How to Reduce Stress: Science-Backed Strategies

Stress gets blamed for a lot, and most advice on it stops at a bath and an early night. Jamie Wright, a registered nutritionist with a Master's in Human Nutrition who has supported more than 1,500 clients from office workers to Olympians, sets out what stress actually is, when it becomes a problem and what to do about it. Over to Jamie.

What Stress Does to the Body

I think it's fair to say, we're all a little stressed nowadays… Cost of living crisis, the constant bombardment of negative news pieces, wars here, there and everywhere…

Stress has always been part of the human experience but something has definitely shifted – what was once an annoying "fly in the room" has become, for many of us, a constant, more serious threat. Nowhere is this more apparent than among working adults, young people and those raising (or planning) a family.

The numbers bear this out. Mental Health UK's Burnout Report 2026 found that 91% of UK adults experienced high or extreme levels of pressure or stress in the past year. Among young workers aged 18 to 24, that figure climbs to 93%, and the charity's 2025 report put it at 96% for adults aged 25 to 34. One in five also needed time off in the past year because of poor mental health caused by pressure or stress.⊕ Whichever way you cut it, this is a crisis of mental and cognitive health – a widespread struggle to regulate, stabilise and cope with the sheer volume of stressors we're exposed to every single day.

The good news? You're far from powerless. In this article, I'll be describing exactly what stress is (and what it does to our body), the key difference between acute and chronic stress, immediate fixes for stress regulation and evidence-based strategies to build resilience and leave you in a mentally – and physically – stronger place, day after day.

What Is Stress?

Well, stress is simply the physical and mental response your body has when it faces a new demand, pressure, or threat. It is a normal (and often useful) response to the ongoing challenges and changes life presents. When we experience stress our body is flooded with the hormones (signalling molecules) adrenaline and cortisol. These work in tandem to sharpen focus, boost brainpower, temporarily strengthen immunity and provide the intense energy burst needed to tackle hard tasks or beat deadlines. It's why we often experience a "crash" after these intensely stressful periods.

Why Some Stress Is Good for You

But this stress is important too. One study reported that individuals who report absolutely no daily stressors often exhibit lower levels of cognitive functioning and fewer positive daily experiences (they were also more likely to be older, unmarried and out of work).⊕

Without stressors we aren't able to develop resilience. Stress is also a precursor of growth – whether that be physically or mentally. Short-term stress actively helps to rewire the brain in a process described as "neuroplasticity". Neuroplasticity is the brain's ability to change its structure and connections in response to stress. While short-term stress can help the brain adapt, long-term or chronic stress can have negative health consequences…

Acute vs Chronic Stress

Short-term or acute stress, also known as "eustress," acts as a vital survival and motivational mechanism that can significantly enhance your cognitive performance, immune function, social bonding and psychological resilience. For this kind of stress, the physical and or mental response (the initiation of your "fight or flight" response – the cascade of adrenaline and cortisol) to a specific stressor – like a loud bang, bad news, an intense training session etc. – typically only lasts a few minutes to, max, a day or two.

Chronic stress on the other hand is a long-term state of tension from ongoing issues. In today's society this could be caused by issues like money problems or a challenging work environment. These persistent challenges keep your body in a constant state of alert and can lead to a number of health issues.⊕

Research shows that maintaining high levels of stress hormone over a long time is damaging. This constant activation harms the brain, heart, immune system and metabolism, raising the risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, and mental health issues.

• One example of this research is from The Lancet (one of, if not the most, revered scientific publications). Researchers used PET/CT scans to track the brain's stress centre (the amygdala) in nearly 300 people. They found that higher resting activity in the amygdala predicted increased bone marrow activity, arterial inflammation and, subsequently, a greater risk of heart attacks or strokes.⊕
• Another recent and incredibly interesting study published this year looked at the pathway between anxiety, depression and heart disease. In a large biobank of more than 85,000 people, depression and anxiety were linked to more major cardiovascular events and, in a group who had brain scans, to higher activity in the brain's stress centre, lower Heart Rate Variability (HRV) and higher C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of inflammation. It shows an association, not proof of cause.⊕
• Finally, it's worth highlighting observational data which has linked chronic stress to increases in all-cause mortality risk, with large-scale reviews showing high cumulative physiological stress (allostatic load) raises the risk of death by roughly 22% overall.⊕

With that in mind, while acute stress is normal and expected, the aim is to manage our day to day stress levels so that we don't risk becoming chronically over-stressed; here are some quick tools to keep in your anti-stress "toolbox" to whip out anytime you feel life getting on top of you.

Quick Tools for Acute Stress

Breathwork

Let's start with a technique called "breathwork". Breathwork is simply the practice of consciously and intentionally using your breathing patterns to better your health, mental and physical, by improving our regulation.

There is an absolutely brilliant article you'll want to read that explores a range of breathing techniques by Andrew Huberman and his team – Huberman Lab: breathwork protocols for health, focus and stress

This article was based on a study that was conducted by Dr Huberman's laboratory alongside Dr David Spiegel of the Stanford School of Medicine.⊕ Over four weeks of five minutes a day, every practice the researchers tested, including mindfulness meditation, reduced negative affect and state anxiety. Breathwork did better on mood, and one form in particular (which I'll mention shortly) improved mood the most and lowered breathing rate more than mindfulness did.

That practice was cyclic sighing, better known as the Physiological Sigh, and it's very simple to perform:

1. Take 2 consecutive inhales through the nose: one big inhale, followed by another inhale (with no exhale in between). The aim here is to maximally inflate your lungs.
2. Then exhale from your mouth all of the air you've inhaled until your lungs are empty. Simply repeat until you feel yourself relaxing.

The reason this works so well is that it essentially shocks your autonomic nervous system out of a state of elevated arousal and anxiety toward a state of feeling more relaxed, grounded and calm. A highly effective and wonderfully practical tool for your toolbox.

Movement and Nature

Beyond breathwork is movement. It goes without saying that moving is good for us – both mentally and physically – but what kind of movement(s) are best for reducing and or managing stress?

One of the most effective ways of managing stress or improving our mood is not just to get moving, engaging in some form of gentle exercise like going for a walk, but by actively doing that outside. Being in nature when exercising seems to help improve our mood and manage our stress, and ultimately helps us to better regulate ourselves.⊕

Progressive Muscle Relaxation

In terms of an actual immediate tool that can be used, you may benefit from testing out some Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR). This works well if stress presents as physical restlessness or a tight chest. PMR simply involves physically engaging and then releasing muscle groups and offers a systematic way to drop systemic tension.

To practise this technique simply: tense a specific muscle group (e.g., your shoulders) as tightly as possible for 5 seconds while inhaling, then abruptly release the tension completely while exhaling. Move systematically from your feet up to your jaw.

A systematic review of 46 studies found that PMR can help reduce stress, anxiety and depression in adults, although how much it helps varies a lot between studies.⊕

Daylight

One totally free tool that many people underrate is… daylight! Yes, getting some sunlight (particularly early on) can actually work wonders for your mental health and managing stress.

Research in more than 400,000 UK Biobank participants found that each additional hour spent outdoors in daylight was associated with lower odds of depression and antidepressant use, less low mood and greater happiness.⊕

So, in managing stress, while the first two techniques are more reactive, the strategy of early light exposure is more proactive and should be a daily staple as far as possible; as best you can, get outside, get out early and get some sun!

Foundations That Build Resilience

In the context of stress, resilience is the ability to adapt, recover, and bounce back after facing difficult challenges, ongoing pressures or acute stressful situations.

Resilience thrives when we're taking care of ourselves – our ability to resist and respond to stress is impaired when our physical and mental health is poor. Conversely, when we are taking better care of ourselves (sleeping well, moving each day and throughout the day, eating well, looking after our digestive tract, specifically our gut, and making the effort to get outside), all of those elements not only benefit our ability to manage stress, they also further build our resilience.

Here is exactly how these various elements contribute to enhanced resilience, and the steps that you can take to improve these elements straight away as well as how to start fitting these things in regularly.

Sleep

Sleep is your brain's primary recovery mechanism. During deep sleep, your brain flushes out metabolic waste, while REM sleep processes emotions and keeps your mood stable. Poor sleep hygiene and lack of adequate sleep immediately spikes your cortisol (stress hormone) levels the next day and leaves you susceptible to other daily stressors.

Improve your sleep immediately by:

• Achieving 7 to 9 hours of continuous sleep per night.
• Keeping your bedroom dark, quiet, and cool (around 16–18°C / 61–64°F).
• Maintaining a consistent wake-up time, even on weekends, to anchor your circadian rhythm.
• Making use of lavender aromatherapy to promote relaxation and improved sleep.

Tight schedule?

• If a full 1-hour wind-down routine is impossible, do a hard disconnect from all screens exactly 10 minutes before bed. Read a physical book or do a breathing exercise instead. Also, make sure all your screens have inbuilt bluelight filters (bluelight / artificial light can hijack your brain's sleep onset by disrupting melatonin production and shifting your internal body clock).
• Have a caffeine cutoff – Yes, I know you're busy but using caffeine to push through poor quality work because you're so tired will only perpetuate the cycle of that continuing the next day (low focus – poor work – caffeine to keep you alert – more poor work because you're exhausted – poor sleep from the caffeine or delayed sleep onset – wake up tired next day – low focus and more poor work). Stop drinking caffeine at least 6 hours before your target bedtime, and earlier if you're sensitive to it: caffeine taken even 6 hours before bed has been shown to disrupt sleep.⊕ This costs zero time but drastically improves sleep (and your long-term productivity).

Movement

Physical stress requires a physical outlet. Movement burns off accumulated adrenaline and cortisol while triggering the release of BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor), an important protein that protects your brain cells and improves mental flexibility (making you better able to resist and manage stress).

Movement targets to aim for:

• Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate activity per week.
• Mix resistance training (muscle building) with cardiovascular exercise (heart health).
• Move (cardio) at an intensity where you can still hold a conversation.

Tight schedule?

• This is one of my favourites (and not just because of the name) – Exercise Snacks: Break your movement into 2-minute bursts. Do 20 air squats while waiting for your coffee to brew or 30 seconds of running on the spot between calls. I prefer programming a set number of "snacks" per day (mini sessions dotted throughout the day) typically consisting of 3 minute blocks of work spread across 3 – 5 rounds of movements (which include air squats, burpees, press ups, rear delt flyes with resistance bands and more).
• On the go calls – Start to take calls (that you can do this with) while out for a walk. Most people are understanding, you simply have to ask.

Nutrition & Gut-Brain

The nutrition and gut-brain connection is a critical foundational cornerstone for mental resilience because your digestive system and brain are in constant contact via the vagus nerve.

Much of the body's serotonin is made in the gut, which is one reason what you eat and drink is tied to how you feel and how well you handle stress.

Minimising inflammatory triggers like ultraprocessed foods and alcohol is vital. Alcohol is particularly important to mention as it disrupts and damages the gut barrier and fragments deep sleep, which often mimics or worsens anxiety as it wears off.

Conversely, prioritising omega-3 fatty acids (specifically EPA and DHA found in cold-water fish) provides essential building blocks for brain cell membranes.

Strategic daily supplementation with omega-3s can be a practical way to fill dietary gaps when you're not eating much oily fish.

The priority list for nutrition that supports stress management:

• Limit alcohol consumption to weekends, or establish a rule of no more than 1–2 standard drinks per week. Avoid drinking within 3 to 4 hours of bedtime to protect sleep quality. Honestly, I'd go so far as to challenge yourself to abstain from alcohol and record just how much better you feel (guarantee you won't want to reintroduce it after!).
• Consume fatty, cold-water fish (like wild salmon, mackerel, sardines, and anchovies) 2 to 3 times a week. For plant-based sources, rely on walnuts, chia seeds, and flaxseeds (though the conversion rate to EPA/DHA is low). Supplementation is the most practical pathway to achieving optimal Omega-3 intake consistently (for both vegan and non-vegan individuals alike).
• 80/20 rule: The 80/20 rule or principle is a very simple approach to nutrition. 80% of your nutrition should come from highly nutritious whole foods. The other 20% should come from foods that help to fill the gaps, effectively keep you sane, and foods that you really enjoy. It's not to say that you don't enjoy those nutritious whole foods, but whenever you've ticked all your boxes, there's absolutely nothing wrong with enjoying a little bit of something that you can just look forward to, maybe towards the end of the day or in the afternoon.

Tight schedule?

• If you are at a networking or social event and want to cut back on alcohol without explaining why, swap every second drink for sparkling water (with a lime wedge too if you're fancy). It looks like a cocktail, takes zero explanation and keeps you hydrated.
• Supplement – Consistently hitting your omega-3 intake, at least the optimal omega-3 intake, daily is very difficult. Supplementation provides the perfect practical solution for that. It's also pretty cost-effective whenever you are looking at the price of these whole food sources as well as the actual benefit for that investment.
• It goes without saying, but if you want to make nutritious whole foods part and parcel of your daily life, then the best thing that you can do is future-proof your schedule to make sure that it includes those things. There are two pathways that I routinely recommend:
  • Have an automated shop set up so that these items are delivered to you on a routine basis.
  • Carve out time at least twice a week to do some meal prep.

The last thing that many people want to do at the end of a busy day is to cook a meal. If you've already got that sitting ready to go, then the energy that you would have to dedicate and the time that you would have to dedicate to cooking that can be used elsewhere. Potentially, it can be used to go and train, or to go for a walk, or even to prioritise some self-care and restorative activities. Always try and think: what's one thing I can do today that the future version of me will be grateful for? Having an automated shop and food prep are two things that the future you will always be grateful for.

Connection & Nature

At the end of the day, we are really intelligent (mostly quite strange) animals and most animals thrive when regularly exposed to two key elements – community and being outside (when not being hunted down by some hungrier animal of course).

Social connection from being a part of communities floods your body with oxytocin, which acts as a natural brake on your amygdala. Meanwhile, nature exposure rapidly shifts your nervous system out of "fight-or-flight" and into a parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) state. It's why so many report a better mood and feel less tense when they get outside for a mid-day walk.⊕

How to achieve more connection and prioritise nature exposure:

• Spend at least 20 minutes outside daily, ideally in green spaces. Book out that lunch break and DON'T COMPROMISE.
• Dedicate undistracted time to connect deeply with friends, family, or community members. Even better for you to make time on the weekends to visit family and friends or join a hobby group / sport or exercise club.
• Engage in active listening where you focus entirely on the other person (aka leave the phone to one side for a few minutes).

Tight schedule?

• Don't have time to text back? One of the big hurdles to messaging people (or returning a text) is the time that it would take to do so. Our time is so finite that anything that isn't dedicated to hyper-important tasks, or these tasks that feel like they are life and death, often just gets kicked to the kerb. We can use technology to our advantage here. Download a speech-to-text transcribing tool. That way, all you have to do is just talk to your phone, and it will write the message for you. Speaking into your phone is about three times faster than typing on it.⊕ With this tool, you'll be able to connect more as well as save a lot more time.
• Make a point of this each morning – Step outside for just 2 minutes in the morning. Look toward the horizon without your phone. This combines outdoor exposure with vital morning sunlight to set your sleep clock.
• Bring nature to you if you cannot leave your desk. Open a window for fresh air or look at a live plant. Even looking at pictures of high-quality nature scenes for 1 minute has been shown to reduce physiological stress levels. You could always become the parent of a desk plant as well if you really want to enhance your exposure to nature (although these plants can be stressful!).

Nervous-System Regulation

Your nervous system is your body's command centre – a signalling network of brain, spinal cord and nerves that is "always on", continuously monitoring and responding to everything happening inside and around you. It runs the essentials you never think about (digestion, heart rate, temperature) while doubling as a highly reactive threat response system. Basically, it keeps you alive – and it does a really, really great job of that.

There's a "yin and yang" element to how it operates. The sympathetic nervous system is your "fight or flight" mode: under stress or perceived threat, it releases adrenaline and cortisol, raising your heart rate, sharpening alertness and priming you for action. The parasympathetic nervous system is your "rest and digest" mode: once the threat passes, it slows your heart rate, lowers blood pressure and shifts the body into recovery and repair.

This back-and-forth is completely normal – it's what has allowed us to survive as a species. The problem is that modern life rarely lets the threat "pass". Deadlines, notifications, financial pressures and packed schedules keep the sympathetic system firing, and that chronic activation creates what researchers call allostatic load – accumulating "wear and tear" on the body and brain, alongside higher inflammation and impaired immunity.⊕

So what does a dysregulated nervous system actually feel like? In a word: horrendous. Cognitively and emotionally you may notice brain fog, anxiety, feeling "on edge", irritability, overwhelm, low motivation and struggles with memory, focus and decision making. Physically it shows up as muscle tension, headaches, digestive problems, poor sleep and heart rate spikes in response to minor issues.

The classic sign is being "wired but tired" – lying exhausted in a dark, silent room at 11pm, unable to sleep because your body has so much adrenaline and cortisol circulating that it simply doesn't feel safe enough to switch off.

Left unchecked, this doesn't stay static. Poor recovery compounds and, over time, that persistently stressed-out state – physical, cognitive and emotional – can lead to burnout.⊕

This is exactly why nervous system regulation sits at the heart of effective stress management. You can't remove stressors from modern life – but you can change how quickly and how fully your body returns to that calm, parasympathetic state after each one. A well-regulated nervous system recovers faster, sleeps deeper, thinks clearer and handles the next challenge from a position of stability rather than depletion.

The good news? Regulation is a skill you can build. What you need is a toolbox – reactive strategies to handle acute stress in the moment, and proactive daily habits that keep the dial turned firmly away from burnout. Let's build yours.

Building Your Stress Toolbox

The best approach to nervous system regulation is having tools for both sides of the equation: reactive strategies to bring you down from acute stress in the moment, and proactive habits that keep your baseline calmer so you don't end up getting weighed down by stress you've not spent the time to shed. Think of it as a complete toolbox – here's what I'd put in yours today:

Reactive tools (for in-the-moment stress):

• Box breathing – inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4. Repeat for 2–3 minutes to directly activate your parasympathetic system
• Get outside – a 10-minute walk, ideally somewhere green, resets both body and mind
• Splash cold water on your face or wrists – it stimulates the vagus nerve and rapidly lowers arousal
• Do a "brain dump" – write every worry on paper to get it out of your head, then pick the one thing you can act on
• Step away from screens for 20 minutes – it sounds silly but most people's stressors are coming through screens. Remove the stressor's delivery mechanism by simply stepping away.

Proactive tools (for a calmer baseline):

• Anchor your "bookends" – a consistent wake time and a wind-down routine that starts at the same time each night
• Schedule downtime like an appointment – if it's not in the diary, it won't happen
• Practise saying "no" – unnecessary commitments are unnecessary stressors, and setting boundaries is a skill that improves with repetition
• Move daily – regular exercise is one of the most reliable regulators we have, and even a brisk walk counts
• Book time off before you need it – recovery works best as prevention, not rescue

You won't use every tool every day – what matters is knowing they're there, testing them in advance before the "wheels fall off" and utilising them before the dial creeps towards burnout.

When to Get Support

Self-management tools are powerful, but they have limits – and recognising when you've reached them is a strength, not a failure.

It's time to reach out for support if these "red flags" become more apparent (despite consistently applying the strategies above): if stress is significantly affecting your work, relationships or day-to-day functioning, or if you're experiencing anxiety / panic attacks, ongoing sleep problems or physical symptoms that won't shift. Turning to alcohol or other unhelpful coping mechanisms more and more frequently is another clear signal (and you certainly don't want to let this means of coping spiral).

Your GP is a good first port of call – they can rule out underlying issues and point you towards the right help. In the UK you can also self-refer to NHS Talking Therapies without seeing a GP first, and many employers offer confidential counselling through an Employee Assistance Programme. If you're ever having thoughts of harming yourself, please treat that as urgent – contact your GP, call NHS 111, or reach the Samaritans free any time on 116 123.

Getting support early means a shorter road back. The toolbox still matters – but you don't have to build your way out of chronic stress alone.

FAQ: Your Questions, Answered

What's the fastest way to reduce stress?

Breathwork is the quickest tool in Jamie's toolbox. Try the physiological sigh: two inhales through the nose, one big and one short on top, then a long exhale through the mouth until your lungs feel empty. Repeat until you settle. A walk outside, ideally somewhere green, and some daylight also help in the moment. If stress shows up as a tight chest or a restless body, progressive muscle relaxation is worth testing too.

How can I lower stress long term?

Start with the foundations. Aim for seven to nine hours of sleep with a consistent wake time, move most days, eat mostly whole foods, get outside daily and make time for the people in your life. These habits keep your baseline calmer and build resilience, so stressors knock you off course less and you recover faster when they do. Schedule downtime, say no to unnecessary commitments and book time off before you need it.

Can diet help with stress?

It can support your resilience, though it won't remove the stressors themselves. Your gut and brain are in constant contact via the vagus nerve, so what you eat and drink matters. Jamie suggests cutting back on alcohol and ultraprocessed foods, eating oily fish two to three times a week for omega-3s, and following an 80/20 approach: mostly nutritious whole foods, with room for the things you enjoy.

Is all stress bad?

No. Short-term stress is a normal and often useful response. Adrenaline and cortisol sharpen your focus and give you the energy to tackle hard tasks, and manageable stress is part of how resilience develops. The problem is chronic stress, where ongoing pressure such as money worries or a demanding job keeps your body on alert without enough recovery. The aim isn't to remove stress. It's to recover well from it.

When should I seek help for stress?

Reach out if stress is significantly affecting your work, relationships or daily life, or if you're dealing with anxiety or panic attacks, ongoing sleep problems or physical symptoms that won't shift despite using the strategies above. Turning to alcohol more and more often is another signal. Your GP is a good first step, and in the UK you can self-refer to NHS Talking Therapies. If you're thinking about harming yourself, contact your GP, call NHS 111 or ring the Samaritans on 116 123.