Life inevitably confronts us with a variety of stressors, whether they come from major traumatic events, significant life changes, or everyday hassles. While a moderate amount of stress can be beneficial, giving us the drive to move forward, too much stress can negatively impact our physical and mental health. To help you manage with stress, we’ve put together three effective strategies:

Abdominal breathing

Regulating your breath is one of the easiest ways to reach a state of relaxation. In fact, there are different breathing patterns—one associated with stress and another tied to relaxation. When we’re stressed, we tend to breathe quickly and irregularly from our chest; this is referred to as chest or thoracic breathing. In contrast, abdominal or diaphragmatic breathing involves a slower, more rhythmic pattern, allowing the air to fill and expand the abdomen. Practice abdominal breathing for five minutes each day by following these steps: 1) Place your hand on your stomach and inhale deeply, 2) as you exhale, gently press on your abdomen with your hand, letting your breath lift your hand as you inhale again.

Progressive relaxation

For a deeper relaxation, you might want to try techniques such as Jacobson’s progressive muscle relaxation. This technique is based on the idea that deep relaxation can be achieved by releasing tension stored in our muscles. The method involves contracting a specific muscle group for five to ten seconds, then releasing it for twenty to thirty seconds before moving on to the next group. The key is to pay attention to the contrast between the sensations of tension and relaxation.

Cognitive restructuring

To reduce your stress, you might also consider techniques that target the mind. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is one such approach that has proven its efficacy for treating various psychological issues, including anxiety. This method relies on the principle that certain thoughts can trigger stress and anxiety. The first step is to identify these thought patterns, known as cognitive distortions. You can do this creating a thought diary that includes three elements: the situation, automatic thought and emotion.. Then, begin the process of challenging and correcting these thoughts, a practice known as cognitive restructuring. Reflect on the accuracy of your automatic thought: is this a fact or have I made a false assumption?  

Conclusion

In conclusion, abdominal breathing, progressive relaxation, and cognitive restructuring are three effective techniques for managing stress. Give them a try to see if they work for you. If you don’t feel quite comfortable with them, remember that there are many other options to explore, such as mindfulness, yoga, box breathing, guided imagery, time management techniques, etc. 

Keep in mind that this article is just a brief overview of the topic. For a more comprehensive understanding, we suggest further reading, such as Stop Overthinking: 23 techniques to relieve stress, stop negative spirals, declutter your mind and focus on the present or The Relaxation & Stress Reduction Workbook.

Resources:

  • Trenton, N. (2022). Stop overthinking: 23 techniques to relieve stress, stop negative spirals, declutter your mind and focus on the present. Self-published.
  • McKay, M. (2015). The relaxation & stress reduction workbook. New Harbinger Publications.