Stress is one of the truly universal human experiences — and no one exactly enjoys being frazzled or feeling unable to handle a new situation.
However, stress also can be a powerful, and even positive, motivator. For example, starting a new job might make you sweat, but it also may be deeply satisfying to take on a new professional challenge. Ideally, stress can lead to personal growth and make you more adaptable in new or uncertain situations.
But when stress becomes too overwhelming or chronic — like during a global pandemic, the loss of a loved one or extended financial difficulties — stress can undermine your quality of life. Chronic stress, for example, can not only cause day-to-day issues with concentration, fatigue and headaches, but can put you at higher risk of many health problems like heart disease, depression, cancer and insomnia.
It is possible to better manage and reduce stress. Of course, there is no magic bullet to remove life’s stressors. In fact, some stressors aren’t just personal but systemic — forces like poverty, oppression, racism and sexism can’t be addressed with simple tweaks on an individual level. But there are ways to shape your own relationship to stress and invite in more opportunities for joy, connection and rest.
Try to:
- Take stock of how stress shows up in your life. What usually causes the most stress? Are there certain environments, people or situations that weigh on you? While it’s not always possible to avoid stressors, consider how you can better mitigate their impact. You may, for example, change how you interact with someone, ask for help, strengthen work-life boundaries, step back from a project, or shift toward more positive talk about yourself and your circumstances.
- Consider how you might invest in your holistic well-being. Of course, maintaining a good diet, exercise and sleep routine can help you be more resilient. Connecting with loved ones might be deprioritized during stressful periods, but research has shown that strong social support helps people better weather stress. This can be as simple as catching up with a friend, going for a distraction-free walk with your partner or talking through a problem with a trusted confidant. In moments of stress, practices like guided meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, and deep breathing can help calm you and clear your mind.
There are many strategies and resources to choose from, and luckily there are no wrong answers. Focus on the activities and relationships that bring you ease, joy or a little bit of calm in your hectic life. To help get you started, Mayo Clinic experts share how they manage stress in their own lives.
Katherine “Kate” A. Zeratsky, R.D.N., specialty editor for the Mayo Clinic Nutrition and Healthy Eating Guide
“Exercise has always been my go-to, before I even recognized what stress was. Now when stressed, I can also appreciate that in addition to the physical movement, that changes in how I’m breathing helps reduce stress. Paying attention to my breathing (even at rest) helps in my stress management. If I can be outside or even look out a window while exercising, that is a bonus — joy!”
Paul Yardley, Mayo Clinic well-being specialist
“Acceptance that some things are out of my control, [in addition to] gratitude, exercise, paced breathing, being with my dogs.”
Juliana “Jewel” Kling, M.D., M.P.H., professor of medicine and chair of Women’s Health Internal Medicine
“Exercise. Even a small walk can help reduce stress. Sometimes more vigorous exercise is what you need — cue the Peloton!”
Craig N. Sawchuk, Ph.D., L.P., professor of psychology, co-chair of Clinical Practice and co-chair of the Division of Integrated Behavioral Health, Department of Psychiatry and Psychology
“Coffee! Absolutely love coffee. Although caffeine can certainly run the risk of adding to physical symptoms of stress, the smell, culture and sense of community that comes with coffee instantly helps me de-stress. My wife, kids, and I love to do our Starbucks runs and explore new locations during our travels. Snagging a coffee with my colleagues at work is one of the things that I truly look forward to during my work week — it’s a great way to connect, collaborate and support each other.”
Daniel Roberts, M.D., hospitalist, senior medical editor of the Mayo Clinic Health Letter
“Reading and re-reading David Allen’s “Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress Free Productivity” made me aware of how much of my stress was from open loops I wasn’t dealing with because I assumed I’d get to them when inspiration struck or I had nothing else going on. As I’ve gotten older — and after the pandemic shifted a lot of my nonclinical work to home, where I had been lousy for decades at setting work/family boundaries — I’ve become more of a list-keeper, even for the mundane stuff. Knowing it’s on the list and that I’ll get to it at an actual time that isn’t right before the deadline, allows me to work when I need to work and not work when I need to be a husband and father.”
Tara M. Schmidt, M.Ed., R.D.N., lead dietitian for the Mayo Clinic Diet
“While I do love a good book, true stress relief for me is when I can talk openly with others. It may be my best friend and I reminding each other that toddlers are toddlers or talking through an overwhelming project with a colleague. I don’t feel as alone when someone I’m close to shares a similar experience or can validate my point of view. I tend to come out of the conversation feeling less overwhelmed.”
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