Assess Your Stress: How Stressed Are You, Really?

Did you know April is Stress Awareness Month? Yep, apparently stress has its own month now which should say something about its impact on our health.

Let me start by saying occasional acute, or short-term, stress is normal. A deadline at work, a traffic jam, an argument with a friend or spouse – these situations can all cause short-term stress responses that subside once the stressful situation has passed.

Chronic stress, on the other hand, is a result of repeated or constant exposure to stress. Chronic stress can lead to a number of health conditions, including anxiety, depression, hypertension, chronic fatigue, chronic pain, obesity, menstrual irregularities and infertility. This is the type we’re mostly concerned about.

So the question is…. how stressed are you, really?

I’d probably guess pretty stressed if you’re reading this. But it’s nice to have an actual assessment, too. And I don’t know about you, but I’m a big fan of a good quiz, even if it’s a quiz to assess my stress levels.

So I did some searching (and quiz taking) and compiled a list of some short and sweet quizzes to help you get a grasp on your current stress levels and coping skills: 

https://psychcentral.com/quizzes/stress-test/

https://www.stress.org/test/the-holmes-rahe-life-stress-inventory

https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/quizzes/take_quiz/stress_and_anxiety

https://assessmentgenerator.com/assessment/2895 

After you take your assessment, you can start implementing some ways to help manage your stress. To help, I’ve written a few blog posts for you on relaxation techniques to try, along with foods and supplements to support your body during stressful times. I also created a couple recipes with stress-busting ingredients - you’ll definitely want to try the Mood-Boosting Smoothie and Chill Chocolate!

As you start to implement new habits and incorporate different nutrients and herbs to minimize your stress, it may be helpful to retake the assessment(s) to track your progress. Hopefully, you’ll see some positive changes and improvements! You can also use an app like Happify to track your stress levels and progress over time (they also offer a variety of in-app relaxation techniques and stress-management exercises!).