Address the Stress! April is Stress Awareness Month

by Fiona Pizzey, Admininstration Officer, IOA

Stress is complicated and it also something that we all experience so this Blog is for everyone!

As humans we have evolved to naturally respond to threats or pressure. There are very good biological reasons to want to flee from a hungry looking wolf running at you and the 'fight, flight or freeze' reaction develops to keep us safe in moments of high peril. That's the 'good stress.'

However, modern life has many human made 'stressors' that are more prevasive and often less easy to avoid. Common sources of stress can include relationships, debt, time poverty and workload. There are many more and we each reposnd to stress differently but the evidence is that we are becoming more stressed in UK workplaces.

It's time to act, or to intentionally de-stress, when you are feeling irritable, less able to cope or turning to even more, less or worse food for example as result of the stress you are experiencing.

If you are not sure if you are stressed why not take this free, handy personal test from the Stress Management Society? It will give you an indication of your likely stress levels and provide some recommendations.

So, why not take some time out in April to address your stress?

There are lots of free stress busting podcasts and Apps if you have just 10 minutes to spare.

How about half an hour of 'green' or 'blue' batheing? There's strong evidence that being in the natural environment (the park or forest or by the water) releases happy hormones like oxytocin, endorhpins and serotonin.

If you have more time why not complete a challenge, volunteer or simply give your time to someone else as these will boost your dopamine - the reward chemical that our brains soak up!

Please do seek support from a health professional if you are feeling overwhelmed - there's a lot of help available! Here's a good list of organisations that deal with stress issues from Mind the mental health charity.