Stress Awareness Month
April is Stress Awareness Month, a month dedicated to increasing public awareness about the causes and ways to help reduce stress. The aims of this month are to promote effective management techniques to enhance health and wellbeing, encourage open communications and provide resources and support to help individuals and organisations manage stress effectively.
This year’s theme is #LeadWithLove
This theme encourages us to approach ourselves and others with kindness, compassion, and acceptance no matter the challenges we face. Choosing love as our starting point we can embrace empathy, prioritise understanding, and create positive change.
We are also entering into exam season which can be a tough and stressful time for staff and students, when time can be limited, and exercise gets forgotten about.
One of the most effective and natural ways to combat stress is through physical activity. Exercise not only improves physical health but also plays a crucial role in reducing stress boosting mood, and enhancing overall wellbeing.
How physical activity helps to reduce stress
Release Endorphins – exercise stimulates the release of endorphins, the body’s natural mood boosters. These hormones help reduce stress, improve mood and create a sense of wellbeing.
Lowers stress hormones – Regular exercise helps regulate these stress hormones, helping bring the body back into balance.
Improves sleep quality – Engaging in physical activity promotes deeper and more restful sleep, making it easier to handle daily stressors.
Provides a mental break – Exercise acts as a healthy distraction from worries and overthinking. Whether it’s a long walk, a dance class or lifting weights focusing on movement helps clear the mind.
Boosts confidence and resilience – Achieving a fitness goal builds self confidence and resilience, making it easier to handle life’s challenges with a positive mindset.
Getting Active at work
If possible, you could walk or cycle to work.
You could do walking meetings to get some activity and fresh air in and take a break from your desk.
Deskercise – you could do some exercises at your desk to break up prolonged periods of work at your computer and avoid muscle tightness, tension and improve posture. General 2 — UWE Bristol Sport
You could attend a MOVE session such as relax and recharge, chair yoga, yoga for office workers, Broga and MENOstrength. UWE MOVE — UWE Bristol Sport
On Demand virtual classes – Find15 and Find30 classes aimed to help you fit in some activity at a time convenient to you.
Take lunch away from your desk or outdoors in some fresh air if the weather is nice.
Go for a lunchtime walk.
You can buddy up with a colleague for a walk to help with motivation and accountability.
MOVE
The MOVE programme has over 100 different activities a week making sure there is something for everyone. We all enjoy different activities to help us de-stress, for me personally I love higher intensity or strength-based activities to help me relieve any tension and relax whereas others may prefer yoga or relaxation.
During April we will be promoting a different type of class each week to help everyone find the best type of activity for them to help reduce any stress.
Relaxation – such as yoga, flex and stretch, midnight MOVE unwind and deep relaxation yoga.
Higher intensity and strength – such as strength and posture, climbing, hula hoop and boxercise.
Dance classes – such as Dancefit, belly dance and pole.
Team games – such as badminton, football, basketball, beach volleyball and netball.
Another great month to help you get MOVEing!