WE frequently read that we are living in a very stressful society.

This may be true but I believe that most of the causes are of our own making.

So, I offer my advice with three ways to reduce stress: l Get up in the morning, make your coffee, fetch the newspaper from the front door, take a mouthful of coffee, open the newspaper at the obituary column – and if your name is not in it then it’s going to be a good day.

l If you think you have a problem, ask yourself whether it will still be a problem in six months’ time. If the answer is ‘no’, then you don’t really have a problem.

l Stop asking yourself so many questions.

Mick Heavey, Oxford Road, Old Marston, Oxford