Healthy Ways to Deal with Stress · Take a deep breath, stretch, or meditate. But there's no one-size-fits-all solution for managing stress. That's why it's important to experiment and find out what works best for you. Whether you want to lower your overall stress levels, avoid unnecessary stressors in your life, or deal with stress in the moment, the following stress management techniques and strategies can help you:.
You can practice guided meditation, guided imagery, mindfulness, visualization, and other forms of meditation anywhere and at any time. For example, you can meditate when you go for a walk, take the bus to work, or wait in the health care provider's office. Try an app that shows you how to do these exercises. And you can try deep breathing anywhere. Try yoga on your own or find a class.
You can find classes in many areas. Hatha yoga, in particular, is a good stress reliever because of its slower pace and easier movements. To understand when stress is causing you a problem, try to connect your feelings or physical cues to the pressures you're facing in your life. Remember to pay attention to physical signs, such as muscle tension, excessive tiredness, headaches or migraines, as well as to emotional signals, such as irritability and the lack of memory.
It can also make you want to do things and be active. Regular body movement balances the nervous system and increases blood circulation, helping to eliminate stress hormones. Even a daily 20-minute walk makes a difference. Any type of exercise can reduce stress and improve your mood; simply choose activities that you enjoy and make them a regular habit.
