Coping Strategies for Stress

The American Psychological Association's 2022 "Stress in America" report reveals that, on a scale of one to 10, the average American has a stress level around a five. However, more than one in four survey respondents also indicated that on most days, their stress was so high that they were unable to function.

Although survey results tend to fluctuate a little each year, the findings generally show the same pattern. People face a variety of stressors, which also means that they need to find effective ways to relieve stress in their lives. With that in mind, here are a few proven coping strategies for stress. 

Calming Coping Strategies for Stress

Calming our physiology can help reverse the stress response. When our stress response is triggered, we process information differently and can feel physically and emotionally taxed. If this state is prolonged, it can escalate to chronic stress.

One way to calm our bodies, therefore also calming our minds, is to go to a quiet place and take deep, long breaths. Breathe in, hold for five seconds, then exhale slowly. Repeat several times. This breathing exercise can help soothe our nerves and slow a racing heart.

Other calming strategies include:

• Engaging in aromatherapy
• Listening to soothing music
• Practicing mindfulness meditation
• Progressive muscle relaxation

Emotion-Focused Coping Strategies for Stress

With emotion-focused coping strategies, the situation doesn’t change but our perception of it does. These strategies are great to use when we have little ability to control what happens. They help us see stressors as a challenge instead of a threat.

Research has found that maintaining a sense of humor can help people better cope with stress. Another helpful strategy is to stay optimistic. Cultivating optimism works by reducing our rates of perceived stress while also increasing our resilience.

Other emotion-focused techniques for coping with stress include:

• Journaling our emotions
• Practicing loving-kindness meditation to increase self-compassion
• Using visualization strategies to increase positive feelings 

Solution-Focused Coping Strategies for Stress

Sometimes there’s nothing we can do to change a situation, but often we can find an opportunity to take action and change the circumstances we face. Solution-focused coping strategies can be very effective for stress relief.

Often a small change is all that’s required to make a huge shift in how we feel. One change can lead to other changes, creating a chain reaction of positive change in which opportunities open up and life changes significantly. Also, once an action is taken, the sense of being trapped with no options—a recipe for stress—can dissipate quickly.

Solution-focused techniques good for reducing workplace stress but that can also be beneficial in other situations include:

• Implementing time-management strategies when feeling overwhelmed by a busy schedule
• Reaching out to others for help, such as contacting human resources (HR) if work demands feel overwhelming or if being harassed
• Using conflict-resolution strategies to mitigate the stress, whether with co-workers or in a relationship 

When to Seek Help for Stress

Through coping strategies and good self-care, we can manage our stress healthfully and avoid long-term issues. However, if stress levels do not decrease, it may be a good idea to talk to a therapist or primary healthcare provider.

This type of professional can help identify ways to minimize stress. They can also assist by developing healthy eating plans and exercise programs to help us maintain our health while handling all our other obligations.

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Summary

Everyone has stress in their lives, and stress levels vary depending on the day. Having healthy coping strategies in place can help us keep stress at a manageable level. If, however, we are struggling to manage our stress, it's important to seek professional help. A mental health provider can help us learn how to manage stress in a healthy way.