April is National Stress Awareness Month – a great time to evaluate and alleviate your overall stress levels
3/27/2024
Millions of Americans live with mental and physical health conditions affecting their quality of life. Stress can make many of these conditions worse – or even cause them. We can’t avoid a certain level of everyday stress, but when it becomes chronic – or we experience a single, highly-stressful event – lifestyle changes can go a long way to help us get back in balance.
April – National Stress Awareness Month – is a good opportunity to take stock of your own stress level; consider what might be contributing to it; and implement healthy strategies to help improve your quality of life (both mentally and physically).
“Stress can cause, and aggravate, physical ailments like headaches, stomach trouble and even more serious conditions like cardiovascular issues,” said Vrajesh Parmar, M.D., an internal medicine physician with Northwest Primary Care at Houghton.
“The good news is that some of the most effective stress-management techniques are small changes that add up and gain traction over time,” he added. “Eating and sleeping well, getting regular physical activity, doing activities you enjoy, connecting with people you care about and keeping up to date with preventive wellness screenings are all excellent ways of taking care of your body and heading off stress-related health issues.”
It’s also wise to avoid “optional” stressors when possible. For example, alcohol, tobacco and other drugs might relieve stress in the short-term – but, in the long run, they make it worse. In addition, consuming too much social media and news stories can trigger an anxious state of mind.
One great way to start getting a handle on your stress is to visit – and then build a relationship with – a primary care or internal medicine healthcare provider who can help you identify the lifestyle changes that are right for you. Please visit MyTucsonDoc.com for more information and to learn more about the Northwest Healthcare physicians who are ready to take care of you.
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