25 Stress Resilience Tools
To manage your stress effectively, it's essential to balance your body's survival mode (sympathetic) with your safety mode (parasympathetic).
One key to keeping stress in check is to train your sympathetic response to be more adaptive and balanced. This means incorporating practices that help you respond to stress more effectively and build overall resilience.
If you’re constantly in a heightened sympathetic state, you'll have a lower threshold for stress, which can affect your mood, behaviors, and even your food choices. This, in turn, impacts your physical, mental, and emotional health.
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Our modern world bombards us with constant pressures—deadlines, financial worries, social pressures, and personal challenges. It's no wonder stress creeps in.
Psychological stress is that mental and emotional strain we feel when life seems too much to handle. It occurs when we think the demands on us exceed our ability to cope. This can come from various sources: work, money issues, relationship problems, major life changes, or past trauma.
Recognizing stress as a natural response is the first step. It's not a sign of weakness but a signal that something needs attention.
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A daily threat signal is any recurring factor or situation, like a demanding boss or financial worries, that triggers a consistent feeling of anxiety or pressure. Everyone's stress signals are different.
You might be dealing with chronic work stress, caregiving burdens, strained relationships, loneliness, or a lack of safety at home. Even a news article or fears about your rights can trigger stress. Traumatic events, especially in childhood, have long-term effects on how our bodies handle stress. Childhood trauma, like neglect, household dysfunction, bullying, or the death of a loved one, can deeply impact us.
Most often it is the daily low-grade stressors that add up and can lead to health problems. Take stock of your own stress signals. Recognizing them is the first step to protecting your body.
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When we are under too much stress the body starts telling us something is wrong through symptoms like sleep disturbances, low energy, low libido, anxiety, fear, anger, difficulty concentrating, weight gain, muscle tension or pain, lack of hunger upon waking, and hormonal imbalances.
As our stress load increases, we hit a tipping point, leading to poor metabolic health and chronic diseases, resulting in multiple pharmaceuticals and expensive medical bills.
Unfortunately, in American culture, these symptoms are all too common and have become normalized. Because they are normal and common, many assume they must be okay. However, I believe they are not. Mild symptoms today should be seen as warnings of more serious diseases to come.
In addtion, wearable technology like Whoop, Apple Watch, Fitbit, and Oura can monitor Heart Rate Variability (HRV) to provide proof of stress and identify triggers that lower HRV, indicating a need for intervention.
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In response to stress, we often seek dopamine highs and distractions. Common coping mechanisms include mindless scrolling, increased alcohol or drug use, intimacy struggles, gambling, binge-watching shows, comfort eating, and withdrawing from social interaction.
Most of us lack the tools and support to manage stress, so we don't address it. It's not your fault if you rely on these coping mechanisms. Changing a long-standing habit is challenging.
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No matter how healthy your diet is, exercise level, sunlight exposure, and quality of sleep is, if you live in a constant state of stress, these healthy choices will fall flat.
Do I have room for improvement?
Having good stress resilience means being able to effectively cope with and adapt to stressful situations, maintaining a sense of balance and well-being, and recovering quickly from challenges and setbacks.
Click the button below to identify where you are on the stress resilience spectrum and pinpoint areas in your life that could benefit from improvement and optimization.
25 Stress Resilience Tools
No matter what has transpired in our lives or what is going on in the world around us we have to find a way to feel safe to be as healthy as possible. By implementing one or more of the tools below you can create a safe environment for your brain and body and become more stress resilient. Consistent stress management practice will enhance your recovery from setbacks, lower anxiety and fear, improve appetite regulation, boost self-worth and confidence, and reduce emotional reactivity.
To get started, break down the list below into three categories: hardest, easer, and easiest to achieve given your current life circumstances. Consider the time you can realistically commit to each task. Start with the "easiest" list and choose one habit you can stick to for at least three days in a row.
Focus on the smallest, manageable tool first.
Daily Quick Wins (1 - 5)
Don’t let life hit you the moment you wake up
If you let life overwhelm you the moment you wake up, you'll stay in a heightened sympathetic state all day, lowering your stress threshold and affecting your mood and decisions.
Instead, wake up a bit earlier to give yourself time. Even a small change can make a huge difference. Take a moment to meditate or plan your day intentionally.
Ask yourself:
Who do I want to be?
What do I need?
What do I want to give?
By doing this, you control the narrative that's playing and is actively installed into your brain as opposed to default narratives.
Stress-Reducing Conversation
Learning to express yourself and ensure your needs are met is crucial for stress management because it helps prevent emotional buildup and fosters healthier relationships and overall well-being. Dr. John and Dr. Julie Gottman's Stress-Reducing Conversation is a technique where partners take turns sharing their daily stressors, from outside the relationship, and listening empathetically without offering solutions. The aim is to reduce stress by fostering emotional connection and support. Identify one person in your life to whom you can comfortably and honestly express yourself.
Mindful Awareness (Connect to 1 of your 5 senses)
Stress is often caused because our thoughts are in the past or the future. You cannot experience stress or heightened anxiety when you are rooted in the present. You can recconnect to the present with one of your five senses. Examples include making eye contact (a person or pet), smelling something, and looking around the room for four blue things (you pick the color) or one furry thing. This is called mindful awareness. The more you feel with your five senses the more present you will be resulting in a relaxed nervous system.
Digital Detox
Excessive smartphone use is linked to poor emotional and mental health. Reducing your smartphone use by just one hour a day can decrease symptoms of depression and anxiety, and improve life satisfaction. Choose activities that take you away from your phone, devices, social media, and the news. Leave your phone behind when you go for walks or to the grocery store, and consider having a friend change your social media password. Commit to putting your phone and devices away at a specific time each night. This digital detox helps reduce constant stimulation and information overload, allowing your mind to rest and recover.
Heat & Cold Exposure
Heat exposure can relax blood vessels and improve blood flow, enhancing glucose uptake. Additionally, it boosts antioxidant defenses, positively impacting oxidative stress. For heat exposure, try a hot yoga class, a sauna session, or getting outdoors and moving during warm weather.
Cold therapy, such as a 2-minute cold shower, can help with stress resilience. It activates the body's stress response in a controlled way, which can improve your ability to handle stress over time. Cold exposure may also reduce inflammation, boost mood, and enhance overall mental resilience by stimulating the production of endorphins and increasing circulation.
Intentionally say calming phrases (e.g., “Go Back”, “I am safe, I am safe”)
Quickly get back to the present moment by repeating and focusing on the words “Go Back”. Another phrase to shift your body into a relaxed state is to repeat the phrase “I am safe, I am safe”. This phrase reinforces a sense of security, which helps calm the nervous system and reduce stress.
Practice Breathwork
Practicing breathwork is a powerful method for reducing stress by stimulating the vagus nerve and activating the parasympathetic nervous system. Different breathing techniques, such as box breathing, deep diaphragmatic breathing, and 2-to-1 breathing, can quickly help you return to a calm, relaxed state of mind and body. To make breathwork a regular part of your routine, consider using apps like Calm, Breethe, and Breathwrk. These tools provide guided sessions to help you integrate these techniques into your daily life, enhancing your overall well-being.
Meditation
Practicing meditation consistently lowers stress hormones and offers other positive metabolic effects, such as regulating blood glucose levels and boosting immune system function. While meditation might seem overwhelming, it can be as simple as sitting quietly and noting whenever a thought arises. With each thought, notice it, then let it go, which helps you strengthen the ability to return to the present moment.
Another effective meditation practice is to body scan, where you focus on every sensation your body is experiencing. Feel your toes on the ground, the air moving in and out of your lungs, and your fingers resting on your legs. This practice anchors you in the present moment, reducing stress.
To make meditation easier, consider using apps like Headspace, Calm, Breethe, 10% Happier, and Breathwrk. These tools offer guided sessions to help you incorporate meditation into your daily routine and improve your overall well-being.
Eat organic, minimally processed food when you can
Poor food choices, like ultra-processed foods, refined sugar, inflammatory oils, and more are added stressors on our bodies. Poor food choices impact stress by causing fluctuations in blood sugar levels, which can lead to mood swings, fatigue, and increased anxiety. Additionally, nutrient deficiencies from an unbalanced diet can impair brain function and reduce the body’s ability to cope with stress, exacerbating stress-related symptoms and overall well-being. When we eat clean and fuel our bodies with the right nutrients we are more likely to make positive changes.
Focus on 8 Hours of Sleep Consistently
Getting 8 hours of sleep is essential for stress resilience because it allows the body and mind to fully recover and rejuvenate. During sleep, the brain processes emotions, consolidates memories, and clears out toxins, while the body repairs tissues and strengthens the immune system. Adequate sleep helps regulate stress hormones, reducing anxiety and improving mood. Without sufficient rest, our ability to cope with stress diminishes, leading to increased irritability, impaired cognitive function, and a weakened immune response. Therefore, prioritizing 8 hours of sleep is crucial for maintaining mental and physical health, and enhancing our capacity to handle stress effectively.
Reduce the toxins in your home environment
Toxins in your home overload the liver and can impact your stress levels by disrupting your body's hormonal balance. This affects your immune system and causes symptoms like headaches, fatigue, and irritability, all of which can increase your overall stress and anxiety.
Form a relationship with a coach, therapist, or counselor
Forming a relationship with a coach, therapist, or counselor can significantly enhance your mental health. These professionals provide valuable support for improving low self-esteem, building healthy habits, and overcoming negative thought patterns. Investing in regular sessions, whether it's an hour twice or four times a month, can be transformative. This dedicated time for introspection and motivation can bridge the gap between who you are now and the person you aspire to be. It's one of the best investments you can make in your overall well-being.
Community
Positive social connections release oxytocin, which helps protect against stress and suppresses stress hormones. Consider a hobby you enjoy; there's likely a Facebook group or local community you can join to connect with others.
Work with a therapist to release emotions and trauma
Past experiences, especially traumatic ones, can shape one's self-beliefs and trigger stress when similar situations arise. Trauma is not just specific to a huge event in your life (like the death of a loved one, a serious accident, assault, or divorce). Trauma occurs when the body is overwhelmed by too much and in that moment we do not have the inner resources to deal with it. Often we cannot remember specific events that created the trauma. Releasing trapped emotions and trauma can be done alone or with the support of a therapist.
Get in touch with your Heart Rate Variability
Wearable technology like Apple Watch, Whoop, Fitbit, Oura, HeartMath, and Lief can monitor Heart Rate Variability (HRV) to provide data on stress and identify triggers that lower HRV, indicating more stress and a need for intervention. Lower HRV reflects decreased parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) activity and increased sympathetic (stress-related) dominance. HRV varies among individuals based on age, fitness, and overall health. For healthy adults, an average HRV ranges from 30 to 70 milliseconds (ms), with higher values indicating better cardiovascular fitness and stress resilience. It's important to track HRV trends over time rather than focusing on a single number; consistently low HRV compared to your baseline may indicate increased stress or health issues, while improvements in HRV can reflect better stress management and overall health.
Practice Active Self Love
Practicing self-love is essential because your beliefs are stored in your subconscious mind. If your subconscious holds negative beliefs, it sends signals to your body to protect itself, leading to increased stress levels. These beliefs, formed since early childhood, can result in a pattern of negative self-talk and self-criticism, especially when facing challenges.
By becoming aware of and challenging these limiting beliefs, you reclaim your power and transform them into positive ones. Your mind is incredibly powerful, and by uncovering and addressing mental or emotional barriers, you can reduce your stress response and regulate your nervous system. Turn your negative thoughts into powerful positive affirmations and practice self-love daily. This will help you create a healthier, more positive mindset, improving your overall well-being.
Find your emotional solace or flow state
Find creative activities that offer you a valuable outlet for your stress and bring you joy. Often we we are dealing with too much stress, and we lose interest in spontaneity, fun, and things that bring us joy. Emotional solace for stress refers to finding comfort, support, and relief through positive emotional connections, activities, or practices that soothe and uplift the mind and heart. The goal is to identify 3 activities that offer you a valuable outlet for your negative emotions. Maybe your emotional solace is exercise, painting, going for a walk, somatic movement, calling a friend that makes you laugh, or rest (rest is productive!). Your emotional solace should not be a big expenditure. These activities will allow your body to get back to a feeling of safety. When we do these activities we can release unwanted energy and relax our nervous system.
If it’s not a full body yes, say no.
Find peace in saying no to activities or events that don't fully excite you. Every no to something you're indifferent about is a yes to time spent on more meaningful and fulfilling pursuits. Saying no to activities or events helps with stress management by allowing you to prioritize your time and energy on what truly matters, reducing overwhelm and burnout.
Regular physical activity (resistance training and cardio)
Resistance training and cardiovascular exercise are essential for stress resilience because they enhance both physical and mental well-being. Regular physical activity helps to regulate stress hormones, such as cortisol and increases the production of endorphins, which are natural mood lifters. Resistance training builds muscle strength and endurance, improving overall physical health and boosting confidence. Cardiovascular exercise, such as running or cycling, improves heart health, increases lung capacity, and enhances circulation, all of which contribute to better stress management. Together, these forms of exercise improve sleep quality, reduce anxiety, and foster a greater sense of control and resilience in the face of life's challenges.
Movement-based mindfulness
Movement-based mindfulness involves combining physical activity with mindful awareness, focusing on the sensations, rhythms, and experiences of the body during movement. This practice, which can include activities like yoga, tai chi, or mindful walking, helps to ground individuals in the present moment, reducing stress and enhancing resilience. By paying attention to the body and breath, movement-based mindfulness fosters a deeper connection between mind and body, promotes relaxation, and improves emotional regulation. This holistic approach to mindfulness not only alleviates stress but also builds the capacity to handle future stressors with greater ease and balance.
Spend time in nature
Spending time in nature is crucial for stress relief as it helps reconnect our bodies to their natural rhythms and the source of life. Immersing ourselves in natural environments promotes relaxation and reduces stress hormones by engaging our senses with the sights, sounds, and smells of the outdoors. This connection to nature can realign our circadian rhythms, improve mood, and enhance overall well-being. Spending time in nature can also be done with your family. The book Outdoor Kids in an Inside World offers practical ways everyone can engage in nature.
You can enjoy the benefits of nature without hiking or walking. The activities below can help you reap the benefits of being in nature without the need for strenuous physical activity and reduce stress.
Grounding for 5 minutes, Getting sunlight in the morning, Outdoor Meditation, Nature Photography, Gardening, Picnicking, Reading Outdoors, Bird Watching, Star Gazing, Art in Nature, Outdoor Yoga, Fishing, Nature Journaling, and Listening to Nature.
Mind Dump
Mind dumping your thoughts can significantly reduce stress and improve your mood. When you're feeling overwhelmed, whether it's due to a work situation, relationship issues, or racing thoughts that keep you awake at night, setting a timer and writing about your feelings for just 5 minutes can help clear your mind. This practice helps release the mental clutter, making it easier to process emotions and regain a sense of calm.
Daily gratitude
Focus on gratitude, awe, and abundance every day. Write down one thing you're grateful for each day, or think of something you're grateful for as you head out the door. The next time you go for a walk, intentionally find one thing that fills you with awe. Practicing gratitude shifts your focus to the positive aspects of your life, fostering a mindset of abundance and attracting more opportunities and positivity.
Introspection
Introspection is a powerful tool for enhancing stress resilience because it allows individuals to gain deeper insight into their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. By regularly reflecting, one can identify underlying stressors, recognize patterns, and promote self-love and growth. This self-awareness fosters a greater sense of control and helps in developing healthier coping mechanisms. Introspection also promotes emotional clarity, which can reduce anxiety and improve decision-making. A guided journal, with prompts, is one way, to jump-start introspection (Resource: Better Every Day Journal).
Read or listen to inspirational and thought-provoking books and podcasts
Reading or listening to books and podcasts for just ten minutes a day on topics like mindset, healing, habit formation, the human condition, and physical health can significantly boost your mood and put you in a positive headspace. Authors that focus on these topics include James Clear, Brene Brown, Michael Pollan, Deepak Chopra, Daniel Kahneman, Louise Hay, and the book Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg.
If you're feeling overwhelmed right now, and that's completely understandable. Creating a new habit is hard. You don’t have to do it alone. A coach can be the best thing for creating a new habit because they provide personalized guidance, accountability, and support to help you stay motivated and on track.
