Just like weeds can take over a garden if we do not take care of it, stress can slowly take over our lives. It can pop up when we least expect it and change how we grow and thrive.
During Stress Awareness Month, it is important to understand that chronic stress is not just an uncomfortable feeling. If ignored, stress can disrupt our body and mind in serious ways. Long-term stress can make our blood pressure go up. It can make it harder for our body to fight off sickness. And it can slow down digestion. It can also affect our brain. It can make it harder to think clearly, remember things, and get good sleep.
The good news is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) gives us powerful tools to tend to our stress. One effective tool to use is a Stress Tracker. This is a daily log of stress triggers, physical sensations, and stress levels rated on a scale of 1-10. When we know what makes us stressed, we can spot it early and deal with it before it gets too big. The things we write down help us understand ourselves better and know when we need to use our tools.
Another simple but powerful tool you can start to practice today is Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR). This helps with stress by relaxing your body, which often helps your mind relax too. To do PMR, sit or lie down in a comfortable position. Start with your toes – squeeze them tight for about 15 seconds, then relax them for 20 seconds. Notice how different it feels when your muscles are tight versus relaxed. Then move up to your feet, legs, stomach, hands, arms, shoulders, neck, and face, doing the same thing for each part.
Just like a garden needs regular care to grow well, our mental health needs regular attention too. When we understand how stress affects us and use tools like the Stress Tracker and PMR regularly, we can create a peaceful mind where calmness and strength can grow
