Today, November 6, 2024, is National Stress Awareness Day which falls on the first Wednesday of November each year. Why have a national day to remember to be aware of stress? Why think about stress at all? What is stress anyway?
From the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) website article, “I’m So Stressed Out – Fact Sheet”, stress is:
“the physical or mental response to an external cause, such as having a lot of homework or having an illness. A stressor may be a one-time or short-term occurrence, or it can happen repeatedly over a long time.
It’s important to manage your stress. Everyone experiences stress, and sometimes that stress can feel overwhelming.”
So, when we encounter a stressor, our body reacts. Our brain assesses the situation automatically to determine the seriousness of the stressor, and the rest of our body reacts. One of my stressors is to be on camera in a video meeting. Though I have learned to cope, and I may appear relaxed on camera, more than likely I am sweating. My body still reacts to the stress, though it is a mild response. When I am driving and another car swerves into my lane, I don’t think about the real danger to me, my body reacts by braking and steering my car away from the danger. If I had to think about doing those things, I don’t believe I would be able to successfully avoid a collision. My brain takes over and reacts to the stressor.
Why have a National Stress Awareness Day to remind us to think about stress? There are things that we can and should do to cope with stress.
Back at the NIHM website, they have a few recommendations:
“Exercise, and make sure you are eating healthy, regular meals.
Stick to a sleep routine, and make sure you are getting enough sleep.
Avoid drinking excess caffeine such as soft drinks or coffee.
Download an app that provides relaxation exercises (such as deep breathing or visualization) or tips for practicing mindfulness”
The NIMH website also recommends journaling and reaching out to friends and family. These recommendations sound like prayer to me. Prayer is an excellent way to cope with stress.
In Philippians 4:6-7, St. Paul said, “Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
So how do I pray to cope with stress?
I get outside. Just being in God's beautiful creation draws me into the love of the Creator. My heartbeat slows. My mind is turned outward in gratitude for what I see, hear and smell leaving my worries and stress behind.
I listen to (and sing loudly to) praise and worship music. The loud singing causes me to take great breaths. My mind once again turns from my worries to the greatness of God.
I tell my friends and family, the Blessed Trinity, what is happening, about my worries and fears, about the events of my life that are causing me stress. The God of Love listens, and it is good to be heard. Feeling alone, for me, adds to my stress.
So today, do something to observe National Stress Awareness Day. Take a walk or a nap, sing a song, make yourself a healthy meal, and pray, pray, pray.
Comments