Planning upcoming employee communications? See our list of key March dates & events, along with links to helpful resources.
Welcome to Spring month, the start of a fresh new season that we will usher in on March 19 regardless of what’s going on in the weather. The days grow longer and brighter, with the promise of a newly-budding earth. March is also a month when many of the world’s major religions mark holidays or observances: Ramadan begins on March 11, Holi is March 25, and Easter is March 31. Here are a few other noteworthy observances in the month of March:
National Nutrition Month – Since 1973, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has been dedicating the month of March to spread the word about the importance of making informed food choices and developing healthful eating and physical activity habits. This year’s theme is “Beyond the Table, ” which they chose to address “the farm-to-fork aspect of nutrition, from food production and distribution to navigating grocery stores and farmers markets — and even home food safety and storage practices. It also describes the various ways we eat — not only around a dinner table, but also on the go, in schools and restaurants, at games and events. This theme also includes sustainability, for instance, decreasing food waste from school and work to home and beyond.” They offer a variety of resources, including 50 Ideas to Get Involved in National Nutrition Month, a variety of tip sheets and handouts available for download in several languages, and a social media toolbox, with graphics in multiple languages.
For employee members of ESI EAP, we offer one-to-one telephonic Wellness Coaching and a wealth of resources available by logging in to the Self-Help Resource Center. See our quick tips: Boost Your Nutrition to Boost Your Health!
National Sleep Awareness Week – March 10-16 – The National Sleep Foundation’s theme for 2024 is “It’s time to be your Best Slept Self.” During the week, they share research and poll findings about how people have been sleeping the past year, as well as research-based advice on the benefits of quality sleep and how it affects health and well-being. See: How is Your Sleep Health Linked to Your Mental Health? and a variety of other sleep-related topics and tips. Also, see these related posts from our blog:
- If you’re going to spend 24 years sleeping, make sure you do it right
- Improve your sleep routine to improve your work performance
National Kidney Month – the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease offers a National Kidney Month toolkit. Find more information at the National Kidney Foundation, which notes that 1 in 3 Americans are at-risk for kidney disease, 37 million have chronic kidney disease, 660.00 live with kidney failure, and 100,000 people are waiting for a kidney transplant. They offer a brief online quiz to find out if you are one of the 33% of adults in the U.S. who is at risk for kidney disease. see our prior blog post: Be kind to your kidneys – it’s National Kidney Month!
National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week – March 18-24 – The purpose of this dedicated week is to inspire dialogue about the science of drug use and addiction among youth. Learn more about National Drug & Alcohol Facts Week and get activity ideas..
More Key March Observances
- Multiple Sclerosis Education and Awareness Month
- Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month
- Brain Injury Awareness Month
- Women’s History Month
- March 3 – World Wildlife Day
- March 3-9 – National Consumer Protection Week
- March 8 – International Women’s Day
- March 14 – National Pi Day
- March 17-24 National Poison Prevention Week
- March 17 – St. Patrick’s Day, part of Irish American Heritage Month
- March 26 – Purple Day for global epilepsy awareness
- March 26 – American Diabetes Alert Day
ESI EAP employee members have access to counseling, coaching and a wealth of online self-helps resources, including webinars, health assessments,locators for local child and elder-care, and much more.