April is Stress Awareness Month, and in 2022 it seems more people than ever before are feeling stressed. Research from the Mental Health Foundation has found that in the last year 74% of UK adults have felt so stressed at some point that they have felt overwhelmed or unable to cope. Plus, 65% of people in the UK have felt more stressed since the COVID-19 restrictions began in March 2020.

So this week we thought we’d look at simple ways we can all reduce our stress. Plus, we have a beautiful new book called Ren: The Ancient Chinese Art of Finding Peace and Fulfilment to giveaway to one lucky reader! With sections from Taking Care of Ourselves, Mindfulness, Family Structures and Work, it’s full of wise advice and ancient quotes to help us with our hectic modern lives.

What is stress?

If you feel overloaded by demands being placed on you, or your reaction to being put under pressure is to feel upset, worried, or unable to cope, you might describe yourself as feeling stressed. Stress is not a weakness, and it can affect anybody.

Managing and coping with stress

Recognising stress and its causes, and taking steps to look after your wellbeing can help you deal with pressure, and reduce the impact that stress has on your life.

There are some small things you can do to lessen the impact of stress on your mind and on your body. 

Here’s our 5 Stress-Less Steps:

1. Eat healthily – There is a growing amount of evidence showing how food affects our mood. Ensure that your diet provides adequate amounts of brain nutrients such as essential vitamins and minerals, as well as water.
2. Exercise -Try and integrate physical exercise into your lifestyle as it can be very effective in relieving stress. Even some light physical exercise can really help.
3. Take time to relax – Strike the balance between responsibility to others and responsibility to yourself, this can really reduce stress levels.
4. Be mindful – Try to practice mindfulness regularly. It can be practised anywhere at any time. Research has suggested that it can reduce the effects of stress, anxiety and related problems such as insomnia, poor concentration and low moods, in some people.
5. Don’t be too hard on yourself – Take time out of your day to relax or do something that you enjoy….like snuggle up with a good book!

Enter our Competition HERE for the chance to win a copy of the book – Ren: The Ancient Chinese Art of Finding Peace and Fulfilment (entries by 24th April)

See you next week and see you at the Club soon!