FRIDAY, 7 APRIL, 2023

Immediate release

Marking Stress Awareness Month

To mark Stress Awareness Month 2023, NHS Tayside is encouraging people to tune into their mental health and take steps to reduce feelings of stress.

Stress Awareness Month is held annually by the Stress Management Society to increase public awareness about the causes and treatment for people feeling stress.

Imran Arain, senior health promotion officer at NHS Tayside, said that the annual awareness month provides a useful opportunity to encourage people to talk about their feelings and discuss how stress can impact our lives.

Imran said, “Stress and poor mental health are two of the biggest public health challenges that we are facing today and their impact can be far reaching. Our mental and physical health co-exist and feelings of stress can lead to a range of health problems that can impact all areas of life.

“Stress can cause many different symptoms. It might affect how you feel physically, mentally, and also how you behave. If you are stressed, you may experience physical symptoms including headaches, nausea, indigestion, shallow breathing, sweating, heart palpitations and aches and pains. Symptoms can also manifest in more serious but common mental health problems such as anxiety and depression.”

Director of Public Health Dr Emma Fletcher said it is vital to remove stigma when talking about stress and how it impacts on your mental health. She said, “Talking about stress and its effects, and opening up about our mental and emotional state with friends, families, colleagues, and professionals will help in tackling stress and exposure to many illnesses.”

To mark Stress Awareness Month, NHS Tayside is providing training sessions for staff around stress awareness and its management, and a stress awareness forum discussion for frontline staff. These activities aim to raise awareness and develop a common understanding to support stress reduction strategies.

Here are some simple steps that can help reduce feelings of stress:

Be Active

Being active isn’t just good for our physical health, it’s also proven to have a positive effect on our mental health and wellbeing.

Physical activity helps us to relax and boosts our mood. Discover a physical activity that you enjoy – it doesn’t have to be a strenuous workout, you could go for a walk, do some gardening or some yoga. Other tips to be more active include:

• Go for a short walk after eating

• Use the stairs instead of the lift

• Spend time outdoors

• Join an exercise class with friends or try some online options

Eat Well

If you tend to eat more when you are feeling stressed, you’re not alone but what we eat and drink can impact on how we feel. Tips to eat well include:

• Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables

• Try to use less oil and fat when cooking

• Try to drink less tea, coffee and fizzy drinks

Sleep Well

Regularly getting a good night’s sleep is very important to good mental health. Tips to get a good night’s sleep include:

• Make sure your bedroom is dark and quiet enough for you to sleep

• Try not to watch television, computer, or game console screens immediately before going to sleep

• Cut down on caffeine

• Get some exercise during the day

• Avoid big meals just before bedtime

• Try to relax before bedtime, away from smartphones and other digital devices, maybe have a warm bath

• If you cannot sleep, try going to a different room and doing something else to take your mind off things. Having a milky drink can also help.

Try to relax

Feeling anxious and under pressure can affect our wellbeing. Think about what helps you relax and make time to do something just for you. You could:

• Go for a walk. It doesn’t have to be far, even just round the block can help.

• Try taking deep breaths for a few moments

• Learn a new skill or take up a new hobby

• Do something you enjoy, like dancing, reading or listening to music

If you continue to feel overwhelmed by stress, please contact your GP to discuss how you are feeling and get advice on possible treatment options.

Visit NHS Inform to find out more about what to do if you are struggling with stress.

Contact:

NHS Tayside Communications

(01382) 424138