The central idea should be that stress itself is not always harmful. The greatest problems arise when the stress response is too intense, lasts too long, or is repeatedly activated without adequate recovery. Caring for your own well-being must become a top priority to avoid severe nervous system exhaustion. Stress — How to get through It with minimal damage?
#1. What happens to the body during stress. Stress — How to get through It with minimal damage?
Explain the stress response in simple physiological terms:
Sympathetic nervous system — rapidly increases alertness, heart rate, blood pressure, breathing and blood flow to muscles.
Adrenaline (epinephrine) — provides the immediate “fight-or-flight” response.
Noradrenaline (norepinephrine) — increases vigilance, attention and cardiovascular activation.
Cortisol — helps maintain blood glucose and blood pressure and mobilizes energy during prolonged stress.
CRH and ACTH — hormones that activate and regulate the cortisol response through the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis.
Endorphins and other signaling systems can modulate pain, mood and the stress response.
A useful distinction is acute stress → recovery versus chronic/repeated stress → inadequate recovery.
#2. Signs and symptoms at different levels of stress
Mild/acute: Increased alertness, faster heartbeat, muscle tension, sweating, temporary anxiety, increased concentration
Moderate: Irritability, difficulty relaxing, headaches, digestive changes, sleep disruption, persistent muscle tension, racing thoughts
High/prolonged: Exhaustion, insomnia, impaired concentration, emotional volatility, elevated blood pressure, appetite changes, frequent physical complaints
Severe/overwhelming: Panic-like symptoms, inability to function normally, severe sleep disturbance, marked emotional distress, withdrawal or inability to cope
Importantly, symptoms: do not reliably indicate a specific “cortisol level.” Stress symptoms can have many other causes.
#3. Immediate steps: what to do in the first 5–30 minutes. Stress — How to get through It with minimal damage?
The goal isn’t necessarily to make the stressful situation disappear. It is to stop adding physiological activation to an already stressful situation.
First: slow the body down
Stop and sit or stand in a safe place. This could involve mindful breathing, a brief forgiveness practice in your car, a five-minute meditation, prayer, or expressing gratitude. Such simple actions help lower stress levels. We often neglect the spirit amidst the daily hustle, yet this kind of approach maintains inner balance in any life circumstance. Breathe slowly, focusing on a longer, comfortable exhale. Relax your jaw, shoulders, hands, and abdominal muscles. Reduce external stimuli: noise, news, social media, and multitasking.
Second: restore basic physiological needs
Drink water.
Eat if you have gone too long without food.
Avoid using alcohol or recreational drugs to “calm down.”
If possible, take a short walk.
Third: reduce the problem to the next action
Instead of asking “How am I going to deal with everything?”, ask:
“What is the one thing I need to do next?”
This is particularly useful when stress produces cognitive overload.
#4. How to prevent stress-induced physical damage. Stress — How to get through It with minimal damage?
The most protective strategy is not eliminating stress—it is creating recovery periods.
The major protective factors are:
Sleep
Maintain a reasonably consistent sleep/wake schedule.
Protect sufficient sleep time.
Avoid allowing chronic stress to turn into chronic sleep deprivation.
Physical activity
Regular moderate exercise can improve stress regulation and cardiovascular health.
Walking is valuable when someone is too stressed for intensive exercise.
Nutrition
Eat regular, nutritionally adequate meals.
Emphasize protein, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts/seeds and healthy fats.
Avoid using large amounts of caffeine, alcohol or highly processed foods as coping mechanisms.
Social connection
Maintaining contact with supportive people acts as an important buffer against chronic stress. You can re-evaluate your social circle, build supportive relationships, and seek help before a situation spirals out of control.
Recovery
Build small periods of recovery into the day rather than waiting until you are completely exhausted.
#5. How to remain reasonably stable when the situation cannot be changed
This is one of the most important sections.
Sometimes the stressful circumstance cannot immediately be fixed—financial problems, caregiving, illness in the family, immigration problems, work uncertainty, relationship difficulties, etc.
In those circumstances, the objective changes from:
“How do I eliminate stress?”
to: “How do I prevent the stress from consuming my entire physiological and psychological system?”
A useful framework is:
Control → Influence → Accept
Control: What can I directly change today?
Influence: What can I improve but cannot completely control?
Accept: What is outside my immediate control?
Then concentrate your energy disproportionately on the first two categories.
6. Create a “minimum viable day”. Stress — How to get through It with minimal damage?
During periods of extreme stress, don’t expect yourself to function at your normal maximum. During periods of high stress, do not expect yourself to work at your absolute limit. Establishing clear boundaries between work and personal life—including avoiding the habit of constantly bringing work tasks home—prevents the formation of unhealthy habits and reduces emotional strain.
Establish a minimum daily baseline:
It is important to replenish your energy reserves in healthy ways, avoiding stimulants or energy drinks that offer only a temporary effect.
Get up at approximately the same time.
Shower and get dressed.
Eat something nutritious.
Drink enough fluids.
Get outside.
Walk or move your body.
Complete one or two essential tasks.
Contact at least one supportive person.
Maintain a reasonable bedtime.
This prevents a stressful period from turning into complete disruption of daily functioning.
7. Understanding cortisol correctly
Cortisol is sometimes portrayed as a “bad” stress hormone. That’s misleading. Cortisol is essential for life.
It helps regulate:
blood glucose,
metabolism,
blood pressure,
immune activity,
inflammation,
energy availability,
the response to physical and psychological challenges.
The problem is generally not cortisol itself, but dysregulated or prolonged activation of the stress system.
Similarly, adrenaline is not inherently harmful. A short adrenaline surge can be extremely useful. The concern is repeated or persistent activation combined with insufficient recovery.
8. When stress becomes medically important. Stress — How to get through It with minimal damage?
You should not automatically attribute every symptom to stress.
Seek medical attention if you experience symptoms such as:
chest pain or a sensation of heaviness in the chest, severe or unexplained shortness of breath, fainting, new neurological symptoms, persistent severe headaches, a sustained, significant rise in blood pressure, significant unexplained weight change, prolonged insomnia, symptoms that substantially interfere with normal daily activities.
The goal is to support the nervous system, sleep, stable blood sugar levels, and recovery processes while the body’s stress response gradually subsides naturally.
Steps to relieve stress
#1. Foods that support recovery from stress
Think of a Mediterranean-style recovery diet rather than a special “anti-stress diet.”
Best choices
Protein:
Eggs
Fish, especially salmon, sardines and trout
Chicken or turkey
Greek yogurt or lactose-free yogurt
Beans and lentils
Tofu/tempeh
Nuts and seeds
Protein provides amino acids needed for neurotransmitter synthesis and helps maintain stable appetite and blood glucose.
Omega-3-rich foods:
Salmon
Sardines
Mackerel
Herring
Walnuts
Chia and flaxseed
Omega-3 fatty acids are particularly interesting for long-term cardiovascular and brain health.
Magnesium-rich foods
Pumpkin seeds
Almonds
Cashews
Beans
Lentils
Spinach and other leafy greens
Whole grains
Dark chocolate with a high cocoa percentage
Magnesium is involved in hundreds of biochemical reactions, including normal nervous-system and muscle function.
Complex carbohydrates
This is important: you don’t necessarily want to eliminate carbohydrates when you’re stressed.
Oatmeal, beans, lentils, quinoa, brown rice, sweet potatoes, fruit and whole grains can be useful, particularly as part of an evening meal for people who find that adequate carbohydrate intake helps them relax and sleep.
Fruit and vegetables
Berries, oranges, kiwi, bananas, leafy greens, tomatoes, peppers, broccoli and other colorful produce provide potassium, folate, vitamin C, polyphenols and other compounds involved in normal physiological function.
#2. Herbs that may help. Stress — How to get through It with minimal damage?
Here I would distinguish between culinary herbs/foods and concentrated herbal supplements.
Chamomile
Chamomile tea is one of the gentler options for an evening routine. Evidence suggests possible benefits for anxiety and sleep, although the evidence is not strong enough to consider it a treatment.
Lemon balm
Lemon balm has some evidence for reducing subjective anxiety and promoting relaxation.
Lavender
Lavender preparations have some evidence for anxiety, particularly standardized oral preparations. Lavender essential oil should not be swallowed.
Passionflower
May have mild anxiolytic effects and may be useful for some people, but evidence is limited and it can interact with medications.
Valerian
Often marketed for sleep. Results are inconsistent, and it can cause next-day drowsiness in some people.
Ashwagandha
This is different from a simple calming tea. Some studies suggest that standardized ashwagandha extracts may reduce perceived stress and possibly cortisol, but product quality varies considerably and there are potential medication and medical-condition interactions. I would not recommend taking it automatically just because someone is stressed.
#3. What can help you calm down in the evening?
A particularly effective approach is to create a physiological transition from daytime activation to nighttime recovery.
Try: 2–3 hours before bed
Finish a large meal.
Avoid or minimize alcohol.
Avoid intense work if possible.
Reduce emotionally stimulating conversations.
1–2 hours before bed
Dim the environment.
Stop work.
Reduce news/social media.
Take a warm shower or bath.
Read something non-stimulating.
Drink chamomile or lemon-balm tea if you tolerate it.
30–60 minutes before bed
Slow breathing.
Gentle stretching.
Quiet music.
Progressive muscle relaxation.
Write down tomorrow’s tasks so you don’t have to mentally rehearse them in bed.
The objective is to tell your brain: “The problem does not need to be solved tonight.”
#4. What actually reduces stress activation besides meditation? Stress — How to get through It with minimal damage?
Slow breathing
One of the simplest ways to influence autonomic arousal.
Try:
Inhale gently → exhale slowly → repeat for 5–10 minutes.
You don’t need extremely deep breaths. Overbreathing can actually make some people feel worse.
Walking
A 10–30 minute walk can be surprisingly powerful.
It combines: movement, rhythmic breathing, change of environment, daylight exposure, interruption of rumination.
Progressive muscle relaxation Instead of trying to “empty your mind,” deliberately tense and then relax muscle groups. This works particularly well for people whose stress manifests as physical tension.
Exercise
Regular physical activity is one of the strongest long-term tools for stress regulation.
It doesn’t have to mean intense workouts.
Walking, cycling, swimming, strength training, yoga or dancing all count.
Nature and daylight
Getting outdoors—especially during daylight—can provide environmental and circadian signals that support sleep and mood.
Social connection
Talking to a trusted person can reduce the feeling that you have to carry the entire problem alone.
Importantly, the conversation doesn’t always need to be about solving the problem.
Sometimes: “I need you to listen, not fix this.”
is enough.
Music
Slow, familiar, pleasant music can help transition from high arousal to relaxation.
Laughter
Genuine laughter and enjoyable social interaction can interrupt rumination and reduce psychological tension.
#5. One of the most underrated anti-stress interventions: reduce stimulation
If someone is already highly activated, continuously consuming: news, political arguments, social media,
financial information, frightening medical information, emails, notifications, can repeatedly reactivate the stress response. You don’t necessarily need to disconnect from reality. Instead, establish information windows.
For example:
News: 20–30 minutes once or twice daily
Email: designated periods
Social media: limited periods
No stressful information: during the final hour before bed
This can be much more effective than trying to meditate while simultaneously consuming several hours of stressful information.
#6. A simple “stress recovery prescription”
The key principle. Stress — How to get through It with minimal damage?
Don’t try to “kill cortisol.” Cortisol is necessary.
Instead, aim for: Stress → activation → recovery → normal activity → recovery → sleep.
