Stress Awareness Month
Let's take care of our minds
Published: 28/04/2023
Stress Awareness Month is held every April to raise awareness of the causes and cures for our modern-day stress epidemic; it is dedicated time to removing the guilt, shame and stigma around mental health.
Stress is primarily a physical response. When stressed, the body thinks it is under attack and switches to ‘fight or flight’ mode, releasing a complex mix of hormones and chemicals such as adrenaline, cortisol and norepinephrine to prepare the body for physical action. This causes a number of reactions, from blood being diverted to muscles to shutting down unnecessary bodily functions such as digestion.
Stress and poor mental health are one of the biggest public health challenges that we’re facing. We continue to separate mental health from physical health but the reality is, there is no health without mental health and stress can lead to numerous health problems. From physical problems, like heart disease, insomnia, digestive issues, immune system challenges, etc to more serious mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression.
Positive mindset
Being in control of your thoughts increases your ability to deal with challenges and thus allowing you to effectively deal with stress.
Firstly, take a step back and breathe. If you’re feeling stressed, act relaxed, emulating this emotion will change your state of mind and your physical state too. Standing up straight aligns your emotional state as it communicates this message to your mind. Practise clearing your mind at regular intervals to unwind and boost concentration. We recommend trying mindfulness or meditation.
Breathe
When we are stressed it has an impact on our breathing, so having a simple exercise to hand to use in these situations is very useful.
Take a deep breath in, slowly through your nose.
Hold the breath for 5-10 seconds.
Slowly exhale.
As you breathe, let your abdomen expand outward, this is more natural and fills your lungs full with fresh air.
Did you know we do not breathe through both our nostrils at the same time?
One nostril works harder than the other, this changes according to what activity we are doing and will swap during the day.
The ancient brain-balancing breathing technique is designed to optimise the function of both sides of the brain.
By covering one side of your nostril with the back of your thumb, breathe in and count to 4.
Let go and cover the opposite nostril and breath out for 8.
Then repeat on the other side.
Eating
Are you getting your 5 fruit and vegetables a day? Do you skip breakfast?
Food is our energy source, we get nutrients from it, it helps us grow, fight diseases and any repairs our body needs. But, food can also be a stressor to our bodies. If we are not eating the right foods then our organs struggle to metabolise it.
Breakfast is an important way to start the day, however, reaching for a coffee or a bowl of cereal which can contain up to 12 teaspoons of sugar sends our body into a state of stress trying to process the sugar and normalise your blood sugar. Try starting your day with protein and slow release carbohydrates such as eggs or porridge.
Eating little and often will help you maintain a healthy metabolism and will avoid big surges in insulin. By eating in this way you will also ensure that the body doesn’t store calories in preparation for starvation.
Foods that help curb symptoms of stress
- Bannanas
- Mushrooms
- Brown Rice
- Avocados
- Spinach
- Sunflower Seeds
- Sweet Potatoes
- Cauliflower
Exercise
Almost any form of exercise or movement can increase your fitness level while having stress relieving benefits through increasing the release of endorphins and reducing the emotional intensity that you're feeling, clearing your thoughts and letting you deal with your problems more calmly.
The most important thing is to pick an activity that you enjoy. Examples include walking, jogging, dancing, cycling, yoga, tai chi, gardening, weightlifting and swimming.
Sleep
Waking up feeling refreshed and recharged unfortunately does not happen for many of us. A consistent 7 to 9 hour sleep each night is the most effective thing we can do to reset our brain and body health.
Sleep expert Dr Ramlakhan states that a non-negotiable is drinking more water and making sure you’re staying hydrated. At least one litre to a litre-and-a-half a day should do the trick. Not only do you lose water throughout the night, but being well hydrated can help reduce awakenings and disruptions caused by dehydration, such as a dry mouth and leg cramps.
Foods that can help improve your sleep
- 1-2 kiwis – they contain antioxidants and serotonin.
- Tart Cherry juice – drinking this just before bed has been shown to increase the amount of time you sleep and the quality of sleep.
- Almonds – they contain melatonin which regulates sleeps.
Take some time out
Saying no to things if we don’t want to do it and switching off your technology are ways to allow time for yourself.
Where "no" is the appropriate response, it is important to learn to say it without guilt. It is so easy to say yes but then we end up taking on more than we can handle and yet the only person that harms is ourselves. "Yes" is not always the healthiest answer. When you are over-committed and under too much stress, you are more likely to feel run down and even get ill. So learn to say that word with confidence, clarity and respect.
You do not need to do everything and you also do not always need to be available and “on” all the time. Switching off the phone and disconnecting from the internet helps you make time for yourself. Try getting active rather than checking the social media and falling into the scrolling rabbit hole. Or when you have dinner, make it social with the family by making it a phone free table- this allows you to really be present. Remember, the things you see on social media are things that people want you to see, they don’t tend to show you any negative sides. So that person you think has their life together and can do it all, probably cannot! So don’t get stressed that you can’t do everything, because NO ONE CAN.
To read more about how to manage your stress
Take your stress test: Individual Stress Test
Do you want to start a career within a caring team? Management of stress and nurturing your mental health is always at the forefront for our well cared for team.
