Stress management

5 things you should know

1. Reducing stress can help improve your sleep, your concentration, and your overall health. It can lower your risk of health problems like heart disease, headaches, and anxiety.

2. Stress is your body’s reaction to a perceived threat or challenge (the “fight or flight” response). If you don’t see something as dangerous, you will not feel stressed.

3. Stress can be reduced by changing the situation (for real stressors) or changing how you think about the situation (for self-created stressors).

4. Relaxation strategies such as deep breathing, meditation, and listening to music can help reduce stress in the short-term.

5. Long-term stress management involves learning skills to deal with the source of stress such as problem-solving, communication, budgeting, as well as using strategies to change the way you think about and respond to the situation.