Kylie Moran

Professor Schlesinger
ENG 102
February 19th, 2024

Seven Tactics to Reduce Stress and Anxiety

Mental health is something that many people face on a day to day basis,
specifically the struggle of stress and anxiety. Being a full time college student while
trying to navigate through life comes with a significant amount of stress and anxiety.
These feelings and thoughts can take over your whole body, leaving you with a constant
sense of restlessness, dread, and worry. Not only does it hurt you mentally, it also takes
a toll on your physical health. Some of the physical symptoms from anxiety and stress
may include headaches, stomach aches, body aches, nausea, and dizziness. This is
something that I have personally dealt with for the majority of my life. One thing that I
have learned is the importance of taking care of yourself and finding solutions that work
for you to reduce your stress and anxiety. This is something that I am very passionate
about and that has saved me, which is why I would like to share seven different ways to
help reduce stress and anxiety.

1. Staying Physically Active Pumps Up Your Endorphins.

Mental well-being includes staying physically active. Exercise can help reduce stress.
This may include going to the gym, yoga, walking, running, hiking, or other interests. My
favorite exercise is walking on a treadmill or going on nature walks. Exercise clears my
head and makes me feel more productive. Exercise has direct stress benefits and can
improve your mental health. Physical activity increases the production of endorphins,
which are your brain's feel-good neurotransmitters (Exercise and Stress: Get Moving to
Manage Stress, 2022). When you have an increased level of endorphins in your brain it
will improve your mood, reduce stress and anxiety, and enhance your overall sense of
well-being (Supasitthumrong, 2023).

2. The Benefits of Taking Breaks:

When you feel overwhelmed because your stress and anxiety is taking over, it is
important to know that taking a break is okay. Taking a break to relax, socialize, or do
something that you enjoy is very beneficial. In moments like these, my favorite things
are to step away from what I am doing and listen to music, get food, talk to friends, or
go out and do something that makes me happy. “A relaxing break can help to facilitate
recovery, by returning your mental and psychical functional systems to their
baseline”(Wt_Admin, 2020). Taking a break overall resets your mood and overall well-
being which alleviates stress and anxiety.
 3. The Relationship Between Sleep and Stress Hormones:
Getting a good night's rest and staying on a healthy sleep schedule is a key factor in
improving your mood. Whenever I do not get good sleep, I notice my stress hormones
are higher and my overall mood declines. When we are sleep deprived, our bodies
release stress hormones such as cortisol, adrenaline, and norepinephrine. The
overproduction of these hormones will cause you to feel the effects of chronic stress
(How Does Sleep Reduce Stress? - Blog | Everlywell: Home Health Testing Made Easy,
n.d.). When I am struggling with the effects of stress, I regulate my sleeping patterns
and I always notice a significant difference. My emotions are balanced, stress is
lowered, and my overall self image is more positive.

4. Don’t Be Afraid to Talk to a Trusted Source.

Stress and anxiety is exhausting and you can only bottle it up in your head for so long.
When you are struggling mentally, it is important to speak up and reach out for help.
Coming from personal experience, I was in denial and was scared to speak up but when
I did, it honestly saved my life. Talking to a trusted source can help you feel less alone
and you can seek advice on whatever is going through your head. Sometimes it is very
beneficial to just have someone there to listen. Letting it all out by talking to someone
can relieve stress and help you feel less overwhelmed.

5. Maintaining Good Nutrition is an Important Stress Management Tool.

A big effect of stress and anxiety is appetite loss and/or stress eating which creates
poor nutritional habits. “Nutrition and stress are interlinked” (Nutrition and Stress -
Campus Health, 2022). It is important to eat regularly throughout the day because your
brain needs food to function properly. When eating, you should stay mindful of what you
are consuming. Maintaining a healthy diet by getting in your veggies, unsaturated fats,
and high-fiber foods plays a huge role in how your brain works. These nutrients contain
vitamins and minerals that work to neutralize harmful molecules produced when your
body undergoes stress (Nutrition and Stress - Campus Health, 2022). When your body
is deprived of these nutrients, it can increase anxiety and depression.

6. Benefits of Breathing Exercises:

When we feel anxious and stressed, our breathing patterns change due to the “fight or
flight response” in our brain (Department of Health & Human Services, n.d.). It is
important to stay cautious of your breathing rate and to control your breaths. Controlling
your breathing in these moments helps manage your stress and anxiety. Anxiety causes
shortness of breath and hyperventilation which increases stress rates. When I was
introduced to the idea of breathing exercise, my life changed. I struggle with breathing
when I get anxious and focusing on my breaths has helped keep it under control. My
favorite is taking long and deep breaths multiple times. There are various different
breathing exercises to help you.

7. Live everyday with intention.

As someone who has struggled with anxiety and high stress for most of my life, living
everyday with intention and a positive mindset is the key to feeling stress-free. “An
intentional life brings meaning, profound satisfaction, and fulfillment because you’re
living in a way that’s true to who you are.” (Ms, 2021). Live every day with a purpose
and make goals for yourself. These could be short term or long-term goals if you are
pushing yourself and working towards something. Everyone is here for a reason and it’s
okay if you have not found your purpose yet, although living with intention and making
this mental shift will lower daily distress.

Conclusion

The issue of stress and anxiety is crucial as it is something that many people
struggle with throughout their daily life. Feelings of stress and anxiety affect the mind
and the body which can cause mental and physical problems. Mental health, specifically
anxiety and dealing with stress is something that many people struggle with. When
feeling overwhelmed from stress and anxiety many people do not know how to cope.
Navigating demands of daily life can add to a person's stress levels. Implementing a
routine that includes stress reducing tactics will provide a person with a proactive
approach to mental health and improve their overall quality of life. As someone who has
suffered from stress and anxiety for most of my life, I have learned how to cope and
implement these seven stress reducing tactics to improve my mental health and overall
well-being which supports my research question. How would implementing these seven
daily stress reducing tactics impact someone's stress, anxiety, and overall mental well
being?

References:
Department of Health & Human Services. (n.d.). Breathing to reduce stress.

Better Health Channel.

https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/breathing-to-reduce-

stress#

Exercise and stress: Get moving to manage stress. (2022, August 3). Mayo

Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/

exercise-and-stress/art-20044469#:~:text=Exercise%20increases%20your

%20overall%20health,%2Dgood%20neurotransmitters%2C%20called

%20endorphins.

How does sleep reduce stress? - Blog | Everlywell: Home Health Testing Made

Easy. (n.d.). https://www.everlywell.com/blog/sleep-and-stress/how-does-sleep-

reduce-stress/#:~:text=Better%20emotional%20regulation

%20%E2%80%93%20When%20you,good%20night%27s%20sleep

%20%5B11%5D.

Ms, M. T. (2021, December 14). Intentional Living: Tips to be intentional in

everything you do. Psych Central. https://psychcentral.com/health/intentional-

living#why-is-it-important

Nutrition and Stress - Campus Health. (2022, December 9). Campus Health.

https://campushealth.unc.edu/health-topic/nutrition-and-stress/

Supasitthumrong, T. (2023, August 3). Endorphins - The “feel good” chemicals

for well-being. MedPark Hospital.

https://www.medparkhospital.com/en-US/lifestyles/endorphins#:~:text=pain

%2Drelieving%20drug.-,Endorphins%20are%20neurotransmitters%20released
%20by%20the%20pituitary%20gland%20and%20hypothalamus,exercise%2C

%20and%20sex%2C%20etc.

Wt_Admin. (2020, January 14). The importance of taking breaks - The Wellbeing

Thesis. The Wellbeing Thesis. https://thewellbeingthesis.org.uk/foundations-for-

success/importance-of-taking-breaks-and-having-other-interests/#:~:text=A

%20relaxing%20break%20can%20help,and%20reducing%20stress

%20%5B5%5D.