Here I was at last, on a well-deserved break, savouring the beauty, peace and tranquility of the Spanish mountainside.

I sat, staring at the Montgo mountain in front of me - so named as it looks like the head of a huge elephant sitting down and resting after a hard day's work - reflecting on what my Spanish and British friends in Javea had said earlier: "Living in Britain is too stressful."

I realised they were right and that the reason why was staring me in the face. We do not rest enough in Britain anymore.

We do not allow ourselves to have a good quality of family life. The high cost of living and the need for money have taken that away from us.

We may live longer in Britain - an average of 76.5 years - but an increasing number of people are developing heart disease and high blood pressure by the age of 40.

A lot of young people are suffering from stress-related disorders, anxiety and depression and are disillusioned with the current state of life.

As a nation, we seem to be obsessed with work and find we are expected to work constantly throughout the day, without a break or proper meal, until we are exhausted.

Working and living in such a constant and prolonged stressful environment, under pressure, has a knock-on effect on our personal and family life not to mention our mental, physical and emotional well being.

Research shows that stress demands greater output and function from the body's cells to cope and results in early death of the cells which make up the organs of the body.

While nobody dies of hard work, lack of adequate rest and stress of all kinds causes raised cholesterol, early coronary heart disease, high blood pressure and even dementia.

Your diet also suffers when you are constantly working.

We have the means to turn things round and create a better society for all, especially younger people, where there is a balance between work and home life.

Reorganising the work culture to provide adequate rest and financial rewards to enable time off and holidays and reviewing policies to bring down the high cost of living would be a good start.

Recent reports suggest some of our European counterparts work less hours with greater productivity and many people have already moved abroad to escape the stressful working conditions in Britain.

There is a fast-growing British community of various professionals and entrepreneurs in the south of Spain.

Traditionally in Spain, all businesses close between one and four in the afternoon, when people enjoy quality time and a meal with family and friends before returning to work from five till seven.

There is a biological clock ticking in every cell of our body.

Work, rest and play and you will be healthy into old age in body, mind and spirit.

Dr Milind Jani works as a conventional and holistic GP and Dr Asmita Jani as Ayurvedic Consultant from 3 Eaton Gardens, Hove. Call them on: 01273 777448 or e-mail: milind.jani@ntlworld.com