How to manage and reduce stress

Seven steps to help protect yourself from stress
 

1. Eat healthily
Eating healthily can reduce the risks of diet-related diseases39
There is a growing amount of evidence showing how food affects our mood40 and how eating healthily can improve this
You can protect your feelings of wellbeing by ensuring that your diet provides adequate amounts of brain nutrients such as essential vitamins and minerals, as well as water41
2. Be aware of smoking and drinking alcohol
Try not to, or reduce the amount you smoke and drink alcohol
Even though they may seem to reduce tension initially, this is misleading as they often make problems worse42
3. Exercise
Try and integrate physical exercise into your lifestyle as it can be very effective in relieving stress
Even just going out and getting some fresh air, and taking some light physical exercise, like going for a walk to the shops can really help43
4.Take time out
Take time to relax
Strike the balance between responsibility to others and responsibility to yourself, this can really reduce stress levels
Tell yourself that it is okay to prioritise self-care · Are you needing time out but saying 'I just can't take the time off', if so read more about how taking a break is important for good mental health
5. Be mindful
Mindfulness is a mind-body approach to life that helps us to relate differently to experiences. It involves paying attention to our thoughts and feelings in a way that increases our ability to manage difficult situations and make wise choices
Try to practice mindfulness regularly
Mindfulness meditation can be practiced anywhere at any time
Research has suggested that it can reduce the effects of stress, anxiety and related problems such as insomnia, poor concentration and low moods, in some people44
Our Be Mindful website features a specially developed online course in mindfulness, as well as details of local courses in your area
6. Get some restful sleep
Are you finding you are struggling to sleep? This is a common problem when you’re stressed45
Could your physical or mental health be impacting your ability to sleep?
Could you amend your environment to help improve your sleep?
Could you get up instead of staying in bed when your mind is worrying at night?
Could you make small changes to your lifestyle to help your get a restful sleep?
7. Don’t be too hard on yourself
Try to keep things in perspective.
Remember that having a bad day is a universal human experience
When your inner critic or an outer critic finds faults, try and find truth and exception to what is being said
If you stumble or feel you have failed, don’t beat yourself up
Act as if you were your own best friend: be kind and supportive
Take a few minutes each day to appreciate yourself