April is National Stress Awareness Month!

Posted by Nora Barnett on April 24th, 2025 Posted in: Blog
Tags: National Stress Awareness Month

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National Stress Awareness Month, observed every April, serves as an important reminder to recognize the effects of stress on our health and well-being, promote stress reduction techniques, and create a supportive environment for conversations about stress. Observing this month also reminds people to be aware of the early signs of stress and take proactive steps to manage it before it becomes overwhelming. Here are some resources:

I’m So Stressed Out! Fact Sheet (NIMH)
From the National Institute of Mental Health, this fact sheet geared towards teenagers has some helpful info for everyone on differentiating stress from anxiety.

How Right Now: Stress (CDC)
The CDC’s “How Right Now” stress page offers resources and practical tips to help people cope with stress and build emotional resilience during difficult times.

Your Healthiest Self: Wellness Toolkits (NIH)
The NIH’s “Your Healthiest Self: Wellness Toolkits” provide evidence-based tips to help individuals enhance their overall well-being by focusing on various aspects of health, including emotional, physical, and social wellness.

MedlinePlus: Stress
The MedlinePlus article “Stress and Your Health” explains the impacts of chronic stress can impacts health. MedlinePlus “Relaxation Techniques” has information on different techniques to help the body relax and lower blood pressure and heart rate.

Breathing Exercises
Even 5 minutes of breathwork has been shown to improve mood and reduce anxiety! Here are some guided breathing exercises you can try:

• 4-7-8 Breathing Exercise
• Cyclic sighing
• Box Breathing Exercise

Please use these resources to learn about the health effects of stress, find healthy stress management techniques, and encourage proactive approaches to managing stress. Talking about stress reduces stigma, so remember that National Stress Awareness Month is an opportunity for conversations about stress, which can help us build healthier, more resilient communities!