Stress Awareness

Apparently today (1st November 2023) is Stress Awareness Day, and I think it’s brilliant that people are being more open and acknowledging that in order to be healthy we need to look after ourselves both physically and mentally. Although when talking about mental health I sometimes feel a bit of a fraud as I’ve never felt I’ve actually suffered because of it, I’ve not had stress-induced panic or anxiety attacks. However, after having another little chat with myself, I decided that surely the whole point of these awareness days is to get everyone talking abut their own mental health, whatever their experiences? Even if for the most part we are happy and contented, we all have unsettled moments. If we normalise talking about these moments then hopefully we can develop tools to help us manage them before it gets to the point of someone having a breakdown or an attack before they feel able to say they need help.

Which, as ever, brings me back to walking. Now I’m not claiming that walking is a cure-all, however I think it can be a beneficial tool in your arsenal for improving your wellbeing. Even those of us who appear calm and stoic will have had moments when it all starts to feel a bit much and this is when it’s useful to have a variety of things to try and improve your mood. After all humans are complex and capricious and so what will help us one day may aggravate us the next. For me, the majority of the time going for a walk will be the best option, not just because of the act in and of itself but because of what it allows me to do. Walking allows me to break from the screen, take a break from other people; it takes me closer to nature, wildlife and trees and gives me time to think. It also allows me to take control and I think this may be the key point, as generally when we’re feeling anxious, overwhelmed or stressed it’s because of factors outside of our control either pressures at work, expectations from family & friends or the latest trends on social media. When you go for a walk, particularly if it’s a solo stroll, then you are in charge – you decide the route, you set the pace and your mind is free to wander where it will.

I am by no means a fair weather walker, I enjoy watching the changing of the seasons and there is joy to be found whether you’re walking in the sun, the rain or the cold. That being said I can easily empathise with people who suffer from SAD (seasonal affective disorder) as I do sometimes feel like I am solar-powered, I have even been compared to a lizard before, in a loving way! Now that the clocks have gone back there is a sense of foreboding, knowing that the days are gradually getting shorter. In the darkest months, I aim to switch-up my routine so I can go for a walk in the middle of the day i.e during daylight but sometimes this isn’t possible. Either due to time constraints or simply because the weather gods are against us and there is barely any light even during so-called daylight hours.

It’s for these reasons that walking shouldn’t be the only tool in your arsenal, well I guess the same applies for running, cycling and other outdoor pursuits too. For those moments when I need an escape but lack either the time, energy or light for a walk then I have a few other options. If I’m feeling tight & stiff from being at a desk all day then yoga will be my first choice or if it’s been a day full of annoying people then I may punch it out with a bout of Tae-Bo. Alternatively if I only have a few minutes in which to de-stress then I may decide to blast out some heavy rock and bounce around the room for a bit. If I still fancy the idea of a walk then I might try a virtual one with the Wii (yes I still have a Wii!). Of course it doesn’t have to be a physical activity, when it’s a dark, stormy night then I love curling up in the armchair and losing myself in a good book. If I feel the need for a nature fix then I may turn to social media for a Soothing Scroll through some woodland themed accounts. Of course this winter I’ll also have the option of writing some whimsical nonsense to wile away the dark days – you have been warned!

I think it’s good that we have days like Stress Awareness Day as they remind us to take a moment to reflect on our moods and stress-levels and to consider what tools we will use to help us manage them before they overwhelm, and potentially break us.

That’s how I stroll.