Learning about stress and how to manage it this Stress Awareness Month

To mark Stress Awareness Month, we take a look at stress in order to demystify this tricky and often overwhelming feeling.

We all encounter stress at some point in our lives, but where and when do we learn to manage it? April is Stress Awareness Month, so we’ve decided to shine a light on stress and explore where it comes from, how it might affect us and, most importantly, how we can manage it.

The main aims of Stress Awareness Month are to:

• Educate people about the causes and effects of stress.
• Share information about stress management techniques that work to improve wellbeing and mental health.
• Get people talking about stress and mental health issues.
• Offer support and promote resources to help with stress management.

What is stress?

We should start by saying that stress isn’t always a bad thing. Stress can alert us to danger, help us stay motivated and even energise us.

In many ways, stress is a physical response. Your body feels like it’s under attack and goes into ‘fight or flight’ mode, releasing a mix of chemicals and hormones into your body. This prepares you for physical action with a rush of energy, causing that pounding heart feeling and a change in breathing that you might be familiar with. Our bodily reaction to stress is designed to allow us to focus our attention and respond quickly. Blood goes to the parts of the body that our brain thinks we might need to stay safe. 

Problems arise when our body starts to go into stress mode at the wrong time, meaning that blood rushes to different parts of our body and our brain feels like it can’t function. This isn’t great, and if we stay in a stressed state for longer periods of time, it can be really bad for our health.

What happens to my body when I’m stressed?

Whether you’re preparing to sit an exam or facing danger, we often talk about our bodies going into ‘fight or flight’ mode when we’re experiencing stress, but what does this really mean?

Fight

Feeling agitated or aggressive towards other people indicates you are in ‘fight mode’. This can be helpful when we want to ward off predators, but when our fight mode comes out in inappropriate situations, it can have a negative effect on our interactions and relationships.

Flight

Removing yourself from a stressor or situation demonstrates ‘flight mode’. This can be really useful if you need to exit dangerous surroundings, but in everyday life, avoiding something that causes stress (e.g. a tricky piece of coursework) can lead to it escalating (e.g. missing deadlines). As you might expect, this can cause us to feel more stress when we realise that the situation or issue is not going to go away until we deal with it.

Freeze

Stress can sometimes cause us to freeze. You may notice that you’re also holding your breath or have shallow breathing. For some of us, stressful situations cause our bodies to become dysregulated, and the energy gets “locked” into the nervous system.

How can I manage stress?

There are a few key things that you can incorporate into your daily life that can help you manage stress effectively.

#Lead with love

The theme of this year’s Stress Awareness Month is #LeadWithLove, which has been chosen to encourage people to approach both themselves and others with kindness, compassion and acceptance. You can do this by making time for self-care and activities you enjoy. It’s also important to congratulate and reward yourself for the things you achieve each day, no matter how small.

Find time to relax

Easier said than done, right? Perhaps this is something you start small with and keep working on. Whether it’s a short walk or a simple screen break, allowing yourself breaks from stressful situations or your activities can have a positive impact on how you feel. Take a look at Mind’s relaxation pages for more detailed tips.

Invest in your interests

You’re more than just your job or your studies. Take time to cultivate your hobbies and interests by seeing out activities that appeal to you. Whether you’re into crafting or football, spending time on things that bring you a sense of calm, joy or accomplishment can help distract you from stressful situations. With many activities, you’ll also have the opportunity to meet new people, which is particularly good if you’re feeling isolated.

Get into nature

It’s been pointed out time and time again that spending time in nature can improve well-being and reduce stress levels. Seek out green spaces to walk or sit in, add some pot plants to your windowsill or spend time with animals outdoors.

Pay attention to your physical health

Staying active, eating well, and getting enough sleep can support you in managing stress – not always easy when stress might mean you lose your appetite, can’t sleep and have no energy. Be mindful of this and make small changes to stay healthy. Simple things can help like spending time planning and preparing a nutritious meal, blowing off the cobwebs with a dance or a walk, and having a break from your devices before going to bed.

You can find more tips on how to deal with stress in our blog on managing stress effectively.

Who can I talk to if I’m stressed?

Sometimes it’s hard to recognise that we’re struggling with stress, but there are a few key indicators such as:

• Feeling isolated
• Experiencing difficult thought patterns
• Finding it hard to feel joy or enjoyment

If you notice that you’re struggling with stress, remember that you are not alone and you deserve support. You may have friends or family that you can talk to, but there are other accessible options too.

If you’re a CCC student and you’re struggling with stress, contact the support and wellbeing team who can support you with advice and information. 

You can also reach out to your GP, a trained therapist, charities and other supporting organisations, peer support groups, community support services, or workplace support services.

Organisations such as Mind, Young Minds, The Mix, Childline, Saneline and Samaritans offer advice and resources if you’re in need of further guidance.

For more information about stress management and mental wellbeing check out our other blog posts here:

• Managing Stress Effectively: A Short Guide
• 5 effective ways to manage stress during exam season
• 10 ways to look after your mental health: Our top tips for mental wellbeing

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