Stress is an inevitable part of life. According to the American Psychological Association’s Stress in America survey, average stress levels have steadily increased over the past decade. Prolonged stress can have serious consequences for both mental and physical health. That’s why it’s so important to find healthy and effective ways to manage stress.
Why Is Managing Stress Important?
Stress activates the body’s fight-or-flight response, releasing hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. This causes physical changes like increased heart rate, tightened muscles, and a spike in blood sugar. While this reaction is useful for dealing with immediate threats, chronic stress keeps the body perpetually wound up. Over time, this takes a toll.
Studies show that persistent stress contributes to high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, depression, anxiety, gastrointestinal issues, insomnia, and more. It can also impact your relationships, job performance, and overall wellbeing. That’s why getting stress under control is so crucial.
Technique 1: Breathing Exercises
One simple yet highly effective way to manage stress is through breathing exercises. Unlike our ancestors who faced immediate physical threats, most of the stressors we face today are psychological. Slow, controlled breathing sends messages to the brain that it’s time to relax.
Diaphragmatic breathing, also known as belly breathing, is particularly helpful for stress relief. This technique pulls air deep into the lungs by engaging the diaphragm. Here’s how to do it:
- Sit or lie comfortably with one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach.
- Breathe in slowly through your nose so that your stomach pushes against your hand.
- Tighten your stomach muscles slightly and let them fall inward as you exhale through pursed lips.
- Continue taking long, slow breaths using your diaphragm for at least 5-10 minutes.
Aim to practice diaphragmatic breathing daily, especially when you start to feel stressed. The more you make it a habit, the easier it will be to use this technique to calm your mind and body.
Other Breathing Exercises
Diaphragmatic breathing is one of many breathing techniques that can help you deactivate the flight-or-flight response and engage the body’s relaxation response. Here are a few more to try:
- 4-7-8 breathing: Inhale for a count of 4, hold for 7, exhale for 8. Repeat several times.
- Alternate nostril breathing: Gently close one nostril and inhale through the other. Close that nostril, open the first one, and exhale. Inhale again through the first nostril, then switch to exhale through the second one. Repeat.
- Morning breathing: Take 10 deep belly breaths as soon as you wake up, while still lying in bed.
- Walking meditation: Slowly walk while coordinating steps with the breath. Inhale for 3 steps, exhale for 3 steps.
Mix up these techniques to find a breathing exercise you enjoy and that quells stress effectively. Apps like Calm and Headspace offer great guided breathing sessions too.
Technique 2: Mindfulness and Meditation
Practicing mindfulness is another research-backed way to manage stress. Mindfulness means being fully present and aware in the moment, without judgment. It involves tuning into sensations, thoughts, and feelings and simply observing them instead of reacting.
This builds self-awareness and resilience. With regular practice, mindfulness can train your nervous system to remain calm and centered even when stressful thoughts, emotions, or situations come your way. Some ways to cultivate mindfulness include:
1. Meditation
Meditation involves focusing your attention on something like your breath, a meaningful word or phrase, or bodily sensations. Seated meditation is very common, but you can also try walking, eating, exercising, or doing household chores mindfully.
A few minutes of daily meditation makes a difference. One study found that people who meditated for 25 minutes per day for 3 days showed less of the stress hormone cortisol. Meditating for just 10 minutes before a stressful task can help you stay composed too.
2. Body Scans
A body scan is a systematic mindfulness practice where you pay attention to different parts of the body. You can do a full body scan by starting at the toes and gradually working your way up to the head, or target a specific area, like the back or shoulders.
Notice any tension, pain, warmth, pulsing, or other sensations without judgment and with an attitude of curiosity. Body scans relieve stress by fully connecting you with your body in the present.
3. Mindful Daily Activities
You can cultivate mindfulness not just during meditation but also by bringing awareness to your everyday activities. Eat, walk, wash dishes, fold laundry, or brush your teeth with full focus. Tune into all 5 senses – what you see, hear, smell, taste, and touch.
This simple practice keeps you grounded in the here and now, rather than getting caught up in worries about the future or regrets over the past – both major contributors to stress.
Other Benefits of Mindfulness and Meditation
On top of relieving stress, mindfulness and meditation offer many additional benefits including:
- Reduced anxiety and depression
- Greater emotional resilience
- Increased focus and mental clarity
- Better sleep
- Higher quality relationships
- Lower blood pressure
- Stronger immune function
The power of mindfulness truly lies in its simplicity. By repeatedly redirecting your attention to the present moment, you can form a greater sense of calm and inner peace.
Tips for Getting Started
Making breathing exercises and mindfulness practices part of your daily routine takes commitment and practice. Here are some tips for getting started:
| Breathing Exercises | Mindfulness Practices |
|---|---|
| – Set reminders to pause and take a few belly breaths throughout the day | – Download a meditation app like Calm, Headspace or Insight Timer |
| – Follow along with breathing exercise videos on YouTube | – Start small – try a 5 or 10 minute guided meditation |
| – Download a breathing app to guide your practice | – Practice mindful eating – notice flavors, textures, scents |
| – Notice areas of body tension and use breathing to relax | – Take a mindful walk – observe surroundings with fresh eyes |
| – Practice breathing exercises before bed for better sleep | – Set reminders to pause and take mindful moments throughout the day |
At first, it may feel unnatural to take time for these practices each day. But many studies confirm that both breathing exercises and mindfulness deliver incredible benefits related to both physical and mental health. Make de-stressing a priority by setting aside small chunks of time to devote to these techniques.
Other Stress Management Techniques
While breathing and mindfulness are two of the most effective stress management tools, many other techniques can also help you find calm:
Exercise
Physical activity is one of the most potent antidotes to stress. Try to get at least 30 minutes per day of exercise like brisk walking, running, cycling, swimming, dancing, strength training, yoga, or any activity you enjoy. This releases endorphins and other feel-good brain chemicals that relieve tension.
Healthy Eating
Fueling your body with nutrient-dense whole foods keeps energy and mood stable. Skip highly processed items which cause blood sugar spikes and crashes. Eat plenty of antioxidant-rich fruits, veggies, whole grains, lean proteins, nuts and seeds.
Nature Exposure
Spending time outside surrounded by green space, trees, and wildlife instantly relaxes the mind. Go for a hike, have a picnic in the park, garden, or simply sit outside and observe nature. The sights, sounds, and smells promote calm.
Relaxation Techniques
Dedicate intentional time to relaxation daily. Try soothing activities like reading, taking a hot bath, gentle stretching, listening to music, painting, or any hobby you find calming. This gives frazzled nerves a chance to reset.
Talk It Out
Bottling up stress can make it worse. Venting your feelings to a trusted friend or family member often provides relief. Opening up is a chance to gain perspective and realize you’re not alone. If needed, see a therapist for extra support.
Laughter and Play
It’s true – laughter really is great medicine, for both the mind and body. Watch a comedy show, play with kids or pets, tell jokes with friends, or find other ways to infuse humor and playfulness into your day. This lifts your mood and eases tension fast.
Know Your Stress Triggers and Signs
Everyone experiences stress differently. The first step in managing stress effectively is identifying your personal triggers – situations that spark anxiety for you. Common triggers include:
- Heavy workload
- Financial issues
- Relationship conflicts
- Major life changes
- Health problems
- Work frustrations
- Lack of sleep
Also tune into the physical, emotional, and behavioral signs your body shows when under stress. Signals may include:
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Stomachache
- Change in appetite
- Teeth grinding
- Muscle tension
- Chest pain
- Anxiety
- Restlessness
- Depression
- Anger or irritability
- Trouble concentrating
- Withdrawing from people
- Change in sex drive
Once you’re aware of your personal stress fingerprints, you can start to manage them proactively using techniques like breathing, meditation, exercise, social support, and other relaxation habits.
Get Pro Help for Significant Stress
If you feel completely overwhelmed by stress with no signs of relief, seek professional assistance. A therapist can help you get to the root of issues and find healthy coping strategies. Your doctor may also prescribe anti-anxiety or antidepressant medication in some cases.
Signs that it’s time to get outside help include:
- Stress causing major disruption in work, relationships, health, or quality of life
- Inability to handle daily responsibilities
- Thoughts of harming yourself or others
- Feelings of depression or panic that won’t subside
- Turning to drugs, alcohol, or other unhealthy habits to cope
- High blood pressure, chest pain, digestive issues, insomnia, or other stress-induced symptoms that won’t improve
Asking for support is not a sign of weakness. It’s simply acknowledging that stress can sometimes be too much to handle alone. Prioritizing your mental health with professional care leads to better overall wellbeing.
Conclusion
Unpleasant as it may be, stress will always be a fact of life. But you have more power than you realize to keep it under control before it takes over and impacts your health and happiness. Learning skills like diaphragmatic breathing, meditation, mindfulness, exercise, and other relaxation techniques will help you weather life’s storms.
Make stress management a top priority by practicing self-care daily. Stay aware of your personal stress signals and have a plan to engage in soothing habits as soon as tension starts mounting. With time and consistency, you can train your mind and body to remain cool, calm, and collected in the face of whatever challenges come your way.