6 Ways We can Reduce the Stress Response

Stressed out? Here are six things you can try in order to feel better!

1. Practice the Relaxation Response

Because chronic hyper arousal is such a common symptom of stress, one of the most important things we can do is introduce you to a variety of techniques for accessing the “relaxation response” to bring your body down to a lower level of arousal.

Whether it’s a daily practice of controlled breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, autogenic training, yoga or mindfulness meditation, learning to access the relaxation response will help you reduce hyper-arousal and move away from the stress response when it gets activated. It can be as simple as taking a few minutes once or twice a day to breathe.

2. Practice Taking Perspective

We know that change and uncertainty produce stress. And, we know that changes that we perceive as threatening trigger the FIGHT, FLIGHT & FREEZE response.

We also know that if we’re exposed to an environment we perceive to be threatening for too long then our stress response can become part of the problem instead of a solution.

So, if we want to build resiliency, we need to understand the central role that our biases, expectations, perceptions, appraisals and interpretations play in our response to events. When faced with change and uncertainty, our expectations, perceptions and how we measure our ability to cope will determine how we respond.

For example, a demand on our time might only be stressful if we didn’t expect it – if we think we don’t have enough time to complete the task, don’t know how to complete it, or if we interpret the request for our time as manipulative, cruel or thoughtless.

In other words, it’s our interpretation of the situation and our perception of our ability to cope with it that determines the amount of stress we feel in response to it.

Because our perceptions, interpretations and expectations are so important when it comes to determining the amount of stress we feel, another thing that we will introduce you to are techniques that will help you cope with change and uncertainty, and allow you to better identify and challenge your biases, assumptions, interpretations and expectations.

3. Manage Relationship Stress

People are social animals. On our own in the wild, people were vulnerable. So, over the course of our evolution, people have learned to live in groups in order to be safe. Living and working in social groups is a source of great comfort and support.

However, relationships are also a source of change, uncertainty, tension, perception of threat and potential conflict. COVID-19 may cause some stress in your relationships, so we will spend some time introducing you to techniques for thinking about, and behaving differently, in relationships.

4. Connect with others

Given that we are social animals, we have a deep need for meaningful connections with family, friends and our community. Relationships can be stressful, but they also give great comfort and support.

As a result of COVID-19, you may find yourself isolated from family, friends and community. Loneliness can be particularly hard, because those social connections help to buffer stress. Sure, a friend, roommate or partner can stress you out, but they can also help you de-stress by sharing a meal, laugh or hug at the end of the day.

The opposite is also true. Social isolation is very stressful. That’s why solitary confinement is often described as “cruel and unusual punishment.” In North America, the “loneliness epidemic” loneliness has been identified as a major public health problem, especially among men. We all need actively challenge the forces in our lives that promote loneliness and isolation at the best of times. During COVID-19 we have to be especially careful to make the time and effort to maintain our connection to other people.

5. Connect with meaning

People are better protected from stress and are more resilient when they make decisions and live their lives according to their core values.

In a social media world, we’re constantly bombarded by other people’s agendas, expectations and values. There are a lot of people out there telling what you “should” value, how you “should” behave and who you “should” be.

That’s a lot of noise that we want you to practice stepping away from.

Your core values are the compass that keeps you on course and leading the life you want to lead, especially during stressful times like these. We encourage you to identify what’s important to you and check your compass regularly. We can help with that, too.

6. Make a commitment to mental fitness

To get physically fit, you have to do exercises that challenge your muscles and cardiovascular system so that you can build strength, flexibility and endurance.

And, when you exercise, you also re-wire connections between your muscles and your brain. That’s especially true when you get in shape by playing a sport. Then, you really start to change the connections in your brain as you learn new skills. It’s easier to get motivated to get more fit when you have the goal of competing in a race, making a team or improving your game.

It’s the same with mental fitness and resiliency.

It’s easier to get motivated to get more mentally fit when you’re aiming to be more connected to your work, family, friends, partner, hobbies, leisure, community and the greater meaning and purpose in your life.

Spoiler Alert! Resiliency is about being able to connect to “The Big Picture,” even when you’re really stressed, like maybe right now.

But, eventually, most people find that they start getting bored with the gym. The gym is crowded in January when people commit to physical fitness. But, by the time March rolls around…

The “secrets” to a sustainable commitment to mental fitness and physical fitness are the same:

• Make a long-term, value-based commitment to your health. No one can do it for you, and you’re worth it.

• Even a little moderate exercise is very good for you – a little bit done over the long haul goes a long way. You don’t need to radically change everything in your life all at once.

• Set reasonable and reachable goals, even if it’s committing to practice one exercise at a time, over time. Fifty years of stress management research tells us that building resiliency is a long-term project. Building mental fitness consists of setting a few reasonable and reachable goals and then working towards those goals in small steps. You get there slowly by building one skill and one good habit at a time.

• Expect that your motivation will go up and go down. Congratulations, you’re human. 

• Mix it up. It’s okay to cycle through techniques to keep it fresh.

• Don’t forget to stretch! When it comes to mental fitness, it’s about accessing the relaxation response and practicing mindfulness.

• Make a social commitment. Declare your commitment to wellness. Let people know that you’re working on mental fitness and why.

Remember, mental fitness is like physical fitness. You can’t possibly do it all at once. Pick something to work on, such as meditating once a day, and try it for a while. Take the time to set reasonable and reachable goals and work towards them in small steps.