April marks the start of Stress Awareness Month. This month is all about raising awareness of the causes of stress, the negative effects it can have on the mind and body, and how to relieve stress. Most people will experience stress at some point in their life, but constant stress is bad for both the mind and body.
There are many ways to minimise stress such as maintaining a healthy lifestyle, opening up about feelings, and dedicating time to relaxing. Many of the projects that we facilitate have mental health and wellbeing as a key focus, and we aim to help groups of all ages maximise the health and wellbeing benefits of their work.
Socialisation and getting involved with your local community can directly impact stress levels. Spending time with others directs our energy outward and into something more positive. If you are focused on a task and interacting with others, you are temporarily distracted from your own stress levels. Volunteering in your community can help provide structure, meaningful activity, a sense of purpose and achievement to your life.
A combination of working in nature, with a team, on a meaningful task, offers an effective way to improve mental wellbeing and decrease stress levels in a positive and healthy way.
If you would like to volunteer and get involved with Horticultural, Forest School and other outdoor activities, please contact Ian via email, at Ian@incredibleeducation.co.uk.