April is National Stress Awareness Month. It’s a time to recognize the extensive amount of stress in your life and investigate healthy strategies to deal with it. Stress Awareness Month reminds you to put your emotional and mental well-being first by taking steps to reduce stress and develop resilience.
Recognizing common stress symptoms can help you get them under control. Left unchecked, stress can contribute to many health issues, including high blood pressure, obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.
Common stress symptoms include:
- Headaches: Persistent or frequent headaches can be a symptom of stress
- Muscle Tension: Pain or tightness in the neck, back, or shoulders
- Fatigue: Lacking energy or feeling tired, even after sufficient sleep
- Sleep Issues: Problems falling asleep, staying asleep, or having restless sleep
- Irritability: Being agitated or frustrated easily
National Stress Awareness Month was established in 1992 by the Health Resource Network, to help increase awareness about the effects of stress on people’s lives, health, and well-being. The campaign was launched to encourage people to learn about the effects of stress and provide information on ways to manage it. The main goal was to underscore the importance of reducing stress, healthy lifestyle habits, and self-care to prevent stress-related illnesses.
What is the Importance of National Stress Awareness Month?
National Stress Awareness Month is essential for raising awareness of the impact stress can have on physical and mental health. The goal is to educate people about stress’s signs, effects, and possible results so that they can take healthy steps to improve their lives.
This month, we encourage people to learn about and practice healthy stress management techniques, including mindfulness, exercise, and seeking support from others.
National Awareness Month encourages conversations about stress and mental health. The aim is to reduce the shame associated with seeking help and support.
Institutions and organizations frequently use this month to provide information, resources, and support services related to stress management (as well as other mental health issues).
Stress Awareness Month highlights the importance of prioritizing self-care and time for activities that promote your well-being in daily life.
This month also emphasizes the importance of addressing stress at work and creating a supportive environment where employees can effectively manage their stress.
Short-Term and Long-Term Effects of Stress
Stress is a normal response to demanding situations. However, excessive or prolonged stress can notably impact your short-term and long-term health.
Stress can manifest in various ways at the moment. Although usually temporary, it can still disrupt daily life.
- Increased heart rate
- Muscle tension
- Rapid breathing
- Headaches
- Stomach problems
- Loss of concentration
- Mood swings or irritability
When stress becomes persistent, it can cause more serious health problems. These issues can build up over time and have lasting consequences.
- Cardiovascular disease
- Weak immune system
- Elevated blood pressure
- Depression disorders and anxiety
- Male reproductive problems
- Digestive problems
- Weight loss or gain
- Skin problems
- Sleep disorders
12 Tips for Managing Stress
Stress can show up in various ways. It affects your emotional, physical, and mental health. It’s important to acknowledge the effects of stress and learn healthy coping mechanisms.
Here are 12 tips for controlling stress during National Stress Awareness Month and beyond:
- Mindfulness: Practicing mindfulness exercises, such as deep breathing or meditation, has been proven to lower blood pressure and reduce cortisol levels. This can help you calm your mind and reduce symptoms of depression and chronic anxiety. If you need help getting started, you can download a meditation app.
- Self-Care: Give yourself time for activities that bring relaxation and joy to your life. These may include spending time outside, reading, or engaging in hobbies.
- Physical Activity: Regular physical activity is known to lower stress and lift mood. Find an activity you like and incorporate it into your routine.
- Social Connections: Connections are essential for managing stress. For encouragement and support, contact family, friends, or support groups and prepare to be open about your experiences.
- Boundary Setting: Overextending yourself only creates pressure and more stress. Establish healthy boundaries and learn to say “no” to protect your time and energy.
- Professional Help: If your stress feels unmanageable or overwhelming, don’t wait to pursue support from a mental health professional.
- Sleep: Getting adequate sleep can improve your thought processes and mood. Try to get 8 to 9 hours of sleep per night.
- Healthy Diet: Chronic stress often increases a craving for unhealthy foods high in saturated fat and sugar. You can prevent unhealthy weight gain and disease by eating a healthy diet of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and non- or low-fat dairy.
- Get Outside in Nature: Several studies have associated spending time in nature with mood improvement.
- Don’t Self-Medicate: Many people consume alcohol or drugs to manage their stress. This only serves to create another problem – substance abuse. Make sure you limit your use of alcohol, and only use drugs prescribed by your physician in the way they were recommended.
- Journaling: Writing your thoughts and feelings in a journal can help you gain clarity and handle stress.
- Limit Screen Time: Excessive screen time can increase stress. Take breaks and set limits for your screen time on a daily basis.
Common Issues Relating to Stress
Stress manifests physically in several ways, such as:
- Muscle tension and headaches
- Gastrointestinal problems, such as stomach aches or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- Sleep disorders and fatigue
- Appetite changes
- Frequent illness, due to a weakened immune system
Your emotional well-being can be significantly impacted by stress. Symptoms of this impact can include:
- Irritability and anxiety
- Feelings of being overwhelmed
- Mood swings
- Memory problems and lack of concentration
- Feeling sad or depressed
- Low self-esteem
Stress may lead to behavior changes, such as:
- Isolation and social withdrawal
- Increasing use of substances
- Problems completing tasks and procrastination
- Eating habit changes (over- or undereating)
- Nervous habits, such as pacing or nail-biting
Cognitive functions are the mental processes that enable us to interact with the world by allowing us to receive, process, store, and retrieve information. They also help us learn and even think on a fundamental level. Stress can affect cognitive processes, causing these issues:
- Difficulty with decision-making
- Racing thoughts
- Negative thinking
- Mental fog and forgetfulness
- Problems focusing
- Increased self-criticism
How Can Chronic Stress Be Treated?
We have already discussed some tips you can try for managing stress, such as lifestyle changes and relaxation techniques. But if you’re suffering from chronic stress, you probably need professional help. The support of a mental health professional can be invaluable in managing chronic stress.
Techniques used to address stress in therapy include:
- Stress Management Counseling: A specialized therapist can teach you certain coping strategies and stress management techniques.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Treatment using CBT can help you recognize and change the negative thought patterns and behaviors that add to your stress.
- Support Groups: Associating with other people going through similar situations can provide emotional support and offer practical advice.
Peak Mental Health Wellness can Assist with Stress Management
It’s important to realize that everyone’s experience with stress is unique. Something that works for one person might not work for another. Finding the best methods to manage chronic stress often takes time and experimentation. If you or someone you love is struggling to control your chronic stress, consider Peak Mental Health Wellness in Marlton, NJ.
At our treatment center, we can provide these programs:
- Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP): An IOP provides treatment sessions several times weekly for a few hours per session, depending on your needs.
- Outpatient Program (OP): A standard OP usually requires at least one treatment session weekly. These programs are for individuals who have mild stress or anxiety, or for people who have completed an IOP and want to continue treatment.
Our licensed and experienced therapists are specialists in behavioral therapies, including:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: CBT will help you unlearn the harmful behaviors you have and learn to replace them with healthier behaviors.
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy: DBT focuses on emotional behaviors and focuses on building emotional resilience. Individuals can learn how to handle feelings of distress and hone their individual skills.
We can also help you rebuild relationships that might have been damaged with couples therapy and family therapy.
Whether you’re suffering from chronic stress alone or stress and a co-occurring issue, we are experienced in treating many mental issues, including:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Mismanagement of anger
- Trauma
Find Relief At Peak Wellness
We have the knowledge and experience to help you with a program designed for you alone. There is no reason to go through life feeling overwhelmed and unable to cope with your stress. Peak Wellness will help you get control back and be able to live the life you envisioned. Contact us today for more information.
