How to reduce stress: Five practical everyday strategies

According to the APA’s 2022 Stress in America poll, around 76% of adults reported that aspects of their lives were negatively impacted by stress, including issues of mental health (36%), eating habits (33%), physical health (32%), and interest in hobbies/leisure activities (30%).

Despite the considerable impact of stress on the average person’s life, there are some relatively simple ways to manage it and reduce its adverse effects.

Here are five practical strategies to reduce stress in your everyday life:

Breathing and relaxation techniques

Shallow, rapid breathing may be an unconscious reaction to stressful situations and often goes unnoticed by the individual. This type of breathing can increase blood pressure and muscle tension, worsening physical stress symptoms. This adversely affects the body and mind in a few ways, including reduced oxygen flow. To resolve this, deep breathing, also known as diaphragm, abdominal, or belly breathing, may be an easy way to relax the body and allow full oxygen exchange. Taking slow, controlled breaths can also help to relieve stress and improve overall well-being.

Practicing deep breathing techniques, especially in highly stressful situations, can be a very helpful method for neutralizing stress. This type of breathing can be done anywhere without any special equipment; it only requires mindful attention to the flow of air in the body. With deep breathing techniques, you inhale gradually through the nose, filling the lungs and abdomen, then slowly exhale through the mouth. This method contrasts with the shallow chest breathing that commonly accompanies stressful situations. Deep breathing can be an invaluable, natural stress reliever when practiced regularly and consistently.

Other than passing more oxygen through the body and helping create a relaxed response, other benefits of deep breathing techniques include reduced heart rate, blood pressure, and salivary cortisol levels. Because of deep breathing's ability to directly address these physiological symptoms quickly, it is one of the most viable ways to learn how to lower your stress levels. Taking time for deep breathing relaxation techniques could help improve your body’s stress response to manage stress more effectively. A few minutes a day of mindful breathing can drastically improve your ability to cope with stress and find peace in the present moment.

Leisure time and new hobbies

It may be challenging to include new, fun activities into a very fast-paced and busy lifestyle, but dedicating some time for yourself to unwind can be extremely beneficial. Scientists who study the effects of leisure time believe that many activities that people find restorative can promote a positive impact on one’s well-being. Taking time away from everyday problems to invest in a hobby or activity you enjoy can effectively reduce stress.

Restorative activities are those that interest the person and keep them engaged without expending too much mental energy. Making time for leisure activities can help you relax and reset your mind, allowing you to manage stress in a healthier way. These activities give one a sense of respite from the stressful things that occupy the mind. They also "restore" depleted physical and mental resources, which aids recovery. Some examples of hobbies that people frequently find therapeutic are:

• Enjoying Nature
• Cooking
• Museums & Concerts
• Reading
• Creating Art

Not every hobby has to consume your time and finances, and you may choose to do things alone or with others. Socializing with friends and family may be preferable for one person, while doing things alone to reduce stress may be preferred for another. Including a friend or family member in your leisure activities can even be beneficial, as it provides an opportunity for social support. Hobbies that involve physical activity can help to decrease stress hormones and make you feel more relaxed. Regardless of what you choose, creating some leisure time to do things that you enjoy can have benefits for both your mental and physical health. 

Exercise regularly

Some people already consider physical activity and exercise a hobby because it makes them feel good. Even for those who don’t view it as a hobby, it can have specific benefits. Exercise helps release chemicals in the brain called endorphins that are directly related to feelings of well-being. Serotonin, dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine are all examples, and low levels of these neurotransmitters are associated with different physical and mental conditions. Exercise also helps to keep the cardiovascular system healthy, lowers blood pressure, and reduces stress hormones like cortisol. This can be especially beneficial for those feeling overwhelmed by daily stress.

Aside from biological factors, some find exercise to be an excellent distraction from the stresses of daily life, such as school and work. It can also teach stress relief by building a sense of self-efficacy and desensitizing the individual to feelings of anxiety. Exercise can also provide a social outlet, as it is often done in groups, with a family member, or with a friend. Combined with a healthy diet, exercise can be an important part of complementary and integrative health habits.

Finding the motivation to exercise can be difficult for some, especially those experiencing anxiety, depression, or intense worry. But it may become easier as you experience the benefits of exercise first-hand. Doing something as simple as taking a walk can provide immediate stress relief and make it easier to find the motivation for more vigorous exercise. Eventually, it may become a hobby and something you look forward to.

Effective time management

Budgeting time is a common source of stress, but learning and practicing good time-management skills may be effective in alleviating some of the feelings of stress and anxiety many people face every day.

A study involving 441 nursing students with mid-level state and trait anxiety showed that time management skills are linked to academic motivation and performance. Academic motivation is also connected to stress levels, and nursing students frequently experience stressors related to the clinical setting, heavy course loads and learning requirements, relationships with patients and professors, and more. 

There are many strategies, techniques, and apps available to help individuals manage their time more effectively. Many find that using a daily planner is most effective, as it helps you prioritize tasks, allot specific amounts of time for completing tasks, and better remember important tasks and events. 

Get enough quality sleep

Many studies have been conducted on stress and how it affects sleep quality and duration; however, how well you sleep can also impact your perception of stress and how you feel. By prioritizing sleep, you can give your body the rest it needs to manage stress more effectively. 

Adequate sleep is a key factor in improving overall health and improving quality of life, but many sacrifice it to prioritize other tasks or make changes in their schedules. The pressure to keep up with life’s demands and missing out on sleep and personal activities can all contribute to stress. Losing sleep may also negatively affect your mood and cause high stress awareness. This can have negative effects on your mental health, including fatigue and irritability.

In order to have a healthy stress response, you may want to prioritize sleep as part of an integrative health plan. It is recommended that adults aged 18-60 receive 7 to 8 hours of sleep. For some, this is not always possible. For example, a recent study suggests that many workers get only five hours or less each night because of long overtime hours and late-night drinking. This creates an exhausted workforce, which also puts them at risk for physical and mental health problems. 

Making a conscious effort to improve your sleep habits can begin with something as simple as controlling caffeine intake. Too much caffeine can affect your sleep quality and make it difficult to have a restful night’s sleep. For instance, limiting the amount of caffeine we consume in the morning and eliminating it in the afternoon can make it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep at night. Also, since caffeine is a stimulant, it can worsen stress and anxiety by raising your heart rate, blood pressure, and cortisol levels. By cutting back on it or eliminating it, you might notice lower stress levels.

Online therapy for stress management

In addition to regular stress-reduction techniques, many people find it helpful to speak with a counselor about their experiences with stress. Meeting with a therapist can help you learn how to lower your stress levels by providing support and guidance. Everyone experiences stress differently, and a therapist can help patients isolate and understand the origins of their specific stressors as a precursor to developing a unique strategy for managing them. With therapy, you can identify the sources of your stress and develop coping skills to help reduce mental stress. 

It’s common for people to avoid seeking help because of scheduling difficulties, availability issues, reluctance to speak to a therapist in person, and more. If you’re experiencing increased stress levels, these deterrents can seem even more difficult to overcome.

Online therapy provides a solution that’s proven to be just as effective as in-person treatment for people who would like to speak with a therapist but are faced with various barriers. It offers the same level of professional care and attention with the added benefits of flexible scheduling and familiar environments.

Online platforms like BetterHelp can assist by matching individuals with mental health professionals who have experience treating patients with stress-related issues. You can book appointments at your convenience and attend sessions via text, video chat, phone, and online messaging from the comfort of your home or anywhere with an internet connection.