- National Stress Awareness Month - April 29, 2024
- American Heart Month - February 7, 2023
- “Everybody will die, but very few people want to be reminded of that fact.” Lemony Snicket, The Austere Academy - June 1, 2017
Don’t worry, be happy!
April is recognized as National Stress Awareness month to bring attention to the negative impact of stress. The World Health Organization defines stress as a state of worry or mental tension caused by a difficult situation. Stress is a natural human response that prompts us to address challenges and threats in our lives. Stress can be good in that it causes us to achieve goals and overcome obstacles. Stress can also have a negative impact by causing physical and mental health problems. Designating April as stress awareness month encourages developing healthy coping skills to allow us to feel less overwhelmed and to support our mental and physical well-being.
Learning to successfully manage stress is an active process. Work to identify and understand stressors in your life. Work to develop a daily routine in order to feel more in control. Set a daily time for exercise to reduce stress. Get plenty of sleep. Sleep repairs, relaxes, and rejuvenates your body and can help reverse the effects of stress. Work to improve your diet and eat a healthy balanced diet with adequate fluid intake. Connect with others by keeping in touch with family and friends. Develop quiet time for yourself. This may involve prayer/spiritual time, meditation, mindfulness exercises or just listening to music to relax.
If stress becomes overwhelming, it can lead to mental and physical health issues. Anxiety and depression can develop from increased poorly managed stress. If life is becoming overwhelming, please contact our office to talk with us. We can discuss coping skills for managing stress or if needed, arrange for counseling or treatment for increased anxiety or depression.