04/09/2025
April is Stress Awareness Month 🙂
How do you manage stress? Are we managing stress effectively?
Effects of chronic stress include:
✅️Feelings of fear, anger, sadness, worry, numbness, or frustration
✅️Changes in appetite, energy, desires, and interests
✅Trouble concentrating and making decisions
✅️Nightmares or problems sleeping
✅Physical reactions, such as headaches, body pains, stomach problems, or skin rashes
✅️Worsening of chronic health problems and mental health conditions
✅Increased use of alcohol, drugs, and other substance
✔️Stress management practices can vary from person to person
✔️Dealing with stress triggers should be the first step in stress management. For instance, if watching scary movies is a stress trigger for you, your first step in stress management should be to stop watching scary movies, NOT taking an anti-anxiety medication. It might be a bit more challenging if your trigger is not completely avoidable, for instance, workplace dynamics. In this instance, behavior modification/mindset change would be necessary.
Here are a few practical ways we can manage stress/anxiety:
MIND CARE
❇️Take breaks from any source of mental stress, e.g., the news. Excessive consumption of news about traumatic events can evoke fear/anxiety/stress
✳️Make time to de-stress.
❇️Take deep breaths, stretch, or schedule time alone to meditate
❇️Keeping a journal to write your thoughts down can be cathartic and stress-relieving
❇️Spend time with nature - this has been shown to lower stress hormone levels, relieve stress and anxiety, improve mood, and boost feelings of happiness and wellbeing
❇️Practice gratitude daily by reminding yourself of things you are grateful for
❇️Spend time with people you love and trust.
BODY CARE
❇️Get enough sleep (Adults need 7 or more hours per night)
❇️Staying active can improve your emotional and physical well-being
❇️Engage in healthy eating habits
❇️Avoid alcohol intake
❇️Avoid the use of illicit drugs or the use of prescription drugs in ways other than prescribed
❇️Avoid smoking, va**ng, and the use of other to***co products
❇️Schedule a visit with your provider for regular health appointments, tests, screenings, and vaccinations.