FEELING listless and sleepy? Anxious and irritable? These are warning signals that the body's immune system, mental outlook and general well-being are at risk, and many white-collar workers are ignoring them.

Pan Jie, 25, an entry-level auditor at the Shanghai office of PricewaterhouseCoopers, died in April after contracting acute cerebral meningitis. An intense level of overwork that had run down her health was partly blamed for her death, according to Wang Guisong, an expert in the neurosurgery department at Renji Hospital.

Pan's was not an isolated case of work fatigue threatening life.

Zhou Yu, 28, a branch manager at Century 21 Real Estate LLC, often worked until midnight and didn't sleep or eat on a regular basis. His family members blamed overwork for his sudden death.

Hu Xinyu, 25, a staff member of the Huawei Technologies Co, died of meningitis after working 18- hour days and even sleeping in his laboratory.

He returned home only four times in 30 days.

Excessive workload may not be the only cause of these white-collar deaths, but exhaustion can weaken the body's defenses to infection, cause weakness of strength and energy and heighten anxiety.

The antidote is to slow down, ease tension and reduce pressure. Jump of the urban treadmill for a stretch at peaceful retreats like the Jiangchuan Healthy Life Pavilion, fishing villages and kite flying venues.


Jiangchuan Healthy Life Pavilion

Do you know what food ancient people ate? What constitutes a healthy diet? How much food you should be eating?

The answers are all at the Jiangchuan Healthy Life Pavilion on Lanping Road.

The pavilion, which has four exhibition halls, is dedicated to nurturing a healthy lifestyle.

Visitors can take a walking tour of displays about how our ancestors ate. They lived, of course, in simpler times where diet meant picking fruit, hunting animals, collecting edible plants and cooking over wood fires. The display traces our dietary evolution.

So, here we are in modern times, where eating is on the run and attention to nutrition gets lost in a maze of fast-food menus. Displays in the pavilion show us the makeup of a balanced diet and the need for proper exercise.

An electronic book provides health tips for different age groups. Input your age, gender, height and weight, and the device will tell you the amount of food you should eat every day.

You may also test your blood pressure and nimbleness. The tests are calibrated to tell us where we are going wrong with our lifestyle. Ignore them at your peril!


Address: 160 Lanping Rd

Opening hours: 1pm-8pm (June 1-August 31), 9am-4:30pm (September 1-May 31), closed on Mondays

Admission:10 yuan, free on 15 of each month


Kite-flying venues

As kites float effortlessly in the air, so, too, can one's spirit soar above the stresses of everyday life. Flying kites is not only fun but also very soothing.

The Jiangchuan Sports Center, the Minhang Sports Park, the Jixin Park and the bridge over the Dianpu River are ideal spots for kite-flying buffs.

It's an ancient amusement in China, dating back about 2,800 years. The kite was said to be the invention of the famous Chinese philosopher Mozi. A paper kite was used as a message for a rescue mission in ancient times.

Kites were also used for measuring distances, testing the wind, lifting men, signaling, and communication for military operations. The earliest known Chinese kites were flat and often rectangular. Later, tailless kites incorporated a stabilizing bowline. Kites were decorated with mythological motifs and legendary figures; some were fitted with strings and whistles to make musical sounds while flying.

Flying kites gained popularity during the Song Dynasty (960-1279). It's said that flying kites can drive bad luck away. Ancient people wrote the names of plagues and diseases on kites, then cut the strings so the kites could not return to earth.

When kite-flying in urban areas, avoid places with overhead wires and don't be out during electrical storms.


Fishing villages

Fishing is an age-old way of relaxing. Li Shizhen, who wrote the compendium of Chinese medicine called "Compedium of Materia Medica," said fishing relieves excess body heat and maintains body tranquility.

In Minhang, there are several options for daytime anglers. They include the Fudao Fishing Village, the Xiangshuiwan Organic Farm and the Jichuan Road Fishing Pond.

Bait is available and fishing is free until you hook a fish. Anglers then pay between 16 yuan (US$2) and 30 yuan per kilogram for their catch.

Patience is extremely important. The minute you feel a bite, hold off jerking back the fishing rod too quickly. Make sure you have a fish on the hook.

Anglers should protect themselves from the sun with hats, sunglasses and umbrellas.

Address: 258, lane 1258, Jihe Rd

Opening Hours: 9am-6pm

Admission: Free


Tips for reducing pressure

Daydreaming

Indulge yourself in fantasy. Free up your thoughts. Think of a beautiful picture in your mind. Imagine you are sitting on a seaside beach, fanned by balmy breezes and the lapping sound of blue waters. Strive for inner peace.

Write down problems

Get a pen and a piece of paper and list the things that are really troubling you. Sometimes articulating problems and getting them down in black and white act to cleanse the soul and evoke a feeling of renewal.

Shout, pinch balls, throw pillows, bash the sofa

Sometimes people keep their feelings too pent up. Let it all out in harmless ways! You may feel a bit exhausted afterward but you will also feel the calm after the storm.

Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is popular in Europe and Japan. Different fragrance extracted from different plants are said to contribute to alleviating psychological strain. Anything is worth a try, and essential oils smell so nice.

Cry

A good bawl is sometimes a great way to relieve pressure. There's nothing wrong with crying and maybe a lot of stress will accompany those tears out of the body.

Indulgence

What is it you would really like to do? Raise a pet? Listen to some particular music? Plan a trip? Do yoga? Go out and buy new clothing?

Sometimes it's good to stop and pamper yourself in some small and rewarding way that will brighten your day and make you feel less up-tight about life.


Suggestions for overloaded workers

Sleep on a regular schedule.

Follow the biological clock. Avoid working long hours or overnight, which will not only tire you out but also reduce work efficiency.

Eat a balanced diet. Chicken, soybeans, fish, spinach, strawberries, bananas, oatmeal, kelp and yogurt are among the foods highly recommended for a healthy body.

Take rest breaks at work. Sip a cup of tea. Stretch your limbs.

Visit your doctor for periodic health checks.

Strive to keep your work life and your private life in balance. Entertainment is important. Dancing and singing can be very relaxing.

Do sports or other physical activity. Get out and walk four to five times every week, each time for 30 to 45 minutes. Longer hikes on a weekend can help keep blood pressure stable and delay aging of neurons.

Maintain a positive spirit. A smile can do wonders for both you and the people around you.