National Stress Awareness Day - November 3

Today is National Stress Awareness Day, a 24-hour reinforcement that you are not doing yourself a favor by stressing about situations you cannot control. Everyone feels stressed from time to time, as it is how the brain and body respond to any demand.

Needless to say, stress can affect your health, hence it is important to pay attention as to how you deal with minor and major stressors to know when it is time to seek help.

History of National Stress Awareness Day

National Stress Awareness Day is a sponsored event by the International Stress Management Association, which is a registered charity promoting knowledge about stress, best practices for stress management, well-being, and performance that are recognized nationally and internationally as well. It was created in 2018 to raise awareness about stress prevention.

National Stress Awareness Day, every first Wednesday in November, was founded by Carole Spiers, the chairperson of ISMA, to increase public awareness and help people recognize, manage, and reduce stress in their personal and professional lives. ISMA devises strategies backed by data and science to educate employers and employees about dealing with stress at workplaces and establishing programs within their organizations for that purpose. It provides comprehensive guides for people to monitor stress management, look after their health and well-being, and improve their workplace performance on a day-to-day basis.

Chronic stress, that is, failure to deal with it for a long time and remaining in a prolonged and constant feeling of stress can lead to life-threatening problems. From hypertension, heart diseases, decreased immunity, loss of sociability, and decreased mental vitality, stress is not to be taken lightly!

To break the chain reaction, National Stress Awareness Day is a day-long event to take a deep breath and embrace peace. The day is celebrated mid-week on Wednesday (usually the most exhausting, stressful day) to remind individuals and companies that stress management is fundamental to optimum performance.

Importance of National Stress Awareness Day

“You only live once!” Taking that slogan literally, when you realize that you live only once, you realize that stressing about situations that you have no control over will do you no good. Instead, it’s better to not think about it too much and just go with the flow.

It can’t be emphasized enough that stress is one of the main causes of serious health complications of the body and brain. Some sorts of stress motivate you to perform better, encourage growth, and give meaning to your life. Differentiating between good and bad stress is crucially important for a healthy life.

Facts about Stress

Stress affects everyone

Each one of us experiences stress from time to time. Stress has different types, all of which carry both physical and mental health risks. A stressor may be a one-time or short-term occurrence, or it can happen repeatedly over a long time.

Some cope with stress more effectively and recover from stressful events more quickly than others.

Examples of stress include:

• Routine stress related to the pressures of school, work, family, and other daily responsibilities.
• Stress brought about by a sudden negative change, such as losing a job, divorce, or illness.
• Traumatic stress experienced during an event such as a major accident, war, assault, or natural disaster where people may be in danger of being seriously hurt or killed. People who experience traumatic stress may have very distressing temporary emotional and physical symptoms, but most recover naturally soon after.

Not all stress is bad

In a dangerous situation, stress signals the body to prepare to face a threat or flee to safety. In these situations, your pulse quickens, you breathe faster, your muscles tense, and your brain uses more oxygen and increases activity—all functions aimed at survival and in response to stress. In non-life-threatening situations, stress can motivate people, such as when they need to take a test or interview for a new job.

Long-term stress can harm your health

Coping with the impact of chronic stress can be challenging. Because the source of long-term stress is more constant than acute stress, the body never receives a clear signal to return to normal functioning. With chronic stress, those same life-saving reactions in the body can disturb the immune, digestive, cardiovascular, sleep, and reproductive systems. Some people may experience mainly digestive symptoms, while others may have headaches, sleeplessness, sadness, anger, or irritability.

Over time, continued strain on your body from stress may contribute to serious health problems, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and other illnesses, including mental disorders such as depression or anxiety.

There are ways to manage stress

• Be observant. Recognize the signs of your body’s response to stress, such as difficulty sleeping, increased alcohol and other substance use, being easily angered, feeling depressed, and having low energy.
• Talk to your health care provider or a health professional. Don’t wait for your health care provider to ask about your stress. Start the conversation and get proper health care for existing or new health problems. Effective treatments can help if your stress is affecting your relationships or ability to work. Don’t know where to start? Read these Tips for Talking With Your Health Care Provider.
• Get regular exercise. Just 30 minutes per day of walking can help boost your mood and improve your health.
• Try a relaxing activity. Explore relaxation or wellness programs, which may incorporate meditation, muscle relaxation, or breathing exercises. Schedule regular times for these and other healthy and relaxing activities.
• Set goals and priorities. Decide what must get done now and what can wait. Learn to say “no” to new tasks if you start to feel like you’re taking on too much. Try to be mindful of what you have accomplished at the end of the day, not what you have been unable to do.
• Stay connected. You are not alone. Keep in touch with people who can provide emotional support and practical help. To reduce stress, ask for help from friends, family, and community or religious organizations.
• Consider a clinical trial. Researchers at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and other research facilities across the country are studying the causes and effects of psychological stress as well as stress management techniques. You can learn more about studies that are recruiting by visiting NIH’s Join a Study or ClinicalTrials.gov (keyword: stress).

If you are overwhelmed by stress, ask for help from a health professional

You should seek help right away if you have suicidal thoughts, are overwhelmed, feel you cannot cope or are using drugs or alcohol more frequently as a result of stress. Your doctor may be able to provide a recommendation. Resources are available to help you find a mental health provider.

What causes stress?

It is our body’s automated response to pressure, commonly known as the “fight or flight” response. Causes, according to WebMD are, “Chronic illness or injury. Emotional problems (depression, anxiety, anger, grief, guilt, low self-esteem). Taking care of an elderly or sick family member. A traumatic event, such as a natural disaster, theft, rape, or violence against you or a loved one.”

What are the five emotional signs of stress?

• Depression or anxiety
• Anger, irritability, or restlessness
• Feeling overwhelmed, unmotivated, or unfocused
• Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
• Racing thoughts or constant worry
• Problems with your memory or concentration
• Making bad decisions

Observing National Stress Awareness Day

Do NOT worry!

Of course, that’s the best way to celebrate this day. As the day approaches, gear up to spend 24-hours worry-free, care-free, and stress-free! Keep away from negative vibes and do things that you love — go for a walk, get a massage, take a long and hot bath, and hang out with friends. If you want, you can skip work on this day, too (but we won’t recommend it).

Contemplate your stress points

It’s not just about one day. Stress management and reduction should be a constant practice so you can completely remove stress from your life. While we don’t really get enough time to think about it any other day, use this day to find out where and why you get most of your stress from. Is it from your workplace or family, or have you got a general habit to worry about little things? Find the stressful areas and plan a course of action to solve them.

Laugh - all day long!

That’s the challenge. Prepare with your friends and family to do things that would make all of you laugh and have the best time possible. Plan a party with skits, a session to share the best jokes with the winner getting a prize, or simply watch the funniest movie/series (like “FRIENDS”?) throughout the day. Laugh away — it’s the best medicine for stress.



Sources:
https://nationaltoday.com/national-stress-awareness-day/
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/depression
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/tips-for-talking-with-your-health-care-provider
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/stress