National Stress Awareness Day
There’s no getting away from it – life can be stressful. Things like work, care responsibilities and money can add a certain amount of pressure and sometimes we might feel overwhelmed with the chaos of trying to manage everything. Because stress is so common (research shows that one in nine adults feel stressed every single day) it’s often normalised and accepted as part of life. However, feeling stressed regularly or for long periods of time can have a serious affect on our health and wellbeing.
The 6th November is National Stress Awareness Day and it’s a chance for all of us to check in with our stress levels and think about how we can manage them better. We might not be able to avoid stress completely but it’s important to recognise when we’re feeling stressed so that we can make changes and undo some pressure.
We tend to be aware of how stress can impact our minds – we might feel wound up, irritable, angry, anxious and overburderend. But did you know that stress can take a toll on your body too?
Physical signs of stress:
Difficulty breathing
Muscle aches and tension in your body
Chest pains
Stomach problems
High blood pressure
Racing heartbeat
Difficulty sleeping
Find a full list of symptoms on the NHS website.
Ways to manage stress:
Spend time outdoors – Being in nature, taking care of plants or looking after animals are all shown to reduce our stress levels.
Move your body – When we exercise, our body releases endorphins which make us feel good and relieve stress. If you need to take it easy, you could try walking, gentle yoga or chair exercises.
Make time for self-care – Sometimes it can be difficult to find time for ourselves and just relax, but it makes a world of difference. You could have a hot bath, watch a TV programme or read a book with no interruptions.
Organise your time – Look at your schedule and prioritise your tasks. Remember, there’s only so many hours in the day and you need time to relax, too.
Set boundaries – If we say yes to everything, we might be left with no time for ourselves. If someone asks you to do something that you don’t have time or energy for, it’s okay to say no.
There’s more information about managing stress on Mind’s website.
Is pain or a mobility issue causing you to feel stressed?
Physiotherapy might be able to help. Visit our friendly team of physiotherapy experts for advice and treatment to help you move (and live) better. We’re based on the Somersham industrial estate in Cambridgeshire, near St Ives and Huntingdon. Give us a call on 01487 843 844 or email info@hardingphysiotherapy.co.uk.
NEW urgent appointments
We are trialling new urgent appointments at the clinic. Every day, we’ll have urgent appointment slots with our sports therapists for self-funded appointments. If you have a new injury or pain, which needs looking at quickly, we’re here for you. Quick action can help to reduce time away from work, hobbies and commitments.
These appointments are booked in the usual way – call us on 01487 843 844, or complete a triage form on our website. The team will get back to you ASAP to get you booked in.
Just to mention, appointments will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. Remember, we work later days on Tuesdays and Wednesdays to fit around your work schedule.
Limited reception cover
Just to let you know, we’ll have limited reception cover from 25th November – 9th December. Your messages will be picked up as soon as possible but it might take a little longer to get back to people than usual. We’re sorry about this and thank you in advance for understanding.
Working hours over Christmas
We can’t believe that we’re already talking about it either, but Christmas is coming and we wanted to give you an update about our hours over the holidays so that you can plan your appointments in advance.
We’re working 8am – 2:30pm on Tuesday 24th December, then we’ll be closed for general merriment and eating from Wednesday 25th December until Thursday 2nd January 2025.
