Ways to Manage Stress

By Lauren Ragland
Medically Reviewed by Michael W. Smith, MD on November 24, 2020

Stress is part of being human, and it can help motivate you to get things done.
Even high stress from serious illness, job loss, a death in the family, or a painful
life event can be a natural part of life. You may feel down or anxious, and that’s
normal too for a while.
Talk to your doctor if you feel down or anxious for more than several weeks or if
it starts to interfere with your home or work life. Therapy, medication, and other
strategies can help.
In the meantime, there are things you can learn to manage stress before it gets
to be too much. Consider these suggestions:

Exercise
To start with, physical activity can help improve your sleep. And better sleep
means better stress management. Doctors don’t yet know exactly why, but
people who exercise more tend to get better deep “slow wave” sleep that helps
renew the brain and body. Just take care not to exercise too close to
bedtime, which disrupts sleep for some people.
Exercise also seems to help mood. Part of the reason may be that it stimulates
your body to release a number of hormones like endorphins and
endocannabinoids that help block pain, improve sleep, and sedate you. Some
of them (endocannabinoids) may be responsible for the euphoric feeling, or
“runner’s high,” that some people report after long runs.
People who exercise also tend to feel less anxious and more positive about
themselves. When your body feels good, your mind often follows. Get a dose of
stress relief with these exercises:

Running
Swimming

Dancing
Cycling

Aerobics

If you don't have the time for a formal exercise program, you can still find ways
to move throughout your day. Try these tips:

Bike instead of driving to the store.

Use the stairs instead of the elevator.

Park as far as you can from the door.

Hand-wash your car.

Clean your house.

Walk on your lunch break.

Diet
The benefits of eating health foods extend beyond your waistline to your
mental health. A healthy diet can lessen the effects of stress, build up your
immune system, level your mood, and lower your blood pressure. Lots of
added sugar and fat can have the opposite effect. And junk food can seem
even more appealing when you’re under a lot of stress.

SUGGESTED Is Your Pounding Heart Heart Palpitations:

Anxiety or Atrial Anxiety or Atrial

To stay healthy and on an even keel, look for complex carbohydrates, lean
proteins, and fatty acids found in fish , meat, eggs , and nuts.
Antioxidants help too. They protect your cells against damage that chronic
stress can cause. You can find them in a huge variety of foods like beans, fruits,
berries, vegetables, and spices such as ginger.
Stick to a healthy diet with a few simple tips. Make a shopping list. Carry
healthy snacks with you when you leave the house. Stay away from processed
foods, and try not to eat mindlessly.
Scientists have pinpointed some nutrients that seem to help lessen the effects
of stress on the body and mind. Be sure to get enough these as part of a
balanced diet:

Vitamin C

Magnesium

Omega-3 fatty acids

Sleep
A common side effect of stress is that you may struggle to fall asleep. If this
happens three times a week for at least 3 months, you may have insomnia, an
inability to fall and stay asleep. Lack of sleep can also add to your stress level
and cause a cycle of stress and sleeplessness.
Better sleep habits can help. This includes both your daily routine and the way
you set up your bedroom. Habits that may help include:

Exercise regularly.
Get out in the sunlight.
Drink less alcohol and caffeine close to bedtime.

Set a sleep schedule.

Don’t look at your electronics 30-60 minutes before bed.
Try meditation or other forms of relaxation at bedtime.

The role of your bedroom in good sleep hygiene also is important. In general,
your room should be dark, quiet, and cool -- 60-65 degrees is thought to be an
ideal temperature to stay asleep. Your bed also plays an important role. Your
mattress should provide support, space and most of all, comfort.
Relaxation Techniques
Yoga. This is a form of exercise, but it can also be a meditation. There are many
types of yoga. The ones that focus on slow movement, stretching, and deep
breathing are best for lowering your anxiety and stress.
Meditation. It has been around for over 5,000 years for a reason. Meditation
works well for many people and has many benefits. It can lower stress, anxiety,
and chronic pain as well as improve sleep, energy levels, and mood. To
meditate, you will need to:

1. Find a quiet place.

2. Get comfortable (sitting or lying down).
3. Focus your attention on a word, phrase, object, or even your breath.
4. Let your thoughts come and go and do not judge them.

Deep breathing. When you practice deep breathing, you turn on your body’s
natural ability to relax. This creates a state of deep rest that can change how
your body responds to stress. It sends more oxygen to your brain and calms the
part of your nervous system that handles your ability to relax.
Try belly breathing. Get comfortable, close your eyes, and place one hand on
your stomach and the other on your chest. Take a deep breath in through your
nose. You should feel your belly rise more than your chest. Now, exhale through
your nose and pay close attention to how your body relaxes. Repeat.
Biofeedback. Learn how to manage your heart rate, muscle tension, and blood
pressure when stress hits. Biofeedback gives you information about how your
body reacts when you try to relax. Sensors are placed on your body that call out
changes in everything from your brain-wave pattern to your muscle tone.
Working with a biofeedback therapist, you can start to take control of the
signals by changing how your body reacts to the sensor.
Connect with people. Spend time with a friend or family member who will
listen to you. It is a natural way to calm you and lower your stress. When you
connect with people in person, your body releases a hormone that stops your
fight-or-flight response. You relax.
Behavior. How you respond to people directly impacts your stress levels.
Manage your response with these tips:
 Try not to overcommit yourself
Share the responsibility

Count to 10 before you respond

Walk away from a heated situation
Distract yourself with music or podcasts

Inner voice. Nothing affects your stress levels like the voice inside your head.
The good news is you are in control. You can exchange negative thoughts for
positive ones. There are more benefits to positive self-talk than reducing stress.
These include a longer life, lower levels of depression, greater resistance to the
common cold and cardiovascular disease, and better coping skills for when
hard times hit.
Laugh therapy. When you laugh, you take in more oxygen. Your heart, lungs,
and muscles get a boost and your body releases those feel-good hormones.
Laughter also improves your immune system, lessens pain, and improves your
mood for long periods time.
Talk therapy . Long-term talk therapy helps some people deal with stress.
One approach, cognitive behavioral therapy, helps you change negative
thought patterns. Your therapist can guide you toward other approaches that
might be helpful.
WebMD Medical Reference

Sources 
SOURCES:

Frontiers in Neurology: “Exercise Effects on Sleep Physiology.”

Help Guide: “Stress Management,” “Relaxation Techniques for Stress Relief.”
Anxiety and Depression Association of America: “Physical Activity Reduces Stress.”
One Green Planet: “25 Ways to Sneak More Exercise in Every Day.”
Healthy UNH: “How to Incorporate Fitness into Your Everyday Life.”
Amherst College: “De-Stress.”
State of Idaho Judicial Branch: “Self-Care: 20 Ways You Can Cope with Stress, Anxiety and Isolation in Difficult Times.”
Brown University: “Self-Care Assessment Worksheet.”
National Library of Medicine: “Is folic acid the ultimate functional food component for disease prevention?”
Johns Hopkins Medicine: “Exercising for Better Sleep.”
Explore IM: “Eat Right, Drink Well, Stress Less: Stress-Reducing Foods, Herbal Supplements, and Teas.”
Sivananda Yoga Farm: “What is Yoga Meditation?”
Project Meditation: “History of Meditation—Mankind’s Oldest Getaway.”
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: “Meditation: In Depth.”
The American Institute of Stress: “Take a Deep Breath.”
Mayo Clinic: “Stress management,” and “Antioxidants.”
Nemours Foundation: “Yoga for Stress Relief.”
Harvard Health Publishing: “Biofeedback.”
American Heart Association: “3 Tips to Manage Stress.”
Good Therapy: “Getting Help for Stress.”
Mind: “How to Manage Stress.”
PNAS: “A runner’s high depends on cannabinoid receptors in mice.”
Sutter Health: “Eating Well for Mental Health.”
Harvard Health Publishing: “Nutritional strategies to easy anxiety.”
Sleep Foundation: “Stress and Insomnia,” “Sleep Hygiene.”
The Sleep Council: “Perfect Sleep Environment.”

© 2020 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.

NEXT IN TIPS FOR REDUCING STRESS

Breathing Exercises
