How to Create a Stress Awareness Month Plan Focused on Natural Health
By Dr. Xamantha Curameng
April is Stress Awareness Month, a time dedicated to recognizing the impact of stress on our health. We can experience stress in many ways, and understanding the different types of stress responses can help us develop personalized coping mechanisms. Let’s explore common stress responses and learn about ways we can reduce its impact on our health.
What is stress?
There is no single definition of what stress is, but I’m sure we all feel it. Stress boils down to a reaction to a situation that makes us feel anxious or threatened. It’s why it’s most commonly associated with “fight or flight” responses. But what’s most important is that sometimes we get to choose whether we want to fight or run away from a situation that gives us stress.
Some stress is normal, even needed, because it allows us to respond to a situation. For example, getting sick puts stress on the body which signals the body to fight the infection. A deadline, while stressful, allows us to come up with a plan to complete a project. Sometimes it’s not the stressor itself that gives us anxiety, but how we’re responding to it. Knowing how we respond to stress can empower us to find personalized strategies to increase our adaptability and resilience
Meeting the Stressed Families
Some of us exhibit stress in unique ways, often categorized based on their primary stress response:
Stressed Body Focus – individuals experiencing this type of stress often report physical symptoms such as headaches, stomachaches, and fatigue. Consequently, they start to focus on that symptom and it magnifies its severity. If you’ve ever had a headache get worse after thinking too much about that headache, that is an example of being stressed body-focused.
Stressed Breathing – Stress can manifest through irregular breathing patterns, including shallow breathing, hyperventilation, or breath-holding. This can cause dizziness, increased heart rate, and feelings of panic, affecting communication and daily interactions.
Stressed Emotions – Emotional stress responses involve heightened feelings of frustration, sadness, or anxiety. Individuals experiencing this type of stress often use “I feel…” statements and may struggle with mood swings, emotional outbursts, and difficulty in regulating emotions.
Stressed Attention – Plagued by distracting thoughts, this type of stress can lead to difficulty in focusing, forgetfulness, or an inability to complete tasks. Individuals facing this type of stress may find it hard to concentrate on conversations or responsibilities, impacting work, school, and relationships.
Stressed Muscles – Stress often causes muscle tightness, leading to pain in the shoulders, neck, or back. This can result in physical discomfort and further contribute to stress-related exhaustion.
Stressed Posture/Position – Individuals dealing with this type of stress may exhibit slouched postures, clenched jaws, or rigid stances, reflecting their mental and emotional burden. Poor posture can lead to discomfort and reinforce stress cycles.
You can belong to multiple stressed families. For example, stressed muscles and stressed posture can go hand-in-hand. Acknowledging that stress does have an impact on your health and how you navigate life day-to-day is the first step in finding what types of coping strategies will be best for you.
Creating Coping Strategies
A healthy response to stress always starts with a solid foundation:
Regular Physical Activity – Engaging in activities like walking, yoga, or dancing helps release built-up tension and improves overall well-being.
Structured Routines – Establishing daily routines can provide a sense of stability and reduce anxiety in chaotic situations.
Healthy Sleep Habits – Ensuring adequate rest supports better mood regulation and stress management.
Therapy and Counseling provides a safe space to explore stressors, develop healthy coping strategies, and gain emotional support. A therapist can help identify triggers, teach relaxation techniques, and offer personalized guidance to improve resilience and overall well-being.
Other strategies you can implement include:
Breathwork – Practicing deep breathing exercises can help regulate stress responses and improve oxygen flow to the brain and body, promoting calmness. This is especially helpful for those with stressed breathing patterns.
Mindfulness – This is the practice of being fully present in the moment, aware of your thoughts, feelings, and surroundings without judgment. It helps reduce stress, improve focus, and enhance emotional well-being by encouraging intentional breathing, self-awareness, and acceptance. This is especially helpful for stressed attention, stressed breathing, and stressed emotions.
Relaxation Techniques/Meditation – Techniques such as progressive muscle relaxation, autogenics, and guided imagery can help reduce muscle tension and stress levels. This is especially helpful for those with stressed body focus, stressed muscles, and stressed emotions
Massage and Therapeutic Exercise – Somatic work and therapeutic exercise like yoga and stretching can be helpful to unwind those locked positions and tense muscles. This is especially helpful for those with stressed muscles.
Biofeedback Training – Biofeedback helps track stress levels and develop effective relaxation strategies. This uses technology to measure physiological processes—like heart rate—and provides real-time feedback. This allows you to recognize and consciously adjust these responses, improving your overall well-being. This is helpful for all stressed families to watch how different strategies alter your body’s response to stress.
Using Biofeedback for Stress Management
Biofeedback is a powerful tool that helps individuals recognize and regulate their physiological responses to stress. By using sensors to monitor bodily functions like heart rate, muscle tension, and breathing patterns, biofeedback allows you to:
Recognize physical responses
Develop relaxation techniques such as deep breathing and mindfulness.
Improve emotional regulation by learning to control physiological reactions.
Meridian Medicine is offering biofeedback with Dr. Xamantha Curameng. Learn more on our services page about what to expect.
Final Thoughts
Stress Awareness Month is an opportunity to recognize how stress affects us and take proactive steps to manage it. You can cultivate a more adaptive and resilient stress response by identifying stress responses, utilizing biofeedback, and implementing coping strategies. Managing stress is a continuous journey, but with the right tools and awareness, we can change our responses, increase our resilience, and improve overall well-being. Know that even when you can’t avoid or change a stressor, you CAN change your response to them.
Of course there are so many strategies available! Talk with your provider to come up with a plan where you feel empowered to tackle your stress.
And if you’re ready to take the next step to learn these strategies while getting feedback from your body, schedule a biofeedback appointment with Dr. Xamantha today at Meridian or Essential today!