Feeling stressed? Tips for how to reduce stress in your daily life
overwhelming and frustrating. On those days, it’s important to have strategies in place to reduce stress. We spoke with experts to give you the best tips for reducing stress.
Dr. Jessi Gold, a psychiatrist, assistant professor and director of wellness, engagement and outreach at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, describes a holistic approach to reducing stress, which means addressing the mental, emotional, physical and spiritual components of health and healing.
Here are Dr. Gold’s top suggestions for how to reduce stress:
5 ways to reduce stress:
- Take time for yourself. Gold says, “As hard as it is to do, trying to find time, even 5 minutes for yourself and doing something you like, can make a difference. What you do for that time is up to you, but some people find things like mindfulness, exercise and journaling helpful for stress reduction.”
- Have a routine. Gold emphasizes that having a routine around sleep and eating can be particularly helpful.
- Create boundaries between work and home. Sometimes, you need to set limits and just say no. “No doesn’t mean you are a mean person, it just means you are prioritizing yourself and your wellbeing,” Gold assures.
- Recognize the signs and symptoms of chronic stress. Gold explains, “If you can recognize the signs and symptoms, you might be able to intervene earlier. Turning to someone you trust in those moments, a friend or family member, and talking to them about what you are experiencing can often be helpful.”
- Talk to a therapist. Gold says, “Some people might find significant benefit talking to a therapist to help with their stress, particularly as the source of stress often shows no sign of changing or improving any time soon. If it is relationship-focused, sometimes couples therapy can help. Others might appreciate some workplace-focused modifications and skills training from an occupational therapist or even a coach.”
How to stop stressing. Are medications helpful?
That depends.
Dr. Patricia Simone, a cognitive neuroscientist and professor of psychology at Santa Clara University, describes some of the social factors that may influence one’s susceptibility to feeling chronically stressed:
“Do we feel we have the social support of friends or family to talk to, or rely on?” Simone says. “This can make a big difference to coping with stress. Our overall health matters too. If we’re already impacted with chronic conditions like diabetes or arthritis, our ability to deal with stress is reduced. Financial stability is another resource that can help us deal with stress. So if we’re alone, frail, and/or living in poverty, dealing with stress is all the more difficult.”
Simone offers a few lifestyle changes that may help reduce stress:
- Relaxation techniques (e.g., yoga, breathing, meditation)
- Exercise
- Social engagement. Volunteering just 2 hours a week can help us maintain our functional ability and handle stressful situations.
Gold echoes the importance of lifestyle changes, but adds that in some instances, medication may be appropriate. “While many symptoms of chronic stress can be managed with lifestyle or work environment changes, or going to therapy, sometimes chronic stress can develop into a mental health disorder like depression, panic attacks or generalized anxiety disorder. In those circumstances, medication may be helpful or even necessary.”
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