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WedNov 6

National Stress Awareness Day – November 6, 2024

National Stress Awareness Day, on every first Wednesday in November — November 6 this year — is 24 hours of reinforcing the fact that you’re not doing yourself a favor by stressing about situations you can’t control. In fact, according to science, chronic stress leads to impaired cognitive and physiological functions. Would you want to age before your time? Absolutely not! On this day, let’s learn together to hone our ability to choose one thought over another and let the stress ebb away.

History of National Stress Awareness Day

National Stress Awareness Day is a sponsored event by the International Stress Management Association (ISMA), which is a registered charity promoting knowledge about stress, best practices for stress management, well-being, and performance that are recognized nationally and internationally as well.

National Stress Awareness Day, every first Wednesday in November, was founded by Carole Spiers, the chairperson of ISMA, to increase public awareness and help people recognize, manage, and reduce stress in their personal and professional lives. The organization devises strategies backed by data and science to educate employers and employees about dealing with stress at workplaces and establishing programs within their organizations for that purpose. It provides comprehensive guides for people to monitor stress management, look after their health and well-being, and improve their workplace performance on a day-to-day basis.

Chronic stress, that is, failure to deal with it for a long time and remaining in a prolonged and constant feeling of stress can lead to life-threatening problems. From hypertension, heart diseases, decreased immunity, loss of sociability, and decreased mental vitality, stress is not to be taken lightly!

To break the chain reaction, National Stress Awareness Day is a day-long event to take a deep breath and embrace peace. The day is celebrated mid-week on Wednesday (usually the most exhausting, stressful day) to remind individuals and companies that stress management is fundamental to optimum performance.

National Stress Awareness Day timeline

1936
Psychological Attribution to the Term

Hans Selye is frequently associated with having coined the psychological concept of the term ‘stress.’

1951
First Major Annual Report on Stress

The first major document on the topic of stress is written and continues as an annual report.

1992
Stress Awareness Month

The month of April is designated to be observed for creating awareness and finding resources for sufferers of stress.

2000
Founding of the Jed Foundation

The Jed Foundation is established to promote mental health and help prevent suicides amongst students.

National Stress Awareness Day FAQs

What causes stress?

It is our body’s automated response to pressure, commonly known as the “fight or flight” response. Causes, according to WebMD are, “Chronic illness or injury. Emotional problems (depression, anxiety, anger, grief, guilt, low self-esteem). Taking care of an elderly or sick family member. Traumatic event, such as a natural disaster, theft, rape, or violence against you or a loved one.”

What are five emotional signs of stress?

According to WebMD, “Some of the psychological and emotional signs that you’re stressed out include:

  • Depression or anxiety.
  • Anger, irritability, or restlessness.
  • Feeling overwhelmed, unmotivated, or unfocused.
  • Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much.
  • Racing thoughts or constant worry.
  • Problems with your memory or concentration.
  • Making bad decisions.”

How do we manage stress?

There are hundreds of activities, foods, and mindful approaches to reduce the impact of stress. The most effective ones are regularly exercising and laughing.

How to Observe National Stress Awareness Day

  1. Do NOT worry!

    Of course, that’s the best way to celebrate this day. As the day approaches, gear up to spend 24-hours worry-free, care-free, and stress-free! Keep away from negative vibes and do things that you love — go for a walk, get a massage, take a long and hot bath, and hang out with friends. If you want, you can skip work on this day, too (but we won’t recommend it).

  2. Contemplate your stress-points

    It’s not just about one day. Stress management and reduction should be a constant practice so you can completely remove stress from your life. While we don’t really get enough time to think about it any other day, use this day to find out where and why you get most of your stress from. Is it from your workplace or family, or have you got a general habit to worry about little things? Find the stressful areas and plan a course of action to solve them.

  3. Laugh — all day long!

    That’s the challenge. Prepare with your friends and family to do things that would make all of you laugh and have the best time possible. Plan a party with skits, a session to share the best jokes with the winner getting a prize, or simply watch the funniest movie/series (like “FRIENDS”?) throughout the day. Laugh away — it’s the best medicine for stress.

5 Facts About Stress That Will Blow Your Mind

  1. Are you in stress or eustress?

    Scientists like to refer to “good stress” as eustress.

  2. It affects everyone differently

    Unlike other conditions, stress has different symptoms for different people so you can’t really tell when you’re experiencing stress.

  3. It’s the “silent killer”

    Stress is also classified as the silent killer because it’s usually the root cause of most heart diseases.

  4. It causes hair loss

    If you’re going bald, you’re likely going through stress unless, of course, you’ve turned 50.

  5. Laughing is the remedy

    It is scientifically proven that laughing lowers stress hormones and triggers the onset of “good,” health-enhancing hormones.

Why National Stress Awareness Day is Important

  1. You live only once!

    Taking that slogan literally, when you realize that you live only once, you realize that stressing about situations that you have no control over will do you no good. Instead, it’s better to not think about it too much and just go with the flow.

  2. Stress leads to serious health problems

    It can’t be emphasized enough that stress is one of the main causes of serious health complications of the body and brain.

  3. Some stress is good — it’s important to differentiate

    Some sorts of stress motivate you to perform better, encourage growth, and give meaning to your life. Differentiating between good and bad stress is crucially important for a healthy life.

National Stress Awareness Day dates

YearDateDay
2022November 2Wednesday
2023November 1Wednesday
2024November 6Wednesday
2025November 5Wednesday
2026November 4Wednesday

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