In our ideal worlds, we’re all super zen — we watch the sun rise, we throw our phones in the ocean, we glide through our days on a cloud of infinite gratitude.

But in real life, there’s stress, and even the most zen person you know gets stressed out. Between deadlines, appointments, and notifications (oh my!), there’s no way to opt out of stress entirely, and that’s okay. Some types of stress can be good for us — like the stress that triggers our fight or flight response, for example. (2) How else would we know to duck behind the grapefruit when we see that coworker at the grocery store?

The key to solving stress is all in how you manage it. Quick hits of stress may be helpful, but frequent stress can deliver a substantial blow to our health and wellness. So let’s talk tactics: proactive, science-backed methods that you can use to influence how your body responds to stress, building your day-to-day resilience.

The Science Behind Our Stress Response

When we experience stress, our bodies, specifically our adrenal glands, produce an elevated level of the hormone cortisol. (3) Some studies have shown that cortisol levels can increase 9X during stressful situations. (4)

In situations that require a high level of attention, these elevated cortisol levels are key to keeping us alert and make glucose readily available to our brain. (3) However, cortisol should ebb and flow, and persistently elevated levels can disrupt daily health.

How to Identify Stress

So let’s talk about it! When do we feel stress? The first step in daily stress management is in understanding the cognitive and physical signs.

Physical signs of stress include (5,6)
• Headaches and migraines
• Muscle tension or pain
• Nausea or stomach upset
• Fatigue
• Increased heart rate
• Changes in libido
• Sleep disruptions

Cognitive and emotional signs of stress include (2)
• Moodiness, irritability, or anger
• Impaired judgment
• Racing thoughts
• Worrying
• Feelings of overwhelm
• Negative thoughts
• Poor focus
• Memory lapses

Importance of Stress Management

No two people are alike, and stress manifests itself differently for everyone. The common denominator for all, however, is the adverse overall effect on our wellbeing. This is where stress management comes in. Simply put, stress management is a wide range of techniques that are used to help us find our calm and mitigate the tension we may feel.

9 Stress Management Techniques You Might Not Have Tried Yet

Maybe you do all of these, maybe you’re a master of one. Regardless, adding stress management techniques to your toolbox is always a good thing. (1)

1. Practice deep breathing. Deep breathing techniques such as box breathing or 4-7-8 breathing can help activate the body’s relaxation response and reduce stress levels. 4-7-8 breathing is a super simple tool to help you de-stress in just a minute. Here's the magic: (7)

• Inhale calmly through your nose for a count of 4.
• Hold your breath for 7 seconds, letting go of any worries.
• Exhale completely through your mouth for a count of 8, feeling tension melt away.

2. Dietary supplements. Research shows that key ingredients like ashwagandha, l-theanine, and saffron can help support the body’s stress management. Ritual’s Stress Relief Bioseries™ combines all three of these in first-of-its-kind BioSeries™technology to help you support your body’s natural cortisol response.*

3. Make some healthy lifestyle changes. Prioritizing adequate sleep, making better food choices, and limiting caffeine and alcohol intake can not only help support overall well-being but also support stress relief.

4. Get active. Regular exercise like walking, jogging, yoga, or dancing can help reduce stress hormones and boost endorphins.

5. Breathe in the fresh air. Nature's got your back! Breathe in the fresh air and soak up the sunshine – yep, spending time outdoors can help promote a positive mood. Whether you call it forest bathing, ecotherapy, or just some "green time," connecting with nature can help chill you out and leave you feeling happy and centered. (8)

6. Look for social support. Connections with friends, family, or support groups are a great way to share feelings, receive encouragement, and gain perspective during challenging times

7. Find creative outlets. Creative activities such as painting, writing, or playing music can help you express your emotions, reduce stress, and promote relaxation. Also, they could bring out the Frida Kahlo or Adele in you! Or not. There’s no wrong way to do art.

8. Limit screen time. Most people don’t realize how much their smartphones and connectivity lead to stress. With that in mind, consider setting boundaries on screen time, particularly before bedtime, to reduce exposure to stress-inducing content and support sleep quality.

9. Progressive muscle relaxation. It sounds complex, but it’s a lot like balling up your fist and then letting it go. This relaxation technique involves systematically tensing and then relaxing each muscle group in the body to release physical tension.

Stress is a part of life—it’s normal and almost expected. The key to our zen-filled future selves is daily management and understanding how to mitigate its effects. By implementing effective stress management techniques, we can cultivate a sense of balance and inner peace in our lives, even among today’s busy and interconnected world.

References:

1. World Health Organization. Stress. 2023.

2. Attia M, Ibrahim FA, Elsady MA, et al. Cognitive, emotional, physical, and behavioral stress-related symptoms and coping strategies among university students... Front Psychiatry. 2022 Sep 16;13:933981.

3. Hinds JA, Sanchez ER. The Role of the Hypothalamus–Pituitary–Adrenal (HPA) Axis in Test-Induced Anxiety: Assessments, Physiological Responses, and Molecular Details. Stresses. 2022; 2(1):146-155.

4. Cay M, Ucar C, Senol D, et al. Effect of increase in cortisol level due to stress in healthy young individuals on dynamic and static balance scores. North Clin Istanb. 2018 May 29;5(4):295-301.

5. The American Institute Of Stress. 50 Common Signs and Symptoms of Stress. 2024.

6. Yaribeygi H, Panahi Y, Sahraei H, Johnston TP, Sahebkar A. The impact of stress on body function: A review. EXCLI J. 2017 Jul 21;16:1057-1072.

7. Vierra J, Boonla O, Prasertsri P. Effects of sleep deprivation and 4-7-8 breathing control …in healthy young adults. Physiol Rep. 2022 Jul;10(13):e15389. doi: 10.14814/phy2.15389. PMID: 35822447; PMCID: PMC9277512.

8. American Heart Association. “Spend Time in Nature to Reduce Stress..” www.heart.org, 2014.