Stress Awareness: 5 Ways to Unwind in Ohio in April

Posted in Community Outreach, Health & Wellness on April 7, 2015

April is National Stress Awareness Month. Stress doesn’t just afflict your mind; it can also affect you on a cellular level. In fact, long-term stress can lead to a wide range of illnesses – from headaches to stomach disorders to depression – and can even increase the risk of serious conditions like stroke and heart disease.

Doing things you enjoy is a natural way to fight off stress, so be sure to make time for fun and relaxation. Check out these great Ohio events that we found on discoverohio.com:

1. Big Spring (Cuyahoga County)

Say goodbye to your winter slumber and enter a fantastical world of towering flowers and larger-than-life ladybugs. Cleveland Botanical Garden awakens your senses with Big Spring, a supersized indoor and outdoor celebration full of vibrant colors, fresh scents and the familiar sound of spring showers. Now in its third year, Big Spring invites those young and young at heart to explore a wonderland of imagination and fun.
Saturday, March 22 – Sunday, April 27, 2015 (Closed Mondays) – Cleveland Botanical Gardens

2. Blooms & Butterflies (Franklin County)

Spring returns to Columbus with the emergence of hundreds of colorful, exotic butterflies. Watch them take flight in the Pacific Island Water Garden, a tropical haven filled with bright nectar blooms. Newly emerged butterflies are released during educational presentations every day at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
Now through September 27, 2015 – Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens

3. Latin American and Latino Art at the Allen (Lorain County)

Expand your cultural horizons while enjoying more than 100 works by Latin American and Latino artists – many on view for the first time – that exemplify major artistic styles of the 20th and 21st centuries. All come from the Allen’s diverse Latin American collection, which ranges from Mexican Revolution-era prints by Diego Rivera to contemporary works by prominent artists from 12 countries.
Now through June 28, 2015 – Allen Memorial Art Museum

4. Dogwood Festival (Pike County)

Come and enjoy all Piketon has to offer while taking in the quilt show, woodworkers, fiddle contests, and wonderful bluegrass and Appalachian music. There’s plenty of great food throughout the festival, including delicious apple butter, which you can watch being made by the Dailyville Church. Visitors can also enjoy scenic trails on foot, bicycle or horseback. Don’t miss the great collection of antique cars at the car show held on Saturday.
April 24 – April 26, 2015 – visit http://www.piketravel.com/cvb-Festivals.html for more information.

5. Queen City Baseball: Diamonds and Stars (Hamilton County)

Housed in the former Cincinnati Union Terminal, the Cincinnati Museum Center presents Queen City Baseball. The exhibit features baseball-related materials from the early days of the Cincinnati baseball in the 19th century through the modern era. Artifacts and archival documents, video and sound will have you calling for the peanut man as you step into the gallery and onto the field. Items in the exhibit include 19th century players’ contracts and payment records, autographed baseballs and baseball cards from the early 20th century. Relive the 1919 World Series and the infamous “Black Sox Scandal” through archival newsreel footage and listen to one of the famous rain delay broadcasts of Reds play-by-play announcer Waite Hoyt.
Open through July 26, 2015 – Cincinnati Museum Center

If you find that stress is becoming overwhelming for you, get help.

For more information about stress, visit the FOH National Stress Awareness Month Page.

Additional resources, including treatment options, are available through your local mental health board and The Anxiety and Depression Association of America.