Everyone feels stressed from time to time. Stress can give you a rush of energy when it’s needed most. But if stress lasts a long time – a condition known as chronic stress – those “high alert” changes become harmful rather than helpful. Learning healthy ways to cope with stress can also boost your resilience.
To help manage stress:
- Get enough sleep. Adults need 7 or more hours each night, school-age kids need 9-12 and teens need 8-10.
- Exercise regularly. Just 30 minutes a day of walking can boost mood and reduce stress.
- Build a social support network.
- Set priorities. Decide what must get done and what can wait. Say no to new tasks if they are putting you into overload.
- Show compassion for yourself. Note what you’ve accomplished at the end of the day, not what you didn’t.
- Schedule regular times for a relaxing activity that uses mindfulness/breathing exercises, like yoga or tai chi.
- Seek help. Talk to a mental health professional if you feel unable to cope, have suicidal thoughts, or use drugs or alcohol to cope.
Information taken from the National Institutes of Health