Stress Awareness Month has been held every April, since 1992 to increase public awareness about both the causes and cures for our modern stress epidemic. Stress can be debilitating, and it can cause and/or aggravate health problems. And since stress is a normal part of human existence — nobody is immune to it — it’s important to arm ourselves with knowledge so that we recognize when stress rears its ugly head. (Amazingly, we don’t always notice it’s happening to us.) Stress Awareness Month happens each April. It’s important to learn some strategies for coping with this particular silent scourge. You’ve come to the right place for that. Let’s get started!

Why stress awareness month is important

1.  It reminds us to pay attention to our health –  “Stress Awareness Month is a national, cooperative effort to inform people about the dangers of stress, successful coping strategies, and  harmful misconceptions about stress that are prevalent in our society.”  
2. It’s going strong – Stress Awareness Month has been an ongoing campaign of awareness and education since 1992.
3. Because we’re all feeling it – A recent survey found that about two-thirds of U.S. workers report engaging in behavior such as drinking or crying regularly in order to deal with stress.

How to observe stress awareness month

Tip:

When practicing meditation:

• You use oxygen more efficiently.
• Your adrenal glands produce less cortisol.
• Your blood pressure normalizes.
• Your heart rate and breathing slow down.
• Your immune function improves.
• Your mind ages at a slower rate.
• Your mind clears and your creativity increases.
• You sweat less.

In honor of worldwide celebrations of World Breastfeeding Week – the Journal of Human Lactation has made the following ten research articles available:

• Stress Management Tips 
• Workshop Ideas

Reference Sites

• Sage Journal
• UN and other international NGO
• Non-Profits website for the observance