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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:
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
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.
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.
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
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