Every year since 1992, April has been known as ‘Stress Awareness Month’. This event dedicated to increasing public awareness about the causes and cures of stress.
This years theme for Stress Awareness Month is “Lead with Love”. The purpose of this theme is to encourage us to approach ourselves and others with kindness, compassion, and acceptance, no matter the challenges we face.
What is stress?
Stress is a primarily physical response which stems from our ancestor’s survival instincts in the wild. When we get stressed, our body believes that it is under attack resulting in ‘fight or flight’ mode. This causes a release of several different hormones and chemicals into our body including adrenaline, cortisol and norepinephrine. Because of the production of these, our blood is diverted to our muscles. It also shuts down unnecessary bodily functions such as digestion to save energy. In the past, this increase of energy was used to fight or flee from our predators in order to save our life.
While this ‘fight or flight’ response can still be useful in life-threatening situations in the modern world, there are challenges when your body goes into a state of stress in inappropriate situations. Because the ‘fight or flight’ response makes your blood flow only to the most important muscles that are used to fight or flee, it minimises your brain function, leading to the inability to make rational decisions.
Why it matters
Stress can have negative effects on your mental health, productivity and personal relationships. By ‘leading with love’ you can reduce your stress levels, which can improve your well-being and interpersonal relationships.
How to Get Involved
- Prioritising your self-care
- Complete small, kind gestures for others
- Share your story and struggles
- Listen to others who are opening about their struggles
- Explore different stress management tools
Want to learn more about stress and how to manage it? Read our blogs for previous stress awareness events:
www.dalecare.co.uk/news/stress-awareness-month-2024
https://www.dalecare.co.uk/news/national-stress-awareness-day/
