Today, November 2nd is National Stress Awareness Day.
The first Wednesday of November comes every year to remind us of a very common feeling. Stress is an emotion that occurs naturally, but has detrimental effects on our mental and physical health. It is completely normal to feel stressed from time to time but learning how to manage and regulate this pressure healthily will make all the difference in your daily life.
This national holiday is supported by the International Stress Management Association (ISMA), a charity that works to educate others on the topic of stress, stress management practices, and general habits for well-being to help people recognize and reduce their stress in both personal and professional settings.
Chronic stress, described as a persistent sensation of feeling overwhelmed for a long period of time, can lead to life-threatening issues. The inability to control the amount of pressure felt regularly can lead to serious psychological and physical impairments including, but not limited to, hypertension, brain fog, a weakened immune system, insomnia, and even heart disease. Needless to say, it is crucial for humans to actively work to control their symptoms of stress and reach out for help when necessary.
One of the best ways to manage the feeling of overwhelm is to recognize the things in your life that are actually in your control. It isn’t unusual and is often difficult to not worry about everything going wrong in life, however, many circumstances are uncertain and are not in your power to change. This might make you want to stress even more because of the unpredictability of any particular situation, but understanding that you can’t control everything is meant to ease your mind. Acknowledging that regardless of your thoughts, feelings, or actions, some instances are unavoidable and may even surprise you in a good way.
