Stress Awareness Month 2025

Our bodies react to stress in a fundamentally physical way. When we feel stressed, our body interprets this as an attack and goes into ‘fight or flight’ mode. To get ready for action, it releases a powerful combination of hormones and chemicals, including adrenaline, cortisol, and noradrenaline. This leads to noticeable changes, such as blood being moved to our muscles and less important functions like digestion being temporarily put on hold. Adrenaline causes your heart to pound and your breathing to quicken. It also gives you extra energy. This hormone helps you focus. As a result, you can respond rapidly to the situation. This means that stress is not always a ‘bad thing’. Stress awareness helps us understand this physical process.

Fight, flight or freeze

The ‘fight or flight’ mode can still save us in danger. For example, we might quickly slam on the brakes if someone runs in front of our car. However, stress becomes challenging when our bodies react this way inappropriately. Blood goes to the main muscles for fighting or fleeing, brain function decreases, and this makes it hard to think clearly. This lack of clear thinking impacts us at work and at home. Long-term stress is bad for our health, this is because high cortisol levels can increase blood sugar, they can also raise blood pressure and it can impact your libido.

Fight mode

Stress can trigger a “fight” response in our bodies. This can lead to feelings of agitation and aggression towards others. While this reaction is useful for protection, it’s often unhelpful. In unnecessary situations, it can damage our relationships and how others interact with us.

Flight mode

Some may deal with stress by avoiding it and walking away. This “flight” response is a survival mechanism. It’s helpful in dangerous situations but in everyday life, avoiding stress can make it bigger. Stress can escalate when we understand we can’t escape the problem and need to confront it.

Freeze mode

Besides fight or flight, stress can also trigger a “freeze” mode that many are unaware of. For certain individuals, stress leads to a state called “dysregulation.” The energy produced for a perceived threat becomes trapped within the nervous system, resulting in a “freeze” response. This can manifest in our breathing patterns, holding our breath or breathing shallowly are examples of this freeze reaction. A deep sigh indicates the nervous system finally regulating its oxygen intake.

Stress Awareness Month

Since 1992, April has been designated Stress Awareness Month. It is an annual observance aimed at educating the public about the origins and effective management of stress. The Stress Management Society, a non-profit organisation established in 2003, has been key in driving this initiative with a focus on creating healthier, happier, and more stress-resistant world for everyone.

It aims to:

• Teach people about what causes stress and how it affects them.
• Share ways to manage stress well for better mental health.
• Encourage talking openly to reduce stigma around stress and mental health.
• Offer help and resources for individuals and workplaces to handle stress.

#leadwithlove

The #LeadWithLove campaign is a call to action based on Unconditional Positive Regard. It encourages you to treat yourself and others with kindness, compassion, and acceptance. This applies regardless of the difficulties. If we start with love, we will be more understanding and create positive interactions. Offer a kind gesture to someone close and practice self-love. Even the smallest act of love can make a great positive impact.

Managing stress

According to research conducted by YouGov for Mental Health Foundation(2018), 74% of people expressed that stress made them feel overwhelmed and unable to cope. Recognising when stress is becoming problematic is crucial for taking control. By understanding the connection between your feelings, physical sensations, and life stressors, you can proactively manage stress and prevent potential mental and physical health issues. Pay attention to physical signals like tight muscles, excessive tiredness, and headaches, alongside emotional indicators such as increased irritability and difficulty remembering things.

Consider the stressors in your life stemming from areas like work or relationships. Recognise what you can and cannot directly change. For the uncontrollable factors, explore ways to lessen their impact on you. While significant life changes might initially cause more stress, they can ultimately lead to better health and well-being. Beyond eliminating uncontrollable stressors, you can also ease daily pressures by delegating tasks when possible and focusing on priorities instead of overcommitting.

Engaging in physical activity is an excellent way to relieve stress and improve your general well-being. It can naturally increase your energy levels and sharpen your focus and drive. Even short periods of activity, such as a quick walk or dancing at home, can make a difference.

Stress often leads to sleep problems, which can worsen stress itself. Getting enough rest, drinking plenty of water and a diet rich in minerals and vitamins are key to managing stress-related burnout.

Free resources

Stress.org.uk have a plethora resources to join in individually or collectively, you can access these here.

Stress Test

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