What Is National Stress Awareness Day?
National Stress Awareness Day was created by Carol Spiers in 1998 from the International Stress Management Association, as a way to bring awareness to how to manage stress in several aspects of life (Harris 2024). Stress is something that we feel when our bodies recognize a difficulty, which then causes either a physical or emotional response and triggers the fight or flight response. Stress can be developed as quickly as minutes, or it can build up over a course of time (Deconstructing Stigma 2025).
Stress Statistics
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- 35% of workers admit their workplace stress comes from their boss
- 80% of workers in the US develop stress from poor communication within the company
- 42% of adults in the US have significant stress from debt
- 1 in 4 adults in the US has significant stress from discrimination
Common Stress Factors
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- Work
- Finances
- Family/ friend tensions
- School
- Living conditions
Stress Symptoms
Physical Symptoms:
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- Tension in the muscles
- Nausea
- Headaches
- Fatigue
- Acne, rashes, or hives
- Changes in diet
- Teeth grinding
Mental Symptoms:
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- Anxiety
- Mood swings
- Feelings of hopelessness and being overwhelmed
- Loss of motivation
- Brain fog
- Poor memory
How Stress Impacts Your Daily Lives
Body:
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- Chest Pain
- Fatigue
- Trouble Sleeping
- Headaches/ migraines
- Tense muscles
Mood:
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- Anxious behavior
- Restlessness
- Trouble focusing
- Loss of motivation
- Struggling with memory
- Being overwhelmed
- Being irritable
- Being depressed
Behavior:
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- Changes in eating habits
- Substance use
- Emotional outbursts
- Isolation
- Tobacco usage
- Procrastination
How to Manage Stress
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- Social media breaks
- Breathing exercises
- Yoga and meditation
- Spending time outdoors
- Relaxing activities
- Sleep for at least 7 hours a night
- Therapy
- Eat regular, balanced meals
- Communicate your feelings
- Spend time with the community and friends
- Focus on the present
- Give yourself empathy and kindness
How to Support Someone Dealing With Stress
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- Active listening without judgement
- Provide reassurance that you are there for them
- Offer a supporting hand with stressful tasks
- Encourage a healthy diet
- Encourage a healthy sleeping schedule
- Help them identify stress triggers
- Encourage breaks and leisure time
- Help them find professional help if the stress is persistent and severe
