10 Simple Ways to Relieve Stress

Exercise doesn’t necessarily mean power lifting at the gym or training for a marathon. A short walk around the office or simply standing up to stretch during a break at work can offer immediate relief in a stressful situation. That’s where quick stress relief comes in. While just about any form of physical activity can help burn away tension and stress, rhythmic activities are especially effective.

Try to avoid sugary snacks and plan ahead. Fruits and vegetables are always good, and fish with high levels of omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to reduce the symptoms of stress. While you’re exercising, make a conscious effort to pay attention to your body and the physical sensations you experience as you’re moving. Focus on coordinating your breathing with your movements, for example, or notice how the air or sunlight feels on your skin. Adding this mindfulness element will help you break out of the cycle of negative thoughts that often accompanies overwhelming stress.

Coping Strategies

In today’s society, stress and change often are thought of as the same thing. Stress is a physiological and psychological response to situations the body and mind find to be overwhelming. We often ask ourselves how we should manage stress. There are many ways people manage stress and reduce the overall stress of day-to-day activities. Whether you’ve been dumped by your date or you’ve had a rough day at the office, having healthy coping skills can be key to getting through tough times. Coping skills help you tolerate, minimize, and deal with stressful situations in life. Psychologists are trained to help you develop strategies to manage stress effectively and make changes to help improve your overall health.

Get support.Confide in family and friends, or turn to someone professional. Expressing how you feel can be cathartic. Also, it’s important to express your feelings instead of bottling them healthy ways to cope with stress up, because that can add to your stress. This mental health reading list includes books written by ADAA mental health experts for the public and professionals to support your journey.

Stress and Heart Health

The licensed mental health providers listed in this directory specialize in anxiety, depression, OCD, PTSD, and related disorders. All providers listed are professional members of ADAA who have chosen to be included in this database. Physical exercise is an excellent way to reduce stress (going to the gym, going for a bike ride, or whatever you like to do—any activity will work). The one-two rhythm of walking can also induce the relaxation response and help your brain to subconsciously solve your problems. When you practice this regularly, like I do, your brain architecture can physically change. Your stress center, the amygdala, will shrink, and your more rational cortex will increase in size, helping you to be calmer and more focused in life. It’s truly amazing—such a powerful and healing way to cope.