April is Stress Awareness Month. And there's a reason it gets an entire month. We are learning more and more about how stress affects our bodies — everything from our mood to our risk of heart disease. In medicine, we don't always talk enough about the mind-body connection. But it is real. The tricky part? Sometimes you have to slow down just to realize it's been getting to you. Some of the subtle signs: irritability that seems to come out of nowhere. That feeling like you constantly need to move faster. Trouble sleeping. Digestive issues you've just accepted as normal. Noticing is the first step. One tool I love for this — and that you already have — is the 12 Days of Joy in the Classroom. It was built around exactly this: using small joy moments to regulate your nervous system. Revisit it anytime. We'll be talking about stress all month long. But let's start here — Are there any ways you notice stress in your body?