Apr 2021
St Wilfrid's Looks Back on Stress Awareness Month
Throughout April, for Stress Awareness Month, we’ve been thinking about ways to stay stress-free in what has been a very unusual year for us all.
Stress Awareness Month – St Wilfrid’s Tips For Staying Stress Free
Throughout April, for Stress Awareness Month, the team at St Wilfrid's has been thinking about ways to stay stress-free in what has been a very unusual year for us all.
Stress Awareness Month has been held in April for the last 29 years. Its main goal is to help people understand more about stress, the sort of thing that might cause stress, and also how to ease the feelings when we get them.
So what is stress?
In short, it is how our bodies respond to a ‘threat,’ which could be real or perceived, and it produces the ‘fight or flight’ reaction in us. It might be a short-term issue with workload, or something that continues for a longer period of time.
That can be a good thing; it raises our game for a short period to get us out of ‘danger’ – we often hear of the caveman and a tiger to illustrate that as a good stress. It’s when the stress is prolonged that it risks becoming a problem to our health.
What causes stress?
There are so many things that might cause someone stress, and something one person finds hard to deal with might not bother another at all. Big life events like getting married or buying a house are widely considered ‘stressful,’ but it can be a very personal thing and should never be dismissed. Sometimes, there is no obvious cause. It’s important then to be able to recognise the signs of stress, both in yourself and in others. Here at St Wilfrid’s, we get to know all our residents as if they were part of the family, so we can spot when something isn’t quite right or if someone is behaving out of character.
The team at St Wilfrid’s is always working hard to make sure there is plenty of opportunity to relax, however our residents like to do that. Here are some of our favourite stress-relieving tips:
Be Social
Connecting with other people is so important for our wellbeing, and we know that not being able to see loved ones for long periods over the last year has been especially hard. One of the advantages of living at St Wilfrid’s is the family feeling we have and that there is always someone to talk to. Taking part in activities together is an excellent way to relax, and sharing a laugh with someone is wonderful stress reliever.
Take Some Me Time
Having said connecting with people is important, it’s also vital to make time for yourself and have some ‘me time.’ Make sure to do some of the things you really love. Perhaps read a book, write a letter to an old friend, or do some gardening. One of the best things about living at St Wilfrid’s (aside from living in a castle) is having access to our beautiful, enclosed garden that all our residents can enjoy.
Get Some Exercise
Some of our staff and residents are preparing for a charity static cycle ride at the moment, but it needn’t be that energetic! Taking some gentle exercise a few times a week is one of the best ways to stay stress-free. It’s proven to reduce the intensity of any stressful feelings, as well as supporting our physical wellbeing. Lots of our activities at St Wilfrid’s have an active element and we like to keep things varied so there is always something different to try.
You can find out more about Stress Awareness Month here.