There never seems to be enough time in the day, between work, cooking, cleaning, laundry, etc. When you feel stressed and overwhelmed, it can be difficult to maintain a positive outlook on life. Worked three-night shifts in a row? Haven’t done laundry in over a week? Stressors like this can plague the mind of anyone, especially a nurse who just worked a 12-hour shift. Going home from work and having to make dinner (or breakfast) or helping the kids with their homework can seem unmanageable. While stress itself is a normal part of life, there are healthy ways to manage and reduce it. 

1. Deep breathing

When someone is stressed, they breathe quicker, their heart races, and their hands begin to sweat. In addition to quick, shallow breaths that only seem to worsen the anxiety. In contrast, when someone is relaxed or managing their stress, they take slow, deep breaths. Not only is this healthier, but it is a lot less stress on the body. Maintaining normal breathing is an important way to lower one’s stress and prevent stress from overwhelming you. The feeling of anxiety is unpleasant, to say the least, so practice deep breathing the next time you feel stress coming on. 

2. Exercise

Exercise is great in every way for a person’s health, but that is already known. However, exercise is proven to be a healthy way to get rid of stress as opposed to unhealthy methods like drinking. When someone works out, not only are they distracting themselves mentally, but physically they are unwinding the tensed shoulders/neck of the person. Exercise is scientifically proven to relieve stress, improve concentration, and reduce fatigue. Frequent exercise has also been said to help you sleep better, which is often affected by stress. Even going for a ten-minute walk can dramatically improve your mood and overall happiness. If you have trouble finding the motivation to exercise, see if a friend or coworker will walk or work out with you. 

3. Express gratitude

Stress makes you focus on what is lacking in your life or something you have too much of. It can cause you to look at everything in a negative light instead of being more neutral and positive in the face of stressful situations. Expressing gratitude during difficult situations can be tough but will help you get through the situation. Knowing that an experience can be sad or unpleasant, yet believing that you still have plenty to be grateful for is important. There are certain struggles that can’t be overcome through gratitude like losing a loved one, or a pet dying. However, in more superficial situations like a bad day at work or a fight with your spouse, being grateful for what you have should help those negative feelings. 

4. Wake up earlier

Waking up late stresses everyone out, it’s definitely the worst way to start your day. It makes you feel immediately anxious and concerned about being late to work or school. When rushing you feel more worried about the day overall, and may even forget to pack your lunch. This is why getting up even earlier is a great way to lower stress. If you have a stressful day or a meeting approaching, especially on that day, you want to give yourself extra time and feel confident. Having a relaxing morning routine it makes the mornings something to look forward to. You can have your morning coffee or tea and mentally prepare for the day ahead of you. Not rushing to work is definitely a way to prevent stress and anxiety in your life. 

5. Spend time with pets

One of my favorite ways to calm down after a hectic day is to spend time with animals. How could cuddling with a puppy not make you happy? It is scientifically proven that snuggling or petting an animal can relieve anxiety in humans. And it makes pets feel loved and happy too. By petting your dog or cat after a stressful day, this reduces levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which tends to be elevated in people with anxiety. Also, spending time playing with your dog or cat before work can put you in a better mindset before starting your shift. 

There are many ways to reduce stress, but one of the main ones is to know that it cannot be prevented. Learning what works for you in the face of anxiety and stress can make the next stressful situation easier.