Tips for Coping with Stress in Daily Life

CLEVELAND – With the ongoing pandemic, rise in gas and food prices, plus taxes being due soon, it’s easy to feel stressed out and overwhelmed.

So, what can someone do to help cope?

“Being mindful of your diet, and there’s a couple of things on that front. Eating as healthy as you can, that helps your mood, it changes your mood. With that though, I would say watch substances. And with substances, it’s not just alcohol, but also caffeine, stimulants,” said Matthew Sacco, PsyD, psychologist for Cleveland Clinic.

Dr. Sacco said caffeine and other stimulants can cause irritability and anxiousness, which is why you should limit your intake.

He also recommends regularly working out, and it doesn’t have to be strenuous activity either. You could go for a walk or bike through the park.

Other tips include meditating, journaling, and connecting with family and friends.

Dr. Sacco you should also be careful about how much time you spend on social media and reading the news.

Finally, really try to be mindful of the moment. It can be easy to think about everything out of your control, instead just focus on what you can.

“It is challenging because it’s probably more important than ever to have to be intentional about it because for two years work, family, everything has been blended. We have been in such close proximity to one another that those boundaries we counted on being clear have changed,” Dr. Sacco noted.

If you feel like you are still having a hard time managing your stress and it’s disrupting your life, don’t be afraid to reach out to a mental health professional.