Stress Awareness Week 2023: noticing stress before it builds

International Stress Awareness Week is a useful prompt to notice how stress is affecting you. Stress is a normal response to pressure, but sustained stress can affect sleep, concentration, appetite and relationships.

Notice what has changed

Stress can show up differently from one person to the next. Changes can include:

• Sleep disturbances

• Frequent headaches

• Feeling overwhelmed or anxious

• Digestive problems

• Difficulty concentrating

• Changes in appetite

One sign on its own does not tell you what is wrong. Look for changes from your usual pattern, how long they have lasted and whether they are making daily life harder.

Make one pressure smaller

Stress rarely needs a perfect routine. Start with the pressure you can change.

• Write down the tasks competing for your attention, then choose what must happen today.

• Take a short break from the screen or place where the pressure is building.

• Move in a way that suits your body, such as walking or stretching.

• Keep meals and sleep as regular as your circumstances allow.

• Tell someone you trust what has been happening.

Mindfulness or breathing exercises can give you a pause, but they cannot remove an unsafe workload, money worries or a difficult relationship. Practical changes matter too.

Ask for support

Speak to your GP or a mental health professional if stress is persistent, feels unmanageable or is affecting your health. If InsideOut® is available through your employer or NHS service, you can use the app to find guided support and ask for a conversation.

Author: Dr Adva Segal

Role: Clinical Lead at InsideOut®