How to Relieve Stress: 14 Simple Techniques That Work

Many people deal with stress every day. Work, family problems, health issues, and financial obligations are part of everyday life and commonly contribute to increased stress levels.

In addition, factors such as genetics, the level of social support, coping style, and personality type influence a person’s resilience to stress, meaning that some people are more likely to experience stress than others. Furthermore, research shows that parents and people in professions such as healthcare and social work are more likely to experience higher levels of stress.

To maintain overall health, it is important to minimize the chronic stress of everyday life as much as possible. This is because chronic stress is harmful to health and increases the risk of conditions such as heart disease, anxiety disorders, and depression.

Here are 14 simple ways to relieve stress.

It is important to understand that stress is not the same as mental health disorders, such as anxiety and depression, which require treatment from a doctor. Although the tips listed below can alleviate many types of stress, they may not help people with these conditions.

1. Get moving

If you're feeling stressed, regular physical activity can help.

Many studies have shown that physical activity helps reduce stress levels and improves mood, while a sedentary lifestyle can lead to increased stress, low mood, and sleep disturbances.

What's more, it has been shown that regular exercise improves symptoms of common mental health conditions, such as anxiety and depression.

If you’re currently inactive, start with light activities, such as walking or biking. Choosing an activity you enjoy can help increase your chances of sticking with it over the long term.

2. Eat a healthy diet

Diet affects every aspect of health, including mental health.

Chronic stress can lead to overeating and a craving for highly palatable foods, which can harm your overall health and mood.

In addition, not eating a varied diet can increase the risk of deficiencies in nutrients essential for regulating stress and mood, such as magnesium and B vitamins.

Minimizing your intake of industrially processed foods and beverages and eating more whole foods—such as vegetables, fruits, beans, fish, nuts, and seeds—can help ensure proper nutrition for the body. This, in turn, can improve your resilience to stress.

3. Limit your phone use and screen time

Smartphones, computers, and tablets are an essential part of daily life for many people.

Although these devices are often indispensable, using them too often can increase stress levels.

A number of studies link excessive smartphone use and “iPhone addiction” to increased levels of stress and mental health issues.

Spending too much time in front of screens is generally associated with lower psychological well-being and higher stress levels in both adults and children.

In addition, screen time can negatively affect sleep, which can also lead to increased stress levels.

4. Consider dietary supplements

Several vitamins and minerals play an important role in the body’s stress response and mood regulation. A deficiency in one or more of these nutrients can affect mental health and the ability to cope with stress.

Several studies have shown that certain dietary supplements may help reduce stress and improve mood.

For example, if you're under chronic stress, your magnesium levels may become depleted.

Since this mineral plays an important role in the body's stress response, it's important to make sure you get enough of it every day.

An 8-week study of 264 people with low magnesium levels found that taking 300 mg of this mineral daily helped reduce stress levels. Combining this dose of magnesium with vitamin B6 was even more effective.

Other supplements, including rhodiola, ashwagandha, B vitamins, and L-theanine, have also been shown to help reduce stress.

However, dietary supplements may not be suitable or safe for everyone. If you are interested in using supplements to help relieve stress, consult your doctor.

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5. Take Care of Yourself

Make time for self-care, which can help you reduce your stress levels.

Tips:

  • Go for walks
  • Relax in the bathtub
  • Light a candle
  • Read a good book
  • Work out
  • Prepare a healthy meal
  • Stretch before going to bed
  • Treat yourself to a massage
  • Pursue your hobbies
  • Get a diffuser with soothing scents
  • Try some yoga

Studies show that people who practice self-care have lower stress levels and a better quality of life, while a lack of self-care is associated with a higher risk of stress and burnout.

Making time for yourself is essential for a healthy life. This is especially important for people who tend to be very stressed, including nurses, doctors, teachers, and others.

Taking care of yourself doesn't have to be complicated. It simply means looking after your well-being and happiness.

Exposing yourself to certain scents through candles or essential oils can be particularly soothing. Here are a few relaxing scents:

  • rose
  • lavender
  • bergamot
  • Roman chamomile
  • neroli
  • incense
  • sandalwood
  • orange or orange blossom
  • geranium
  • ylang-ylang
  • vetiver

The use of scents to improve one's mood is called aromatherapy.

6. Reduce your caffeine intake

Caffeine is a chemical found in coffee, tea, chocolate, and energy drinks that stimulates the central nervous system.

Excessive consumption can worsen and intensify feelings of anxiety.

In addition, excessive caffeine consumption can disrupt sleep. This, in turn, can exacerbate symptoms of stress and anxiety.

People have different tolerance levels for caffeine. If you notice that caffeine makes you feel nervous or anxious, consider replacing coffee or energy drinks with herbal tea or water.

7. Open up to your friends and family

Social support from friends and family can help you get through stressful times and cope with stress.

Having a social support system is important for your overall mental health. If you feel lonely and don’t have friends or family you can rely on, social support groups can help you. Consider joining a club, a sports team, or volunteering for a cause that’s important to you.

8. Set boundaries and learn to say no

You can't control all stressors, but you can control some of them. If you take on too much, it can increase your stress levels and limit the amount of time you can devote to self-care.

Taking control of your personal life can help reduce stress and protect your mental health.

One way to achieve this might be to say “no” more often. This is especially true when you realize you’re taking on more than you can handle, because juggling so many responsibilities can leave you feeling overwhelmed.

Being selective about what you take on—and saying “no” to things that unnecessarily add to your workload—can reduce your stress levels.

In addition, setting boundaries—especially with people who increase your stress levels—is a healthy way to protect your well-being. It can be as simple as asking a friend or family member not to drop by unannounced, or canceling plans with a friend who tends to create drama.

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9. Learn to Avoid Procrastination

Another way to manage stress is to stay on top of your priorities and avoid procrastination.

Procrastination can hurt your productivity and leave you scrambling to catch up. This can cause stress, which negatively affects your health and the quality of your sleep.

If you find yourself procrastinating regularly, it may be helpful to create a to-do list organized by priority. Set realistic deadlines and work through the list.

Work on the things you need to get done today, and give yourself plenty of uninterrupted time. Switching between tasks—or multitasking—can be stressful in and of itself.

10. Go to a yoga class

Yoga has become a popular method for relieving stress and staying active among people of all ages.

Although yoga styles vary, most of them share a common goal—to unite the body and mind by increasing awareness of the body and breath.

Several studies show that yoga helps reduce stress and symptoms of anxiety and depression. In addition, it can promote mental well-being.

Yoga can also help lower cortisol levels, blood pressure, and heart rate, while increasing levels of gamma-aminobutyric acid, a neurotransmitter that is low in people with mood disorders.

11. Cuddle

Human touch can have a calming effect and help you cope better with stress.

For example, studies show that positive physical contact and sex can help alleviate stress and loneliness.

These types of contact can help release oxytocin and lower cortisol. These effects, in turn, help lower blood pressure and heart rate. Both high blood pressure and an elevated heart rate are physical symptoms of stress.

It's interesting that humans aren't the only animals that cuddle to relieve stress. Chimpanzees also cuddle with friends who are stressed.

12. Get out into nature

Spending more time outdoors can help reduce stress.

Studies show that spending time in green spaces, such as parks and forests, and immersing oneself in nature are healthy ways to manage stress.

Spending just 10 minutes in nature can help improve psychological and physiological indicators of mental well-being, including perceived stress and happiness.

Hiking and camping are great options, but some people don’t enjoy these activities—or don’t have access to them. Even if you live in an urban area, you can seek out green spaces such as local parks, arboretums, and botanical gardens.

13. Practice deep breathing

Mental stress activates the nervous system and puts your body into fight-or-flight mode.

During this response, stress hormones trigger physical symptoms such as a rapid heartbeat, rapid breathing, and constricted blood vessels.

Deep breathing exercises can help activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which controls the relaxation response. These exercises include diaphragmatic breathing, abdominal breathing, and guided breathing.

The goal of deep breathing is to focus your attention on your breath so that it becomes slower and deeper. When you take a deep breath through your nose, your lungs expand fully and your abdomen rises. This helps slow your heart rate, allowing you to feel calm.

14. Adopt a pet

Having a pet can help reduce stress and improve your mood.

When you cuddle or touch your pet, your body releases oxytocin—a hormone associated with a positive mood.

Furthermore, studies show that pet owners—especially those who have dogs—tend to be more satisfied with their lives, have higher self-esteem, experience lower levels of loneliness and anxiety, and have a more positive mood.

Having a pet can also help relieve stress by giving you a sense of purpose, keeping you active, and providing companionship.

In Conclusion

Although stress is an inevitable part of life, chronic stress takes a toll on both physical and mental health.

Fortunately, there are several evidence-based strategies that can help you reduce stress and improve your overall mental well-being.

Exercise, mindfulness, spending time with a pet, minimizing screen time, and spending more time outdoors are effective methods.

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