Chronic stress is known as the "silent killer" of the modern era, and that's why being conscious of your body's signals is so essential. The 2024 results of the American Psychiatric Association’s annual mental health poll indicate that U.S. adults are experiencing higher levels of anxiety. In 2024, 43% of adults reported feeling more anxious than the previous year. In the United States, heart disease is the leading cause of death, often linked to chronic stress.
Acknowledging and addressing stress promptly can lead to a more balanced and fulfilling life. Recognizing symptoms like irritability, anxiety, and insomnia allows you to take proactive steps toward emotional well-being and healthier living. Come along, and let's prioritize mental health together.
This article will present actionable, science-backed strategies for reducing stress based on expert advice, including insights from top books like 'The End of Stress,' 'Hardcore Self Help,' and 'Cleaning up Your Mental Mess.'
The causes of stress
Stress is the body's response to external or internal pressures that can impact a person's physical and mental well-being. When used in small amounts, this response can help individuals to handle emergencies or react swiftly to threats. Many people also experience stress during social interactions. However, when stress becomes chronic or excessive, it can negatively affect physical and mental health.
But what happens in the body during a stress reaction?
When perceiving a threat, the brain signals the adrenal glands to secrete stress hormones — adrenaline and cortisol. This action activates your body's internal reserves, which increase muscle strength, reaction speed, endurance, and pain threshold. These essential reactions help the body fight or escape the source of danger. Usually, when the threat disappears, your body returns to a relaxed state. This process is also called the fight-or-flight response.
Modern life's continuous information flow and rapid changes encourage people to push their bodies to work at full capacity. However, exhaustion sets in when the stress alarm doesn't turn off. Stress symptoms vary depending on circumstances and individual characteristics. While serious traumatic events can cause acute stress disorder, prolonged stress exhausts the body and creates lasting effects.
How stress takes a toll on your health
Emotional stress profoundly affects physical health because of the mind-body connection. As Don Joseph Goewey explains in 'The End of Stress,' when stress is prolonged or chronic, it can lead to a variety of physical health problems, including:
• Cardiovascular problems: Emotional stress triggers the release of stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol, which increase heart rate and blood pressure. Over time, this can lead to conditions such as hypertension, heart disease, and even heart attacks.
• Suppression of the immune system: Chronic stress compromises the immune system, increasing the body's vulnerability to illnesses such as infections and colds. This response occurs due to the persistent release of cortisol, which suppresses immune function.
• Gastrointestinal problems: Emotional stress can cause or worsen gastrointestinal conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), acid reflux, or ulcers. Stress alters digestion and can lead to stomach pain, bloating, and other digestive problems.
• Sleep disturbances: People under emotional stress often experience insomnia, restless sleep, or other sleep disturbances, which can lead to fatigue, irritability, and subsequent deterioration of physical health.
• Chronic pains: Stress is associated with increased muscle tension, sparking various forms such as headaches and back pain.
The danger of these conditions is that over time, they transform into serious pathologies — heart rhythm disturbances, stroke, heart attack, gastritis, peptic ulcer, and depression. Stress also causes the development of neurotic syndrome, the manifestation of which is chronic fatigue syndrome and professional burnout.
"Neurologically, a brain chronically under stress is simply incapable of sustaining peak performance day in, day out." – Don Joseph Goewey, 'The End of Stress'
How does stress affect mental health?
"Eighty percent of depressed cases are preceded by major stressful events that cause a buildup of stress hormones." – Don Joseph Goewey, 'The End of Stress'
Chronic stress can lead to various neurological disorders. For example, it is linked to a higher risk of developing depression, anxiety disorders, and other mental illnesses.
Problems with concentration and memory: During stressful situations, the brain focuses on the most urgent issues. It can lead to problems with concentration and the ability to absorb new information. Over time, prolonged stress can affect cognitive function, making a person less productive.
Anxiety and depression: Under the influence of constant stress, the level of cortisol increases, which can cause feelings of anxiety. In some cases, stress can lead to the development of depressive states, when a person feels chronic fatigue, apathy, and loss of interest in life.
Emotional instability: People experiencing high levels of stress often become irritable or emotionally vulnerable. They may experience mood swings, which negatively affect relationships with others.
Practical techniques for reducing stress
While it's impossible to eliminate all stressors from your life, learning stress management can help reduce their negative impact. Fortunately, several techniques can help people significantly reduce their feelings and reactions during stressful situations. Relaxation techniques and a healthy lifestyle can improve your everyday life and wellness. Here are practical ways to manage stress and prevent it:
1. Do more physical activity
"In fact, when it comes to exercise, your nervous system changes first, followed by your muscles." ― Caroline Leaf, 'Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess'
Make physical activity a part of your life. It reduces the cortisol level, can uplift you, and allows you to enjoy life more. Studies confirm that regular exercise can reduce stress and relieve symptoms of anxiety. Adults should do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week.
According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), regular physical activity can reduce the adverse effects of stress by reducing fatigue, improving alertness, increasing concentration, and improving cognitive abilities.
Physical exercise is considered an effective non-drug method of self-soothing. Playing sports stimulates the production of endorphins, neurotransmitters that are natural painkillers responsible for improving mood. Endorphins cause a feeling of relaxation and optimism after a hard workout. Additionally, physical activity can be used as a form of meditation, helping you distract yourself from obsessive thoughts. Repetition of movements during exercise allows you to focus on your body rather than chewing on your thoughts. Such focus can help maintain calm and clarity of mind.
Any exercise can be beneficial: running, brisk walking, cycling, playing your favorite sport, or practicing your favorite dance. Moderate muscle-strengthening exercises can also help. Moreover, even gardening can help reduce stress and count as moderate exercise.
2. Practice mindfulness and meditation
"A mental mess produces a messy life." ― Caroline Leaf, 'Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess'
MBSR (Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction) is an approach to addressing psychological difficulties that combines mindfulness with ideas about stress management. This program is officially recognized as an effective therapy and is recommended in treatment protocols for various psychological problems. Mindfulness can be understood as nonjudgmental acceptance and "open" exploration of your experience, including body sensations, thoughts, emotions, impulses, and memories, to reduce stress and increase mental immunity.
Regulating your emotions starts with staying in tune with how you feel, no matter how intense those emotions might be. When you develop this awareness, you gain the power to choose your thoughts and responses thoughtfully. This ability helps you face life's challenges with greater confidence and resilience.
How you can practice mindfulness as a stress reliever:
Mind-body exercises include yoga, tai chi, and qigong. They are usually physical activities that require concentration.
You can practice mindful eating, focusing on the taste, smell, and sensation of each bite of food.
Try practicing meditation while walking at a leisurely pace. You can pay attention to your body's movements, your surroundings, the scent of the air, and your breathing.
Sound therapy methods involve sound waves and vibrations that promote healing and relaxation (listening to gongs, tuning forks, classical music, binaural beats, and solfeggio).
"The brain is never the same because it changes with every experience you have, every moment of every day—and you control this with your unique thinking, feeling, and choosing. You use your mind to use your brain. You are the architect of your brain." ― Caroline Leaf, 'Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess'
3. Breathing exercises
"Frustration, angst, anger, grief, and so on are emotional and physical warning signals telling us we need to face and deal with something that's happened or is happening in our life." ― Caroline Leaf, 'Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess'
Coping strategies typically involve actively doing the opposite of what the sympathetic nervous system automatically does. For example, while the sympathetic nervous system increases breathing rate and makes breathing shallower when stressed, researchers have found that we can actively counteract stressors by taking slow, deep breaths into our abdomen.
To start practicing these breathing exercises, start with preparation:
Find a quiet place, such as a cozy corner without distractions, where you can focus.
Get into a comfortable position. Sit or lie down so that your body is relaxed.
Calm your mind. Focus on your body's sensations, such as your breathing or heartbeat. This approach will help you break away from anxious thoughts.
4-7-8 breathing: This technique helps prevent panic attacks and insomnia. Start by exhaling completely through your mouth. Inhale deeply through your nose, mentally counting to four. Hold your breath, counting to seven. Finally, exhale with your mouth open, counting to eight.
Deep breathing: You've probably practiced this type of breathing if you've ever taken a yoga class.
Find a comfortable, quiet place where you won't be distracted. Breathe deeply through your nose for five seconds. Then, breathe out slowly through your nose for five seconds. Focus only on the movement of your breath.
As you inhale, your diaphragm contracts, drawing air into your lungs. This method is also known as diaphragmatic or abdominal breathing. Consistent practice helps you relax, lowers your heart rate, speeds up your metabolism, and helps lower your blood pressure.
4. Shift negative thoughts with productive ones
"Just like the annoying party guest, you are not pretending that those thoughts and feelings do not exist. You are simply deciding not to let them run the show." ― Robert Duff, 'Hardcore Self Help'
Unfortunately, many often find themselves under the influence of negative emotions that generate internal thoughts about themselves. In turn, that can lead to a decrease in positive well-being and even cause depression.
In Hardcore Self-Help, Robert Duff advises stopping negative self-talk. One of the key aspects of maintaining a positive attitude toward yourself is being aware of your thoughts and how they impact your well-being. Often, your thoughts can be automatic and negative, but you must recognize that you can change them to foster a more positive internal dialogue. For instance, instead of telling yourself, "I failed this task," you might say, "I am taking steps to handle this task, and each step brings me closer to success." This approach helps transform negative thoughts into positive ones and supports a healthier attitude toward yourself.
Practice positive affirmations and reinforcement to maintain a positive attitude toward yourself daily.
Learn to accept your shortcomings and mistakes as a normal part of the process of self-improvement and development.
Meditation, positive thinking, and cognitive behavioral therapy techniques can help redirect attention to positive aspects and reduce the impact of negative thoughts.
"Master the power of attitude and you'll live a powerful life." – Don Joseph Goewey, 'The End of Stress'
5. Strengthen social connections
Communicating positively with peers enhances brain function. Personal communication is incredibly therapeutic and significantly more helpful than contact via instant messengers or social media. Important information is transmitted through nonverbal channels. Therefore, talking to your loved one or spending time with your family members (if you are in a good relationship) significantly mitigates the adverse effects of stress. If the stress becomes too much, don't hesitate to seek support from a psychologist or coach who will help you cope with your emotions.
6. Remember to prioritize self-care
"A healthy lifestyle is important; we should all eat wholesome food, exercise regularly, sleep well and enough, control our stress, limit our screen time, and get outside more, insofar as is possible based on our unique life circumstances. More and more research is showing how many diseases are lifestyle-related (which includes what we think about), so what we choose to do and not do can have important consequences for our mental and physical well-being." ― Caroline Leaf, 'Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess'
Fulfilling your needs for regular physical activity, enough sleep, and balanced nutrition is essential for strengthening your resilience to stress. In 'Why We Sleep,' Matthew Walker calls sleep deprivation "slow euthanasia." Lack of sleep significantly undermines stress resistance.
It is essential to make time for relaxation and enjoyable hobbies. Whether reading a good book, listening to music, exploring your creativity, or unwinding in a peaceful spot, these activities bring joy to your life.
7. Your healthy diet can be stress-resistant
American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine notifies that nutrition can help you cope with experiences and maintain self-control. Make sure you don't skip meals, as this can lead to a drop in blood sugar levels, making you feel nervous and anxious and reducing your cognitive abilities. Experiencing anxiety and stress is linked to a decrease in overall antioxidant levels in the body. To boost antioxidant intake, consider incorporating the following foods into your diet:
Beans
Fruits, like apples, cherries, and plums
Berries, such as blackberries, strawberries, cranberries, raspberries, and blueberries
Nuts, like walnuts, pecans, and Brazil nuts
Vegetables such as cabbage, spinach, beets, and broccoli
Spices, like turmeric and ginger, possess both antioxidant and calming properties.
These foods can help improve your antioxidant status and support your overall well-being.
Explore the topic of stress relief in greater detail with the Headway app
Realizing that stress affects you is the beginning of the journey. The insights from the books offered by the Headway app are practical. We recommend listening to the following book summaries:
'The End of Stress' by Don Joseph Goewey
Don Joseph Goewey was the head of the Department of Psychiatry at Stanford Medical School. Goewey has worked with people in complicated life circumstances and has developed long-term advice on ending stress in your life. According to Goewey, awareness, acceptance, gratitude, and changing perspective are the main steps.
'Hardcore Self Help' by Robert Duff.
The most crucial aspect of Duff's work is the attitude he conveys to the reader throughout the entire narrative. He emphasizes that while anxiety, fears, and phobias are real, they are also challenges that can be managed. Ultimately, a person is more substantial than their emotions.
'Cleaning up Your Mental Mess' by Dr. Caroline Leaf
Dr. Leaf's recommendations are based on scientific and medical research. They provide models for correct thinking that will lead to inner wholeness and physical health. The author introduces a science-based, five-step process called the Neurocycle, which helps identify, manage, and rewire negative thought patterns to enhance mental clarity and emotional resilience.
Download the Headway app and explore the book summaries for deeper insights on managing stress, mindfulness, and mental health. Headway is a convenient app for listening to and reading top self-help book summaries. You can find solutions for many life situations and change your life with gained knowledge. Develop and resist stress with Headway!
