Ever felt like stress has moved in and refuses to leave? For many adults juggling work, relationships, and endless notifications, tension isn’t just a passing visitor-it’s part of the furniture. But here’s the good news therapists say there are quick, science-backed ways to show stress the door, no matter how chaotic life feels.
From cold-water jolts to mindful breathing, these techniques aren’t about overhauling your whole routine they are about small, doable shifts that help your body reset. Backed by experts in the fields of psychology, neuroscience, and holistic health, they’re designed to work in the moment and make you more resilient over time. Here’s a curated list of nine therapist-approved methods you can start using today.
1. Use Breathwork to Flip Your Body’s Calm Switch
When stress spikes, your sympathetic nervous system goes into overdrive-cue racing heart and shallow breaths. Psychotherapist Niro Feliciano recommends longer exhalations to stimulate the vagus nerve, which helps shift the body into a parasympathetic, or ‘soothe’, state. The 4-7-8 breathing technique, developed by Dr. Andrew Weil, is a favourite inhale for four counts, hold for seven, exhale for eight. Clinical research has shown that this can lower anxiety and blood pressure within minutes, even among sleep-deprived individuals. Practising daily makes it easier to regulate emotions when life throws curveballs.
2. Cold-Water Therapy for an Instant Mood Lift
Cold exposure isn’t just a wellness trend, it’s underpinned by emerging neuroscience. According to integrative therapist Hannah Stebbings, the action of splashing your face, holding an ice cube, or taking a brief cold shower can kickstart the parasympathetic nervous system after that initial shock, slowing heart rate and grounding the mind. Research on open-water swimmers has found that one single immersion can increase positive affect and decrease negative mood significantly. Long-term, this might reduce stress sensitivity and boost emotional stability.
3. Shake It Off Literally
Shaking therapy is inspired by the ways animals naturally shake off tension, and it quickly, playfully shakes off excess adrenaline throughout the body to dissipate it. According to trauma expert Adair Finucane, a person can sometimes reset their nervous system in as little as 30-second shakes of arms, legs, or hips. Neurogenic tremoring provides support for short-term symptomatic improvement and long-term emotional regulation. This approach is very helpful during high-pressure moments when a full workout can’t be taken.
4. Reset Your Gut for Better Stress Resilience
Nutrition is more deeply connected to mood regulation than one would imagine. An astonishing 95% of serotonin is made in the gut, and diets high in processed foods can throw a wrench into the works. Gastroenterologist Dr. Sean Spencer advises adhering to a ‘psychobiotic diet’ that focuses on a good amount of prebiotic fibre-think oats, garlic, legumes-along with probiotic foods like kefir and yogurt. Research links such eating patterns to lower perceived stress and better sleep. A reduction in refined sugar and saturated fat also serves to balance blood sugar, avoiding the dips in mood that fuel anxiety.
5. Schedule Time for Meaningful Socializing
Isolation can amplify stress. Lauren Baird, a psychotherapist, notes that talking face-to-face with a compassionate listener is one of the most powerful ways for the body to regulate its nervous system. Even a coffee with a friend can lower cortisol levels. When therapy isn’t available, leaning on relationships you trust can provide both emotional relief and perspective, lessening the tendency to spiral into worst-case thinking.
6. Establish Digital Boundaries
Screens deliver dopamine hits that can leave your brain on a rollercoaster of highs and lows. Feliciano recommends immediately turning your phone to grayscale to make scrolling less stimulating or using apps such as Opal that limit usage. Digital detox research shows that even brief breaks from social media can help improve mood and sleep quality. Start no screens 30-60 minutes before bedtime to protect your rest and your mental clarity.
7. Use Cognitive Reframing to Challenge Stressful Thoughts
Cognitive restructuring can help when anxiety sends your brain into catastrophe mode. This could be something like, “What’s the evidence for and against this thought?” says Stebbings, or the phrase, “I’m having a thought that”. The mental shift engages the prefrontal cortex-the logical thinking part of the brain-so you can respond calmly, rather than react impulsively.
8. Move Your Body to Release Endorphins
Even just five minutes of jumping jacks or jogging in place can release endorphins, which elevate mood and reduce stress hormones. Physical activity also supports the ‘completion of the stress cycle’, according to the research into psychophysiology. For desk-bound individuals, micro-movements can keep the energy flowing without building tension, such as stretching or even fidgeting on calls.
9. Protect Your Sleep Like a Non-Negotiable
Poor sleep amplifies stress hormones, reducing emotional resilience. Stebbings recommends seven to nine hours a night, with the same bedtime every night. Simple habits like turning off lights an hour before bed, avoiding caffeine late in the day, and keeping devices out of the bedroom can dramatically improve sleep quality. Think of rest as your body’s nightly reset button for both mind and mood.
Stress might be unavoidable, but it doesn’t have to run the show. By blending quick, in-the-moment tools like breathwork or cold-water splashes with longer-term habits such as gut-friendly eating and digital boundaries, you can build a toolkit that works in real life. And therapists all agree it’s not about eliminating every stressor-it’s about giving your body and mind the support they need to bounce back faster, feel steadier, and reclaim calm.
