Six Strategies For Coping With Stress
The physiological experience of stress—or the fight-or-flight response—is a natural human response that can help us deal with a perceived threat. However, when this response is engaged too often, at very high levels, or nearly constantly over time, it can lead to a variety of mental and physical health problems. That’s why learning healthy strategies for coping with stress can be so important.
Below, we’ll explore 6 ways to cope with stress that can be healthy and constructive. First, we’ll talk about how to recognize warning signs of stress and give an overview of the potential health complications it can cause.
How to recognize stress in your life
You might be able to pinpoint when you feel stressed based on the emotions you notice, like when you experience anxiety about a work deadline or feel overwhelmed by family responsibilities. Other times, though, you can be experiencing a consistent, low or moderate level of stress without really realizing it. Since this experience can take a toll on your health and well-being, learning to recognize the warning signs of potentially harmful levels of stress can be valuable. The American Institute of Stress (AIS) lists 50 of these warning signs on its website. A few of them include:
Frequent headaches
Trouble getting enough sleep or quality sleep
A significantly increased or decreased appetite
Increased frustration or irritability
Frequent mood swings
Forgetfulness, confusion, or trouble making decisions
Trouble concentrating
Social withdrawal
Engaging in unhealthy coping behaviors (gambling, impulse buying, substance misuse)
It may also be helpful to step back and consider your circumstances to see whether they may indicate potentially high stress levels. Common causes of ongoing stress can include things like relationship conflict, financial difficulties, health problems, changes in employment status, poor balance of work and free time, family responsibilities, and a consistently busy schedule with minimal time for rest or enjoyment.
Potential long-term effects of stress
Symptoms of the fight-or-flight response of stress like those listed above can significantly interfere with daily life and well-being on their own. Over the longer term, they can also lead to more serious complications, such as:
Mental health challenges like depression, anxiety, and compassion fatigue
Mood and behavior changes such as outbursts of anger, aggression, or hostility
Effects on general well-being, such as chronic fatigue, muscle pain, gastrointestinal issues, insomnia, heart palpitations, decreased libido, and problems related to the immune system
Increased risk of serious physical illness, including heart disease, heart attack, high blood pressure, and stroke
Increased likelihood of dangerous behaviors, such as alcohol misuse, drug misuse, and thoughts or behaviors of self-harm or suicide
If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts or urges, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or text 988 to talk to someone over SMS. Support is available 24/7.
Not only can these potential consequences of long-term stress negatively impact health and well-being, but they can also cause other problems in a person’s life. For instance, they could affect relationships with family, friends, or partners or result in trouble at school or work.
How to deal with stress healthily
Everyone is different, so finding the stress-management techniques that work for you could take some time and experimentation. Since both the short- and long-term effects of stress can be so serious, this process is typically worth the effort. Some science-backed tips that you might consider trying are listed below.
1. Take up journaling
Journaling, or the practice of regularly writing down your thoughts and feelings, is one easy and low-cost method of stress management. First, it can offer you the opportunity to slow down and check in with how you feel. Next, putting your thoughts into words can give you a bit of distance from them, allowing you to examine them a bit more objectively.
If you're engaging in negative self-talk or distorted thinking and feeling increased stress as a result, for instance, journaling could help you identify such patterns. The practice could also make it easier for you to identify sources of stress in your life so you can take action to address them.
2. Exercise regularly
Over the years, researchers have identified many potential health benefits of exercising regularly. One of these is an increased ability to handle stress. One study, for example, suggests a strong link between regular aerobic exercise and stress resilience. Exercising may also release hormones like endorphins that can positively affect mood and encourage feelings of calm. To gain these potential benefits, you might try anything from joining a sports league to hitting the gym to taking a nature walk in the park.
3. Try mindfulness meditation
Meditation is an ancient cultural and spiritual practice with roots in India and other parts of Asia. Mindfulness meditation in particular is the act of engaging in a nonjudgmental awareness of one’s thoughts, feelings, and surroundings. Various studies have suggested that this practice may help a person handle stress.
Consider research from 2021 indicating that mindfulness-based interventions “significantly decreased stress,” improved all aspects of burnout, and increased self-compassion in nurses, who are common subjects of stress studies because of the intensity of their jobs. If you’re interested in getting started with mindfulness meditation, there is a wealth of free resources online that may help you find ways to incorporate it into your daily activities.
4. Eat nutrient-dense foods whenever possible
The food we consume can have a significant impact on our overall health and well-being. By incorporating nutritious foods into your eating patterns as often as possible and limiting processed or “junk food,” you may be able to equip your body to better respond to stressful situations and decrease the negative health effects of chronic stress.
For example, research suggests that higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids are associated with decreased cardiovascular reactivity to stress. Some foods rich in omega-3s include fatty fish, flax seed, chia seeds, walnuts, and soybeans. Focusing on consuming foods rich in fiber, antioxidants, whole grains, healthy fats, and vitamin C as much as you can could also help. Make sure to consult a doctor or nutritionist before making significant changes to your eating habits.
5. Lean on social support
Humans are social creatures, and having close connections with other people may contribute to our overall health and well-being. This is true when it comes to stress in particular, too. For example, consider a 2022 study that suggests that having close social connections can actually increase stress resilience. Whether they’re friends, family, or neighbors, having people in your life whom you can rely on for support, advice, or a listening ear may help you find emotional balance more easily.
6. Speak with a therapist
Finally, speaking with a therapist could also help you learn new ways to manage stress. A licensed mental health professional can offer you a safe space to express your feelings about what’s causing you stress, help you identify elements of your life that are triggering your stress response, and equip you with healthy coping mechanisms for handling these situations.
Some people find the prospect of traveling to and from a therapist’s office or fitting the commute into their busy schedules to be stressful. In cases like these, you might consider online therapy. With a platform like BetterHelp, you can get matched with a licensed therapist and meet with them via phone, video call, and/or in-app messaging from anywhere you have an internet connection. Research suggests that online cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can be effective for reducing stress-related symptoms, so it can be worth trying if this format appeals to you.
Takeaway
What are 5 ways you deal with stress?
This article covered 6 ways to cope with stress. Here’s a closer look at five of them.
- Journaling. Journaling can help you stop, slow down, and focus on your thoughts. It also lets you get those thoughts down on paper, which can help you identify sources of stress or negative thought patterns and help you figure out what to do about them.
- Exercising. Research shows that exercise can help with stress tolerance, and finding an exercise you love can benefit your overall well-being and health. Whether it’s biking, running, hiking, or dancing, getting moving and doing leisure activities you enjoy can help.
- Meditating. Studies show that mindfulness meditation can significantly decrease stress. The practice has its roots in ancient cultural and spiritual practices and encourages self-awareness of one's surroundings, feelings, and thoughts.
- Eating healthy. Regularly eating a balanced diet of nutritious foods can help your body deal with stressful situations more effectively. Some research suggests that eating more omega-3 fatty acids is associated with decreased cardiovascular reactivity when it comes to stress. Consult with your doctor before making any significant changes to your diet.
- Reaching out to your support system. A recent study suggests that having close social ties can help increase resilience to stress. Whether it’s a friend, family member, neighbor, or a trained mental health professional, talking to someone when you’re feeling stressed can help you handle life’s challenges.
What are 10 ways to reduce stress?
Reducing stress can be challenging; here are ten techniques you can try.
- Eat a balanced, healthy diet. Eating too much or drinking alcohol or caffeine can add to the effects of stress and bring a higher risk of other complications, but eating a balanced diet can help your body combat it.
- Get regular exercise. Exercise has been long established to help with stress. Try running, strength training, yoga, Tai Chi, hiking, biking, walking, or dancing. Aerobic exercises like these release endorphins, which can help improve your mood.
- Stop using nicotine and tobacco. Products with nicotine add more stress to the body by affecting blood flow and breathing.
- Practice relaxation techniques. Relaxation exercises can help manage stress; you can do many of them for free using smartphone apps. Deep breaths may be enough, but you can also try mindfulness meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, or guided imagery.
- Reduce stress triggers. Many things can cause stress, and identifying your triggers can help you manage your stress more effectively. For example, if you find you’re taking on too many responsibilities, you can free up some time by asking for help, pacing yourself, and setting priorities.
- Examine your values and prioritize them. Using your values when choosing your activities and commitments can help you feel like you have a deeper purpose, which may improve your mood and motivation.
- Know when to say no. Remember, taking on too much can be a source of stress. It’s okay to say no when people make demands on your energy and time that place too much stress on you.
- Set realistic expectations and goals. Be mindful of what you can control and what you can’t. Accepting the things you can’t control can help you control stress.
- Build your self-esteem. When you start to feel stressed or overwhelmed, remind yourself of your strengths and what you do well.
- Try biofeedback. This technique can help you learn how to reduce stress by paying attention to your heart rate, muscle tension, and other signs your body gives you while you try to relax. Biofeedback can help you learn how your body responds to stress, which can help you learn how to slow the physical response before it gets overwhelming.
What are the 7 tips for stress management?
Some good tips for stress management include:
- Take breaks from the news and social media. Constant news and information about what is happening in the world can be upsetting. Limit your consumption of media to a few times a day, and try to stay away from screens as much as you can.
- Take care of your body. Make sure you get enough rest and exercise, and try to eat a healthy, balanced diet.
- Limit your alcohol intake. Avoid alcohol altogether or drink in moderation when you do choose to drink.
- Avoid using prescription drugs in ways other than prescribed or illegal drugs. Substance use can contribute to stress, and treatment is available if you need help.
- Continue going to regular health screenings, doctor’s appointments, and tests, and stay up to date on vaccinations to try to stay as healthy as possible and ensure you do not have a serious illness.
- Take quality time to unwind. Try to engage in activities you enjoy.
- Connect with others. Talk with friends and family members, connect with support groups or community, public health, or faith-based organizations, and reach out to a therapist for more support.
What are the 4 steps in coping with stress?
According to the Mayo Clinic, there are four steps for dealing with stress, all of which begin with the letter A.
- Avoid. You can avoid minor stressors that may add to your stress. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, say no to taking on new responsibilities you don’t have passion for. Try to find ways to improve stressful situations that you have to deal with to make them less stressful, like listening to your favorite podcast on a busy commute.
- Alter. Try to communicate clearly to ensure that people understand your expectations. For example, if you don’t like how someone treats you in your work or home life, ask them to change their behavior, or state your limitations in advance by saying, “I only have an hour to spare for this project.”
- Accept. Accepting the situation can ease some stress when your attempts to avoid or alter it don’t work. Talk to someone about how you’re feeling, and forgive yourself so you can move on.
- Adapt. You may be able to deal with stress by changing your expectations and standards during a stressful situation. Try actively focusing on the positive aspects of your life, and avoid replaying stressful scenarios over and over.
What are 4 positive ways to relieve stress?
As you can see from this article, there are many positive ways to relieve stress. Four positive things you can try are getting enough rest, establishing a regular exercise routine, eating a healthy diet, and connecting with others.
What are your top 3 ways to relieve stress?
Everyone has their own effective ways to relieve stress, and what works for one person might not work for you. Three proven methods to try are deep breathing or other calming exercises, a regular exercise routine, and establishing an effective sleep routine.
What are 15 ways to manage stress?
Fifteen ways you can manage stress are:
- Get enough rest.
- Establish a regular exercise routine.
- Eat a healthy, balanced diet.
- Avoid or limit alcohol consumption.
- Don’t use tobacco, or stop if you already do.
- Write in a journal to help you work through your own thoughts.
- Learn relaxation techniques, like deep breathing or grounding exercises.
- Reach out to your friends and family if you need support.
- Join a support group or faith- or community-based group to talk to others who might be dealing with the same things you’re facing.
- Attend regular health checkups and tests and keep vaccinations up to date to stay as healthy as possible.
- Know when to say no to taking on new responsibilities.
- Avoid stress triggers when possible.
- Work on improving your self-esteem.
- Set realistic expectations and goals.
- Talk to a mental health professional for more emotional support.
What are the 3 C's of stress management?
There aren’t any widely recognized C’s of stress management, but there are four A’s: avoid, alter, accept, and adapt.
How to calm yourself?
Any of the techniques mentioned in this article can help you calm yourself. Some of the most common are deep breathing exercises, stretching exercises, journaling, and meditation. These techniques can also be applied to groups or classrooms where leaders can encourage students to adapt these techniques to their individual situations.
How can I calm and relax?
Everyone is different, so what works to help one person calm down may not help the next. Some healthy ways you can try include deep breathing, yoga, journaling, stretching, eating a healthy diet, and physical activity.
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