6 practical ways to reduce stress today
Feel like your stress levels are rising? We don’t always need a big intervention to make a change – try these small, practical science-based stress-busting tips and tricks today to lower your stress levels.
Eat more fruit and vegetables every day
A 2021 study found that participants who ate at least 470 grams of vegetables and fruit each day experienced 10% lower stress levels than the participants who ate less than 230 grams of fruit and vegetables each day (1). Roughly, 470 grams looks like one small apple, two sticks of celery, five broccoli florets, and a banana, so it’s not an impossible feat, within a healthy diet.
Share your feelings
As the old adage goes, ‘a problem shared is a problem halved’, and we all know that sharing stressed or negative feelings can help us feel better. But who you share those feelings with could have a more significant impact on how you feel. Research found that sharing how you feel with someone who understands and has experienced, or is currently experiencing similar feelings in a similar situation, can help to reduce those negative feelings further. (2)
Cycle the stress away
How do you get to work? Researchers have found that your type of commute can impact your stress levels – with cycling to work significantly decreasing stress levels, particularly compared to those who travelled by car. (3)
Don’t eat alone
It can be tempting in busy times to eat alone at your desk or on the go. But if you want to reduce your stress levels, eating with others in a sociable setting could be a great habit to incorporate into your day. A 2022 survey by the American Heart Association found that 91% of people surveyed reported lower levels of stress for their family members when they ate together, suggesting that eating with others can have a huge impact on how stressed we feel. (4)
Cuddle someone you love
A 2022 study found fascinating results for lowering stress levels in women in stressful situations. When they were asked to hug their romantic partners, their acute stress responses decreased – the researchers found that their levels of stress hormone cortisol dropped compared to women who didn’t briefly hug their partner. The result wasn’t replicated when the researchers studied men. (5)
Move more mindfully
Taking a walk or getting some fresh air might be a good idea when things become overwhelming, and research shows that moving our bodies has the ability to reduce feelings of stress, But, a recent study found that we stand to reap even more benefits when we add mindfulness to that movement. For example, taking a walk and rather than listening to a podcast or music, instead bringing your awareness to be curious around your senses in the moment. Noticing what you can hear, see, smell and feel, will decrease your stress levels even further. (6)
- Simone Radavelli-Bagatini, Lauren C. Blekkenhorst, Marc Sim, Richard L. Prince, Nicola P. Bondonno, Catherine P. Bondonno, Richard Woodman, Reindolf Anokye, James Dimmock, Ben Jackson, Leesa Costello, Amanda Devine, Mandy J. Stanley, Joanne M. Dickson, Dianna J. Magliano, Jonathan E. Shaw, Robin M. Daly, Jonathan M. Hodgson, Joshua R. Lewis. Fruit and vegetable intake is inversely associated with perceived stress across the adult lifespan. Clinical Nutrition, 2021
Link: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/05/210513100030.htm
- Sarah Townsend, Heejung S. Kim, Batja Mesquita. Are You Feeling What I’m Feeling? Emotional Similarity Buffers Stress. Social Psychological and Personality Science, January 2014
Link: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/01/140129151048.htm
- Stéphane Brutus, Roshan Javadian, Alexandra Joelle Panaccio. Cycling, car, or public transit: a study of stress and mood upon arrival at work. International Journal of Workplace Health Management, 2017
Link: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/06/170621145142.htm
- American Heart Association. (2022, October 10). New survey: 91% of parents say their family is less stressed when they eat together. ScienceDaily
Link: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/10/221010115407.htm
- Gesa Berretz, Chantal Cebula, Blanca Maria Wortelmann, Panagiota Papadopoulou, Oliver T. Wolf, Sebastian Ocklenburg, Julian Packheiser. Romantic partner embraces reduce cortisol release after acute stress induction in women but not in men. PLOS ONE, 2022
Link: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/05/220518140723.htm
- Chih-Hsiang Yang, David E. Conroy. Momentary negative affect is lower during mindful movement than while sitting: An experience sampling study. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 2018
Link: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/06/180621112007.htm
