Health Conditions
Manage Stress
The Basics
Overview
Not all stress is bad. But too much stress, or feeling stressed for a long time, can lead to health problems.
Preventing and managing stress can lower your risk for other conditions — like heart disease, obesity, high blood pressure, and depression.
You can prevent or reduce stress by:
- Planning ahead
- Deciding which tasks to do first
- Preparing for stressful events
- Thinking about whether there are ways to solve ongoing problems that are causing you stress
- Limiting your contact with stressors if you can — like by taking breaks from the news or social media or avoiding situations that cause you stress
But some stress is hard to avoid, so it’s important to find healthy ways to manage your stress when it does happen. Healthy ways to manage stress include:
- Noticing signs of stress in your mind and body
- Taking time to relax
- Getting active, eating healthy, and sticking to a sleep routine
- Taking time for yourself to do things you enjoy
- Talking to friends and family
- Seeking help from a doctor or mental health professional if managing stress on your own is difficult
Read more about ways to prevent and manage stress:
Signs and Health Effects
What are the signs of stress?
When you're under stress, you may feel:
- Worried
- Angry
- Irritable
- Depressed
- Unable to focus
Stress also affects your body. Physical signs of stress include:
- Headaches
- Changes in blood pressure
- Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
- Upset stomach
- Weight gain or loss
- Tense muscles
Stress can also lead to a weakened immune system (the system in the body that fights infections), which could make you more likely to get sick.
Stress is different for everyone. Take this quiz to better understand your stress.
Causes of Stress
What causes stress?
Stress is how the brain and body react to a challenge or demand.
Change is often a cause of stress. Even positive changes, like having a baby or getting a job promotion, can be stressful.
Stress can be short-term or long-term.
Common causes of short-term stress include:
- Having a lot to do in a short amount of time or feeling rushed, like when you have a busy day or you’re running late
- Being in a situation that feels out of your control, like getting stuck in a traffic jam
- Preparing for a work or school presentation or a job interview
- Having an argument
Common causes of long-term stress include:
- Having problems at work or at home
- Having money problems
- Managing a long-term illness
- Taking care of someone with an illness
- Dealing with the death of a loved one
- Trauma from an experience like a car accident, war, or natural disaster
- Social determinants of health — like racism, where you live, and your income — can also affect your stress level
Benefits of Lowering Your Stress Level
What are the benefits of managing stress?
Over time, long-term stress can lead to health problems. Managing stress can help you:
- Sleep better
- Have more energy
- Control your weight
- Have less muscle tension
- Be in a better mood
- Get along better with family and friends
Take Action
Plan and Prepare
You can’t always avoid stress, but you can take steps to deal with stress in a positive way. Follow these tips for preventing and managing stress.
Being prepared and feeling in control of your situation might help lower your stress.
Plan your time.
Think ahead about how you're going to use your time. Write a to-do list and figure out what’s most important — then do that thing first. Be realistic about how long each task will take.
Prepare yourself.
Prepare ahead for stressful events, like a busy travel day or a hard conversation with a loved one. You can:
- Picture yourself in the situation and think through what you’ll do or say
- Think about different ways the situation could go — and how you could respond
- Have a plan for how to lower your stress during the event
- Think about whether there are people who can support you or resources you can use
Relax
Relax with deep breathing or meditation.
Deep breathing and meditation can help relax your muscles and clear your mind. Learn about breathing, meditation, and other ways to ease stress.
Relax your muscles.
Stress causes tension in your muscles. Try stretching or taking a hot shower to help you relax. Check out these stretches you can do.
Get Active
Regular physical activity can help prevent and manage stress. It can also help relax your muscles and improve your mood. If you can:
- Aim for 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity — try going for a bike ride or taking a walk
- Do muscle-strengthening activities — like push-ups or lifting weights — at least 2 days a week
Remember, any amount of physical activity is better than none!
Read more about:
Make Healthy Choices About Food, Alcohol, and Tobacco
Eat healthy.
Give your body plenty of energy by eating healthy — including vegetables, fruits, grains, and proteins. Get tips for healthy eating.
Limiting caffeine (from drinks like coffee, tea, and soda) may also help you feel less stressed.
Don’t use alcohol, tobacco, or drugs to cope with stress.
Some people turn to alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs to manage stress. But using these substances can create health problems.
Avoid using alcohol to try to change your mood. If you do choose to drink, drink only in moderation. This means:
- 1 drink or less in a day for women
- 2 drinks or less in a day for men
Learn more about drinking in moderation.
Quitting smoking is one of the most important things you can do for your health. Read about how to quit.
Don’t use illegal drugs or misuse prescription and over-the-counter drugs. Talk to your doctor if you’re worried about your drug use.
Get Support
Talk to friends and family.
Tell your friends and family if you're feeling stressed. They may be able to help.
Read more about getting support from loved ones and other ways to manage stress.
Get help if you need it.
Stress is a normal part of life. But if your stress doesn’t go away or keeps getting worse, you may need help. Lots of people need help dealing with stress — it’s nothing to be ashamed of. Over time, stress that’s not treated can lead to serious problems like depression or anxiety.
- If you're feeling down or hopeless, talk with your doctor about depression
- If you're feeling anxious, talk with your doctor about anxiety
- If you've lived through a traumatic event (like a major accident, crime, or natural disaster), find out about treatment for PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder
Your doctor, nurse, or a mental health professional (like a psychologist or social worker) can help treat these conditions. For example, your treatment plan may include talk therapy (also called psychotherapy) or medicine. Learn more about talk therapy.
Content last updated August 20, 2024
Reviewer Information
This information on depression was adapted from materials from the National Institute of Mental Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and MedlinePlus.
Reviewed by:
Alexander Talkovsky, Ph.D.
Program Chief, Anxiety Disorders Research Program
Division of Translational Research
National Institute of Mental Health
