National Stress Awareness Day

Take Some Time for You This National Stress Awareness Day

We’ve all been there. Flat tire on the way to work, getting stuck in traffic, receiving word that your in-laws are coming to town… all recipes for stress.

A little stress is healthy, but if it persists and grows worse over time then it is no longer harmless to your health. Learning the difference between healthy stress and harmful stress can be difficult, and that’s what this month is all about. More than that, it’s what the day is about. April happens to be National Stress Awareness Month, but the 16th is a little special. It’s a full day of learning how to take care of yourself and mend the stressors in your life, especially following a hectic year like 2020.

What’s Significant About April 16th?

April 16th, the day after Tax Day, has been marked in calendars as National Stress Awareness Day. It’s a day for people to reflect on the stressors in their lives and see what can be done about them. It’s not something that has to be done in solidarity, either. By using hashtags like #NationalStressAwarenessMonth and #StressAwarenessMonth on social media, you can find others who are going through similar situations.

It’s all about knowing that you aren’t alone in your struggles or your worries. Oftentimes the things that plague us most are universal, and talking about them can be the first step towards finding some type of closure or coping mechanisms.

How to Observe

There are a multitude of ways that you can observe a day like National Stress Awareness Day, but it’s important to remember that the theme is about taking care of YOU. Think of it like the ultimate self-care day that’s all about putting your mental health first.

If you’re struggling for ways to pamper yourself, consider:

• Doing something fun that you’ve been putting off. If you’ve been delaying the start of a new Netflix binge-watch, procrastinating the beginning of a new hobby, or holding yourself back from treating yourself to something new, this is the day to do it.
• Get outside. Disconnect yourself from technology if social media is a stressor.
• Treating yourself to good food. Whether it’s from a restaurant or trying out a new recipe, try something new or sate an old craving.
• Calling a friend or a family member you’ve been missing. Set some time aside to catch up and laugh and find that your worries seem to subside.

Even if none of these suggestions stand out to you, set some time aside this upcoming Friday to take a step back, release the tension in your shoulders, unclench your jaw, and let out that breath you’ve been holding. The year has only just begun, and you deserve to meet it head-on with as little stress as possible holding you back.