Celebrated on the first Wednesday in November, National Stress Awareness Day is a holiday designed to help people identify stress in their lives so that they can more effectively combat it. It’s also a day when people can help their friends and family deal with the stressors in their lives.

Stress is one of the most harmful things a person can experience for both their physical and mental well-being, so it’s crucial to identify it early and learn how to deal with it as soon as possible.

The History of National Stress Awareness Day

National Stress Awareness Day was founded in 2016 by Carole Spiers—the chair of the International Stress Management Association. This association is the leading professional body for dealing with personal stress management, as well as workplace stress management.

Important Facts About Stress

Since we all have to deal with stress at some level throughout our lives, it’s important to learn a little bit more about it. That’s why we’ve decided to list some important facts about stress below.

These facts will help illustrate how crucial it is for people to get the stress in their lives under control. No one can be totally stress-free, but we can learn how to control it so that it doesn’t negatively impact our lives.

• Stress Can Cause Serious Digestive Issues
• Stress Left Unchecked Can Lead to Depression
• Some Forms of Insomnia Are Stress-Related
• During Episodes of Stress, the Kidneys Release Cortisol and Adrenaline
• Excessive Cortisol Release Due to Stress May Lead to Weight Gain
• Poor Nutrition Can Make Stress Levels Worse
• Learning How to Deal With Stress Can Improve Overall Mental Health
• Learning How to Deal With Stress Can Improve Physical Health

How to Celebrate National Stress Awareness Day

Even though National Stress Awareness Day isn’t a public holiday, and no public institutions or organizations are closed on this day, it is an observational day that every person can choose to celebrate in their own way.

Some people learn deep-breathing meditative stress management techniques, while others take the day as a mental health day and go for a hike or spend time with their pets. Some people post their stress stories or techniques for dealing with stress online using the hashtag #NationalStressAwarenessDay or #StressAwarenessDay.

The point of the day is to learn more about the triggers that can cause stress, learn how to let go of things that you can’t change, or learn how to use exercise to deal with stress and let go of pent-up anxiety. It’s also a day when people can take the time to learn how diet not only keeps our bodies running but also may have an impact on a person’s stress levels.