Partners in prevention: National Stress Awareness Day is Wednesday, Nov. 2

The holiday season is quickly approaching! And with that, stress is sure to follow. In this Partners in Prevention article, we take a look at what stress is and how to cope with it.

National Stress Awareness Day is every first Wednesday of November — Nov. 2 this year. The day is dedicated to increasing public awareness and helping people recognize, manage, and reduce stress in their personal and professional lives. It’s a day to remind individuals that you’re not doing yourself any favors by stressing about situations you cannot control.

National Stress Awareness Day is a sponsored event by the International Stress Management Association, which is a registered charity promoting knowledge about stress, best practices for stress management, well-being and performance that are recognized nationally and internationally as well.

Stress is a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances. In essence, it is our body’s response to pressure.

Chronic stress is the failure to deal with it for a long time and remaining in a prolonged and constant feeling of stress can lead to life-threatening problems including, but not limited to, hypertension, heart diseases, decreased immunity, loss of sociability and decreased mental vitality. Other side effects of stress include feelings of fear, anger, sadness, worry; changes in appetite; problems sleeping; headaches; stomach issues; the worsening of chronic health problems and other mental health conditions; and increased substance use including alcohol. Stress is not to be taken lightly!

To break the chain reaction, National Stress Awareness Day is a day-long event to take a deep breath and embrace peace. The day is celebrated mid-week on Wednesday — usually the most exhausting, stressful day — to remind individuals and companies that stress management is fundamental to optimum performance.

There are healthy ways to cope with stress at any age. Taking care of yourself by:

• Eating a healthy, well-balanced meal.

• Getting plenty of sleep.

• Taking breaks as needed.

• Talking to others including family, friends and sometimes qualified professionals, if needed.

For children and teens, giving them an outlet for expressing their emotions is helpful. This could include talking if they’re comfortable, writing or journaling, coloring and for those older children, it could be that having an open line of texting back and forth is easier for them. Making time for fun, getting outside, or maybe offering a calm, quiet space for them are also great de-stressors.

You can access more information about stress and how to deal with it during National Stress Awareness Day at https://isma.org.uk .

If you find yourself under stress and needing help, you can access help from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at http://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/stress-coping/index.html .

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Havre Public Schools and the HELP Committee and Boys & Girls Club of the Hi-Line are committed to promoting safe and healthy lifestyles to become long-lived, responsible citizens. For more information on this or related topics, contact the HELP Committee at 406-265-6206.