tag on relaxation and tend to consider it a waste of time. We feel guilty if we are not successful. We measure success by our achievements and monetary gains rather than emotional tranquility. Long-term tensions in life solidly affixes a finger on the fast-forward button of your biological remote. Stress spreads up your entire system and produces conditions in younger people that are more commonly associated with aging. Virtually no part of your body can escape the ravages of stress.

Despite its bad reputation, stress is one of our bodies best defense systems. When we sense danger — such as a car coming towards us — our bodies release adrenaline and other chemicals that make us more alert, raises our blood pressure and increases our strength, speed and reaction time. It is remarkable if we are responding to a threat that requires physical action. Unfortunately, our bodies do not recognize the difference between physical threats and mental ones. When we become nervous about meeting a deadline, we produce the same stress chemicals as when we see an oncoming car. And if we do not burn off these chemicals through physical exertion, they can linger in the bloodstream and start causing problems.

Studies show that stress can reduce the power of our immune system. Stress may inhibit the disease fighting cells in our bloodstream. Everybody falls sick from time to time. But if you are under a lot of stress, a virus may get into your body, which you would have been able to fight off otherwise. Stress has been linked to heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, cancer and even impotence. Upto 90% of the visits to doctors are for stress-related disorders, according to the American Institute of Stress.

Stress often surfaces as a health problem in men because men wait too long to do something about it. Men take longer than women to realize that they are in trouble. Learning to unwind is not easy, particularly if you are the hard-driving, achievement-oriented type. To come out of this difficult situation, you will have to take the road to calm.