The month of April is recognised as National Stress Awareness Month to bring attention to the negative impact of stress.

Given the cost-of-living crisis present in the UK, more people may be feeling the impact of stress and anxiety.

According to the charity MIND: “Stress is how we react when we feel under pressure or threatened.”

Not all stress has a negative impact, however. In fact, some research suggests that short-term bouts can help boost the immune system.

Whilst this is the case, it is important that we manage our mental health and being able to manage stress is an essential component of this. Doing so over the long-term can improve mental and physical well-being, and ultimately help you to become a happier, healthier version of yourself.

If you are feeling stressed and/or anxious, reaching out to others can be a great start to helping manage this; the knowledge that you are not alone can be a comfort.

Other ways to manage stress can include:
• Spending time exercising or exploring nature.
• Taking up a hobby you enjoy and dedicating time each week to enjoying this.
• Breathing exercises.

More useful tips can be found via the links below:
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/news/media/2021/great-helpful-practices-to-manage-stress-and-anxiety
https://orwh.od.nih.gov/in-the-spotlight/all-articles/7-steps-manage-stress-and-build-resilience
https://wellnessatnih.ors.od.nih.gov/Pages/default.aspx
https://mentalhealth-uk.org/help-and-information/stress/
https://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/stress-coping/care-for-yourself/index.html