Take control of your environment. If the evening news makes you anxious, turn off the TV. If traffic makes you tense, take a longer but less-traveled route. If going to the market is an unpleasant chore, do your grocery shopping online.

Avoid hot-button topics. If you get upset over religion or politics, cross them off your conversation list. Pare down your to-do list. Analyze your schedule, responsibilities, and daily tasks.

If you can't avoid a stressful situation, try to alter it. Often, this involves changing the way you communicate and operate in your daily life. Express your feelings instead of bottling them up.

If something or someone is bothering you, communicate your concerns in an open and respectful way. If you don't voice your feelings, resentment will build and the stress will increase. Be willing to compromise. When you ask someone to change their behavior, be willing to do the same.

If you both are willing to bend at least a little, you'll have a good chance of finding a happy middle ground. Be more assertive. Deal with problems head on, doing your best to anticipate and prevent them.

Find balance. All work and no play is a recipe for burnout. Try to find a balance between work and family life, social activities and solitary pursuits, daily responsibilities and downtime.

If you can't change the stressor, change yourself. You can adapt to stressful situations and regain your sense of control by changing your expectations and attitude. Reframe problems.

Try to view stressful situations from a more positive perspective. Rather than fuming about a traffic jam, look at it as an opportunity to pause and regroup, listen to your favorite radio station, or enjoy some alone time.

Look at the big picture. Take perspective of the stressful situation. Ask yourself how important it will be in the long run. Will it matter in a month? A year? Is it really worth getting upset over? If the answer is no, focus your time and energy elsewhere.

Adjust your standards. Perfectionism is a major source of avoidable stress. Stop setting yourself up for failure by demanding perfection. Practice gratitude. When stress is getting you down, take a moment to reflect on all the things you appreciate in your life , including your own positive qualities and gifts.

This simple strategy can help you keep things in perspective. Some sources of stress are unavoidable. You can't prevent or change stressors such as the death of a loved one, a serious illness, or a national recession.

In such cases, the best way to cope with stress is to accept things as they are. Acceptance may be difficult, but in the long run, it's easier than railing against a situation you can't change.

Don't try to control the uncontrollable. Many things in life are beyond our control, particularly the behavior of other people. Rather than stressing out over them, focus on the things you can control such as the way you choose to react to problems.

Look for the upside. When facing major challenges, try to look at them as opportunities for personal growth. If your own poor choices contributed to a stressful situation, reflect on them and learn from your mistakes.

Learn to forgive. Accept the fact that we live in an imperfect world and that people make mistakes. Let go of anger and resentments. Free yourself from negative energy by forgiving and moving on. Share your feelings.

Expressing what you're going through can be very cathartic, even if there's nothing you can do to alter the stressful situation. Talk to a trusted friend or make an appointment with a therapist.

When you're stressed, the last thing you probably feel like doing is getting up and exercising. But physical activity is a huge stress reliever—and you don't have to be an athlete or spend hours in a gym to experience the benefits.

Exercise releases endorphins that make you feel good, and it can also serve as a valuable distraction from your daily worries. While you'll get the most benefit from regularly exercising for 30 minutes or more, it's okay to build up your fitness level gradually. Even very small activities can add up over the course of a day.

The first step is to get yourself up and moving. Here are some easy ways to incorporate exercise into your daily schedule:. While just about any form of physical activity can help burn away tension and stress, rhythmic activities are especially effective.

Good choices include walking, running, swimming, dancing, cycling, tai chi, and aerobics. But whatever you choose, make sure it's something you enjoy so you're more likely to stick with it. While you're exercising, make a conscious effort to pay attention to your body and the physical and sometimes emotional sensations you experience as you're moving.

Focus on coordinating your breathing with your movements, for example, or notice how the air or sunlight feels on your skin. Adding this mindfulness element will help you break out of the cycle of negative thoughts that often accompanies overwhelming stress.

There is nothing more calming than spending quality time with another human being who makes you feel safe and understood. It's nature's natural stress reliever as an added bonus, it also helps stave off depression and anxiety. So make it a point to connect regularly—and in person—with family and friends.

Keep in mind that the people you talk to don't have to be able to fix your stress. They simply need to be good listeners. And try not to let worries about looking weak or being a burden keep you from opening up.

What you can do to address stress Try these 10 stress-busting suggestions: Be active Exercise won't make your stress disappear, but it can reduce some of the emotional intensity that you're feeling, clearing your thoughts and letting you deal with your problems more calmly. Get started with exercise Take control If you think you cannot do anything about your problem, your stress can get worse.

Connect with people A good support network of colleagues, friends and family can ease your work troubles and help you see things in a different way. The activities we do with friends can help us relax and relieve stress.

Have some "me time" Many of us work long hours, meaning we often don't spend enough time doing things we really enjoy.

It's important to take some time for socialising, relaxation or exercise. Challenge yourself Setting yourself goals and challenges, whether at work or outside, such as learning a new language or a new sport, can help build confidence. It can also make you want to do things and be active. Avoid unhealthy habits Don't rely on alcohol, smoking and caffeine as your ways of coping.

It's best to tackle the cause of your stress. Help other people Evidence shows that people who help others, through activities such as volunteering or community work, often become more resilient. Find out more about giving for mental wellbeing Work smarter, not harder Working smarter means prioritising your work, concentrating on the tasks that'll make a real difference.

Try to be positive Look for the positives in life, and things for which you're grateful. Audio: unhelpful thinking In this audio guide, a doctor helps you to replace negative thoughts with more positive thinking. Media last reviewed: 2 March Media review due: 2 March Audio: sleep problems In this audio guide, a doctor explains what you can do to give yourself the best chance of a good night's sleep.

This so-called "stress response" is a normal reaction to threatening situations honed in our prehistory to help us survive threats like an animal attack or a flood. Today, we rarely face these physical dangers, but challenging situations in daily life can set off the stress response.

We can't avoid all sources of stress in our lives, nor would we want to. But we can develop healthier ways of responding to them. One way is to invoke the "relaxation response," through a technique first developed in the s at Harvard Medical School by cardiologist Dr.

Herbert Benson, editor of the Harvard Medical School Special Health Report Stress Management: Approaches for preventing and reducing stress. The relaxation response is the opposite of the stress response. It's a state of profound rest that can be elicited in many ways.

With regular practice, you create a well of calm to dip into as the need arises. Following are six relaxation techniques that can help you evoke the relaxation response and reduce stress.

Breath focus. In this simple, powerful technique, you take long, slow, deep breaths also known as abdominal or belly breathing.

As you breathe, you gently disengage your mind from distracting thoughts and sensations. Breath focus can be especially helpful for people with eating disorders to help them focus on their bodies in a more positive way.

gov Keep up with regular health appointments. Eat healthy. Have fruits and vegetables, lean protein, whole grains, and low- or no-fat dairy.

Limit foods with unhealthy fats, salt, and added sugars. See Healthy Eating Tips. Get enough sleep. Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day to help you sleep better.

Adults need 7 or more hours per night. Move more and sit less. Every little bit of physical activity helps. You can break it into smaller amounts of time, such as 20 to 30 minutes a day. Choose not to drink, or drink in moderation on days you drink alcohol.

Moderation means having 2 drinks or less a day for men or 1 drink or less for women a day. Find out more at Drink Less, Be Your Best. Avoid using illegal drugs or prescription drugs in ways other than prescribed. It offers resources and support for people who feel: Afraid Angry Grieving Lonely Sad Stressed Worried Unsure or just numb.

Information for Specific Groups. Need Help? Know Someone Who Does? Contact the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline if you are experiencing mental health-related distress or are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support.

Call or text Chat at lifeline. org Connect with a trained crisis counselor. Last Reviewed: October 6, Source: National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion , Division of Population Health. They may be able to help. Learn how friends and family can help you feel less stressed.

Stress is a normal part of life. Over time, stress can lead to serious problems like depression or anxiety. A mental health professional like a psychologist or social worker can help treat these conditions with talk therapy called psychotherapy or medicine.

Learn more about talk therapy. This information on depression was adapted from materials from the National Institute of Mental Health, NIHSeniorHealth. Reviewed by: Krystal Lewis, PhD National Institute of Mental Health National Institutes of Health.

Linking to a non-federal website does not constitute an endorsement by ODPHP or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the website. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. MyHealthfinder Health Conditions Heart Health Manage Stress.

Health Conditions Manage Stress. The Basics Take Action. The Basics Overview Not all stress is bad. But long-term stress can lead to health problems. You can prevent or reduce stress by: Planning ahead Deciding which tasks to do first Preparing for stressful events Some stress is hard to avoid.

Signs and Health Effects What are the signs of stress? When you're under stress, you may feel: Worried Angry Irritable Depressed Unable to focus Stress also affects your body. Physical signs of stress include: Headaches Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much Upset stomach Weight gain or loss Tense muscles Stress can also lead to a weakened immune system the system in the body that fights infections , which could make you more likely to get sick.

Causes of Stress What causes stress? Stress is how the body reacts to a challenge or demand. Stress can be short-term or long-term. Common causes of short-term stress: Needing to do a lot in a short amount of time Having a lot of small problems in the same day, like getting stuck in traffic jam or running late Getting ready for a work or school presentation Having an argument Common causes of long-term stress: Having problems at work or at home Having money problems Having a long-term illness Taking care of someone with an illness Dealing with the death of a loved one.

Benefits of Lower Stress What are the benefits of managing stress? Over time, long-term stress can lead to health problems. Minimizing your intake of highly processed foods and beverages and eating more whole foods can help ensure your body is properly nourished.

In turn, this may improve your resilience to stress. Whole food options can include:. While smartphones, computers, and tablets are often necessary, using them too often may increase stress levels. A review of literature points out that several studies have linked excessive smartphone use with increased stress levels and mental health disorders.

Spending too much time in front of screens is associated with lower psychological well-being and increased stress levels in adults and kids. Furthermore, screen time may negatively affect sleep, which may also lead to increased stress levels. Setting aside time to practice self-care may help reduce your stress levels.

Practical examples include:. People who engage in self-care typically have lower levels of stress and improved quality of life, while a lack of self-care is associated with a higher risk of stress and burnout. Taking time for yourself is essential to live a healthy life.

This is especially important for people who tend to be highly stressed, including nurses, doctors, teachers, and caretakers. It simply means tending to your well-being and happiness. Exposure to certain scents via candles or essential oils may be especially calming.

Here are a few relaxing scents:. Using scents to boost your mood is called aromatherapy. Aromatherapy can decrease anxiety and improve sleep. Journaling may help reduce stress and anxiety and provide a positive outlet for your thoughts and emotions.

A study noted that expressive writing or therapeutic writing can benefit people managing chronic health conditions, including but not limited to mental health conditions like depression.

They noted that regular journaling may be linked to a higher quality of life, more proactive self-care behaviors, and other healthful behaviors, such as taking prescribed medications. Caffeine is a chemical in coffee, tea, chocolate, and energy drinks that stimulates your central nervous system.

Consuming too much may worsen anxiety, according to a review of literature on the subject. Overconsumption may also harm your sleep. In turn, this may increase stress and anxiety symptoms. People have different thresholds for how much caffeine they can tolerate.

If caffeine makes you jittery or anxious, consider cutting back by replacing coffee or energy drinks with decaffeinated coffee, herbal tea, or water. Social support from friends and family may help you get through stressful times and cope with stress. Having a social support system is important for your overall mental health.

Not all stressors are within your control, but some are. Putting too much on your plate may increase your stress load and limit the amount of time you can spend on self-care.

This is especially true if you take on more than you can handle because juggling many responsibilities may leave you feeling overwhelmed. Creating boundaries — especially with people who add to your stress levels — is a healthy way to protect your well-being.

This can be as simple as asking a friend or family member not to stop by unannounced or canceling standing plans with a friend if you need more space. Procrastination may harm your productivity and leave you scrambling to catch up.

This can cause stress, which negatively affects your health and sleep quality. A study in medical students in China linked procrastination to increased stress levels. The study also associated procrastination and delayed stress reactions with more negative parenting styles, including punishment and rejection.

If you find yourself procrastinating regularly, it may be helpful to make a to-do list organized by priority. Give yourself realistic deadlines and work your way down the list. Work on the things that need to get done today, and give yourself chunks of uninterrupted time.

Switching between tasks or multitasking can be stressful in itself. Yoga has become a popular method of stress relief and exercise among all age groups. While yoga styles differ, most share a common goal — to join your body and mind by increasing body and breath awareness.

Research shows that yoga helps reduce stress and anxiety. Plus, it can promote psychological well-being. Stress reduction techniques that utilize mindfulness include meditation and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy MBCT , a type of cognitive behavioral therapy.

Meditating consistently, even for short periods, may help boost your mood and decrease symptoms of stress and anxiety. Countless books, apps, and websites can teach you the basics if you want to try meditation.

There may also be therapists in your area who specialize in MBCT. Human touch may have a calming effect and help you better cope with stress.

Mayo Clinic offers appointments in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota and at Mayo Clinic Health System locations. Is stress making you angry and grouchy? Stress relievers can help bring back calm and peace to your busy life. You don't have to put a lot of time or thought into stress relievers. If your stress is getting out of control and you need quick relief, try one of these tips.

Almost any form of physical activity can act as a stress reliever. Even if you're not an athlete or you're out of shape, exercise can still be a good stress reliever.

Physical activity can pump up your feel-good endorphins and other natural neural chemicals that boost your sense of well-being. Exercise also can refocus your mind on your body's movements.

This refocus can improve your mood and help the day's irritations fade away. So go on a walk, take a jog, work in your garden, clean your house, bike, swim, weight train, vacuum or do anything else that gets you active.

Eating a healthy diet is an important part of taking care of yourself. Aim to eat many fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Some people may deal with stress with unhealthy habits. These may include drinking too much caffeine or alcohol, smoking, eating too much, or using illegal substances.

These habits can harm your health and increase your stress levels. During meditation, you focus your attention and quiet the stream of jumbled thoughts that may be crowding your mind and causing stress. Meditation can give you a sense of calm, peace and balance that can help both your emotional well-being and your overall health.

Meditation can empower us to enhance our well-being. You can practice guided meditation, guided imagery, mindfulness, visualization and other forms of meditation anywhere at any time. For example, you could meditate when you're out for a walk, riding the bus to work or waiting at your health care provider's office.

Try an app to show you how to do these exercises. And you can try deep breathing anywhere. A good sense of humor can't cure all ailments. But it can help you feel better, even if you have to force a fake laugh through your grumpiness. When you laugh, it lightens your mental load.

It also causes positive physical changes in the body. Laughter fires up and then cools down your stress response.

So read some jokes, tell some jokes, watch a comedy or hang out with your funny friends. Or give laughter yoga a try. When you're stressed and irritable, you may want to isolate yourself. Instead, reach out to family and friends and make social connections.

Even one good friend who listens can make a difference. Social contact is a good stress reliever because it can offer distraction, give support, and help you put up with life's up and downs.

So take a coffee break with a friend, email a relative or visit your place of worship. You might want to do it all, but you can't, at least not without paying a price.

Learning to say no or being willing to delegate can help you manage your to-do list and your stress. Healthy boundaries are important in a wellness journey. Everyone has physical and emotional limits.

Saying yes may seem like an easy way to keep the peace, prevent conflicts and get the job done right. But instead, it may cause you inner conflict because your needs and those of your family come second. Putting yourself second can lead to stress, anger, resentment and even the wish to take revenge.

And that's not a very calm and peaceful reaction. Remember, you're a priority. With its series of postures and breathing exercises, yoga is a popular stress reliever. Yoga brings together physical and mental disciplines that may help you reach peace of body and mind.

Yoga can help you relax and ease stress and anxiety. Try yoga on your own or find a class — you can find classes in many areas. Hatha yoga, especially, is a good stress reliever because of its slower pace and easier movements.

Stress can cause you to have trouble falling asleep. When you have too much to do — and too much to think about — your sleep can suffer.

But sleep is the time when your brain and body recharge. Most adults need about 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night. And how well and how long you sleep can affect your mood, energy level, focus and overall functioning. If you have sleep troubles, make sure that you have a quiet, relaxing bedtime routine.

For example, listen to soothing music, make sure the area you sleep in is cool, dark and quiet, put phones and tablets away, and stick to a regular schedule. Writing down your thoughts and feelings can be a good release for otherwise pent-up feelings.

Don't think about what to write — let it happen. Write anything that comes to mind. No one else needs to read it.

So don't aim for perfect grammar or spelling. Let your thoughts flow on paper, or on the computer screen.

Once you're done, you can toss out what you wrote or save it to think about later. Listening to or playing music is a good stress reliever.

It can provide a mental distraction, lessen muscle tension and lower stress hormones. Turn up the volume and let your mind be absorbed by the music. If music isn't one of your interests, turn your attention to another hobby you enjoy.

For example, try gardening, sewing, reading or sketching. Or try anything that makes you focus on what you're doing rather than what you think you should be doing. If new stressors are making it hard for you to cope or if self-care measures aren't relieving your stress, you may want to think about therapy or counseling.

Therapy also may be a good idea if you feel overwhelmed or trapped. You also may think about therapy if you worry a great deal, or if you have trouble carrying out daily routines or meeting duties at work, home or school.

Professional counselors or therapists can help you find the sources of your stress and learn new coping tools.

There is a problem with information submitted for this request. Research has shown that stress can sometimes be positive. It makes us more alert and helps us perform better in certain situations. However, stress has only been found to be beneficial if it is short-lived.

Excessive or prolonged stress can lead to illnesses such as heart disease and mental health problems such as anxiety and depression. During situations that make you feel threatened or upset, your body creates a stress response.

This can cause a variety of physical symptoms, change the way you behave, and lead you to experience more intense emotions. People react differently to stress. Some common symptoms of stress include sleeping problems, sweating, or a change in appetite.

Symptoms like these are triggered by a rush of stress hormones in your body which, when released, allow you to deal with pressures or threats. Hormones called adrenaline and noradrenaline raise your blood pressure, increase your heart rate and increase the amount you sweat.

This prepares your body for an emergency response. These hormones can also reduce blood flow to your skin and reduce your stomach activity. Cortisol, another stress hormone, releases fat and sugar into your system to boost your energy.

As a result, you may experience headaches, muscle tension, pain, nausea, indigestion and dizziness. You may also breathe more quickly, have palpitations or suffer from various aches and pains. In the long term, you may be putting yourself at risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Humans have inherited these things from our ancient ancestors, who needed to be able to either run away from danger or stay and fight. Once the pressure or threat has passed, your stress hormone levels usually return to normal. Over time, the build-up of these chemicals and the changes they produce can be damaging to your health.

When you are stressed you may have lots of different feelings, including anxiety, irritability or low self-esteem, which can lead you to become withdrawn, indecisive or tearful. You may have periods of constant worry, racing thoughts, or repeatedly going over the same things in your head.

Some people experience changes in their behaviour. They may lose their temper more easily, act irrationally or become more verbally or physically aggressive.

These feelings can feed on each other and produce physical symptoms, which can make you feel even worse. For example, extreme anxiety can make you feel so unwell that you then worry you have a serious physical condition.

Everyone experiences stress. While stress affects everyone differently, there are common signs and symptoms for you to look out for:. If you experience these symptoms for a prolonged period of time, and feel they are affecting your everyday life or making you feel unwell, speak to your GP.

Ask them for information about the support services and treatments available to you. All sorts of situations can cause stress. The most common involve work, money matters and relationships with partners, children or other family members.

Stress can be caused either by major upheavals and life events such as divorce, unemployment, moving house and bereavement, or by a series of minor irritations such as feeling undervalued at work or arguing with a family member. Sometimes, there are no obvious causes. Relationships are a great support in times when we feel stressed.

However, from time to time the people close to you, be it a partner, parent, child, friend or colleague, can increase your stress levels.

Events such as ongoing minor arguments and disagreements, to larger family crises, such as an affair, illness or bereavement are likely to affect the way you think, feel and behave. This may consequently have an impact on your stress levels. Find out more about investing in healthy relationships.

The pressure of an increasingly demanding work culture in the UK is one of the biggest contributors to stress among the general population. The human costs of unmanaged work-related stress is extensive. Feeling unhappy about the amount of time you spend at work and neglecting other aspects of life because of work may increase your vulnerability to stress.

Increased levels of stress can, if not addressed early enough, lead to burnout or more severe mental health problems. In , mental health accounted for , cases of work-related illness with a related estimated cost of £ Money and debt concerns place huge pressure on us, so it comes as no surprise that they have a marked effect on our stress levels.

The effects of the cost-of-living crisis in has affected everyone in some capacity. A survey of adults commissioned by the Mental Health Foundation in November found that one in ten UK adults was feeling hopeless about their financial circumstances.

More than one-third were feeling anxious and almost three in ten were feeling stressed. The combination of chronic stress and debt can result in depression and anxiety and has been highlighted as a factor linked to suicidal thoughts and attempts.

You could also talk to your GP or a trusted health professional if you are worried about how debt is affecting your mental and physical health. Some people smoke, drink alcohol and use recreational drugs to reduce stress. But, this often makes problems worse.

Research shows that smoking may increase feelings of anxiety. Nicotine creates an immediate, temporary, sense of relaxation, which can then lead to withdrawal symptoms and cravings. Similarly, people may use alcohol as a means to manage and cope with difficult feelings, and to temporarily reduce feelings of anxiety.

But, alcohol can make existing mental health problems worse. It can make you feel more anxious and depressed in the long run. Prescription drugs , such as tranquillisers and sleeping tablets, which may have been prescribed for very good reasons, can also cause mental and physical health problems if used for long periods of time.

Street drugs , such as cannabis or ecstasy, are usually taken for recreational purposes. For some people, problems start as their bodies get used to repeated use of the drug. This leads to the need for increased doses to maintain the same effect. Stress is a natural reaction to difficult situations in life, such as work, family, relationships and money problems.

We mentioned earlier on that a moderate amount of stress can help us perform better in challenging situations, but too much or prolonged stress can lead to physical problems. This can include lower immunity levels, digestive and intestinal difficulties such as irritable bowel syndrome IBS , or mental health problems such as depression.

The first person to approach is your GP. They should be able to give you advice about treatment, and may refer you to another local professional. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Mindfulness -based approaches are known to help reduce stress.