April is Stress Awareness Month and it’s a very important topic and there is no better time to discuss it!

Have you been noticing that your stress levels have been creeping up?

We can feel stressed because of:

• Public speaking or giving a presentation at work
• Managing a physical health condition
• Navigating relationship challenges
• Getting stuck in traffic
• Managing childcare

Stress is pretty much inevitable and whilst some stress is normal (we all feel it!) when it becomes overwhelming, we feel burnt out or unable to cope this is when stress begins to take its toll on our mental and physical health.

Research has identified that the most common cause of stress is work-related stress with 79% of people saying they often experience this with many UK adults feeling stressed on a daily basis and 74% disclosed feeling so stressed that they felt overwhelmed or unable to cope.

How do I know I’m under stress?

We all experience stress differently, but some symptoms of stress can include:

• Faster heart rate (when you aren’t exercising)
• Digestive problems
• Tension headaches (we might also clench our jaw)
• Difficulties concentrating, making decisions or completing tasks
• Trouble sleeping
• Feeling more tearful
• Feeling more poorly (noticing we are getting more infections, coughs, colds)

How can I reduce and manage stress?

We are all very different in how we can manage stress but we have included some helpful tricks and tips for managing stress that you can try!

• Making time (you can plan this into your daily life) to do something you enjoy and value for example, walking the dog, having a relaxing bath or a nice cup of tea
• Getting enough sleep (creating a good sleep routine – see our Instagram post about sleep
• Limit your screen time (putting your phone away at least an hour before going to bed or doing things without your phone e.g. spending time with family or being in the garden)
• Talk and connect with others
• Practice relaxation and mindfulness
• Gentle exercise e.g. walking, swimming or chair exercises
• Keeping a diary to notice any signs or symptoms of stress

CBT therapy can be helpful in managing stress – if you feel that you would like to talk through what you are experiencing currently and how to manage this, you can get in touch with us by booking an initial free appointment online and one of our therapists will contact you to talk through what support would be most helpful for you.