How to Relieve Stress in the Body and Mind: What Works

To relieve stress in the body, you need techniques that switch off the alarm response: slow breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, regular movement, steady sleep and short mindfulness practice. Combined with planning that lowers mental load, these techniques ease tense muscles, a racing pulse and an overloaded mind. If strain lasts for weeks or affects your health, professional support can help.

This guide is for adults who feel stress physically, in tight shoulders, headaches, an upset stomach or constant tiredness, as well as mentally. It explains how stress affects the body, which techniques have research behind them, a step-by-step muscle relaxation exercise, and when to talk with a provider.

How does stress affect your body and mind?

Stress triggers a hormone response that prepares your body for action, which helps in short bursts but wears you down when it never switches off. MedlinePlus explains that stress hormones make your brain more alert, cause your muscles to tense and increase your pulse.

With chronic stress, MedlinePlus notes, the body stays alert even when there is no danger. Over time this is linked with health problems including high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, depression and anxiety. Mentally, constant alertness can show up as racing thoughts, irritability, forgetfulness and trouble making decisions.

What are the physical signs of too much stress?

Common physical signs of too much stress include aches, headaches, a stiff jaw or neck, stomach trouble, tiredness and weight changes. MedlinePlus lists frequent aches and pains, headaches, a stiff jaw or neck, diarrhea or constipation, upset stomach, tiredness and weight loss or gain among the signs.

Because these symptoms overlap with many medical conditions, it is worth having new or persistent physical symptoms checked by a health care provider before assuming stress is the cause. For a deeper look, read about physical signs of stress and seven physical symptoms of stress.

Why does the body need a way to calm down?

The body needs a deliberate way to calm down because the stress response does not always turn off on its own. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) describes relaxation techniques as practices that bring about the relaxation response, which is marked by slower breathing, lower blood pressure and a reduced heart rate, the opposite of the stress response.

Think of it as a skill. The more often you practice calming your body when you are only a little stressed, the easier it becomes to use the same skill when stress is high.

Which techniques relieve stress in the body and mind?

Several techniques relieve stress in the body and mind, and most work best with daily practice. Choose the ones that fit your life.

Breathing exercises

Slow, deep breathing from the belly is one of the simplest tools. NCCIH notes that a 2019 review found preliminary evidence that diaphragmatic breathing may reduce stress, though more research is needed.

Progressive muscle relaxation

This technique involves tensing and then releasing muscle groups one at a time. It is especially helpful if you carry stress in your shoulders, jaw or back. Step-by-step instructions are below.

Guided imagery

Picturing a calm, detailed scene, such as a quiet beach or a familiar porch, can help the body settle. NCCIH lists guided imagery among common relaxation techniques.

Mindfulness

Mindfulness means paying attention to the present moment without judging it. NCCIH reports that in a 2018 analysis, mindfulness approaches performed better than no treatment for anxiety and depression, although some of the studies had an unclear risk of bias.

Regular movement

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that physical activity can help you feel better, function better and sleep better. Walking, swimming, stretching and yard work all count.

Steady sleep

The CDC recommends going to bed and waking up at the same time each day and avoiding alcohol and large meals before bed. Rested bodies handle stress hormones better.

Less caffeine

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) suggests avoiding excess caffeine such as soft drinks or coffee when you are feeling overwhelmed, since it can add to jitteriness and poor sleep.

Lighter mental load

Write tasks down, pick the top three for the day and say no to one thing you do not need to do. Fewer open loops mean less mental strain.

Scheduled worry time

If your mind keeps circling the same concerns, set aside 15 minutes in the late afternoon to write them down and note one possible next step for each. When a worry pops up at another time, remind yourself it has a slot later. Many people find this keeps worries from spilling into the whole day and into bedtime.

Talking it out

Saying a problem out loud to someone you trust often makes it feel smaller and easier to solve. NIMH also lists reaching out to friends or family members who help you cope in a positive way as a useful step. A short walk with a friend combines two techniques at once: movement and connection.

How do you do progressive muscle relaxation step by step?

Progressive muscle relaxation takes about 10 to 15 minutes and works best in a quiet place where you can sit or lie down. Follow these steps:

1. Sit or lie comfortably and take three slow breaths.
2. Curl your toes and tighten your feet for about five seconds, then release for 10 to 15 seconds and notice the difference.
3. Move up to your calves, then thighs, repeating the tense-and-release pattern.
4. Tighten your stomach, then your hands and forearms, then your upper arms.
5. Lift your shoulders toward your ears, hold, then let them drop.
6. Scrunch your face and jaw, hold, then let them soften.
7. Finish with a few slow breaths, noticing any areas that still feel tight.

Tense gently, not to the point of pain, and skip any area that is injured. NCCIH notes that relaxation techniques are generally considered safe for healthy people, but some people report increased anxiety or intrusive thoughts, and there are rare reports of worsened symptoms in people with certain psychiatric conditions or a history of trauma. If that happens, stop and talk with your clinician.

What professional help is available for stress?

Professional help for stress usually starts with an evaluation and often includes therapy, with medication considered when another condition such as anxiety or depression is present. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) teaches skills for changing stressful thought patterns and behaviors; our article on CBT for stress reduction explains how it works.

NIMH notes that psychotherapy and medication are the two main treatments for anxiety. Which specific therapy programs are available at any given practice, including Lyte Psychiatry, requires confirmation.

What should you tell your provider?

Bring a short summary of your physical and mental symptoms so your provider can rule out medical causes and plan next steps. MedlinePlus lists a stiff jaw or neck, headaches and an upset stomach among signs of too much stress, so name symptoms like these specifically. Use this checklist:

• Which physical symptoms you notice, and how often
• When they started and what seems to trigger them
• Your sleep, caffeine, alcohol and exercise habits
• Current medications and supplements
• What you have already tried and whether it helped

Example phrases: "My neck and jaw are tight most days, and I get headaches by the afternoon." "I have had stomach problems for a month, mostly on workdays." "I want to know if this is stress or something else."

When should you get help sooner?

Get help sooner if stress is affecting your health, your ability to function or your safety. MedlinePlus advises contacting your health care provider if you feel overwhelmed by stress or if it is affecting your health, and suggests seeking help for panic symptoms, being unable to work or function, uncontrollable fears or memories of a traumatic event.

Seek emergency care for chest pain, trouble breathing or fainting, because these need medical evaluation right away. If you have thoughts of suicide, call or text 988.

What should Texans know about stress support?

Texans can reach local public mental health services in every county, including crisis lines that run around the clock. As of October 2026, Texas Health and Human Services (HHS) lists 24/7 crisis lines for local mental health authorities by county. For ongoing, non-crisis care, a primary care provider, an insurance directory or an employee assistance program is often a good first stop.

Telehealth can make it easier to fit care around work. Lyte Psychiatry offers telehealth visits to patients who are physically located in Texas at the time of the visit.

Getting support in Texas

Lyte Psychiatry offers therapy, psychiatric evaluation and medication management in Texas. In-person visits are available at Lyte Psychiatry's clinic in Pantego, in the Dallas–Fort Worth area. All Lyte Psychiatry services are available in Spanish.

Most new patients are seen within 1–2 business days. Weekend appointments are limited. Availability, insurance and clinician fit require confirmation. Learn about therapy or medication management, or contact the practice. For quick everyday tools, see our ten stress management strategies.

Lyte Psychiatry is an outpatient practice. It does not provide inpatient care, crisis or after-hours coverage, medically supervised detox, or intensive outpatient or partial hospitalization programs.

If you are in a mental-health crisis in the United States, call or text 988. Call 911 for immediate danger.

Educational information, not a diagnosis or individual treatment plan.