You don’t need to see the data to know stress is rising—you’re likely living it. But the data confirms it: Nearly half of Americans (about 49 percent) report frequently experiencing stress, the highest level Gallup has seen in decades. Pair that with the fact that 57 percent say they aren’t getting the sleep they need, and you start to see how stress isn’t just showing up in our heads but reshaping our metabolism, energy, hormones, and sleep cycles.
For years, the wellness world has treated stress like something you’re supposed to “manage,” but experts say that approach is officially outdated. “Modern life is filled with constant demands, and people are realizing that simply trying to ‘manage’ stress is not enough,” says Nicole M. Avena, Ph.D., assistant professor of neuroscience at Mount Sinai School of Medicine and author of Sugarless. “Research in neuroscience and psychology has shown that chronic stress is linked to metabolic disorders, cardiovascular disease, and cognitive decline.”
The new frontier is all about stress resilience. Instead of calming yourself down after stress hits, it’s about building a body and brain that can handle stress more efficiently from the start. “It is proactive rather than reactive, and it involves strengthening neural pathways and physiological systems so that stress does not derail your health or performance as easily,” adds Avena.
Part of the shift is cultural, according to clinical psychologist Rachel L. Goldman, Ph.D., an assistant professor at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and author of the upcoming book When Life Happens. “Millennials and Gen Z have shaped the conversation around mental health with Millennials openly prioritizing wellness after years of hustle culture, and Gen Z is normalizing open discussions about anxiety and emotional wellbeing,” she says. “Together, they’ve pushed a shift from quick stress-management fixes to more proactive, long-term strategies that strengthen our ability to cope when life inevitably happens.”
What’s encouraging is the fact that stress resilience is something you can easily build through simple, repeatable habits that strengthen your nervous system over time. Ahead, experts share the most effective, evidence-backed ways to do it.
- ABOUT OUR EXPERTS: Nicole M. Avena, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of neuroscience at Mount Sinai School of Medicine and author of Sugarless. Rachel L. Goldman, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist, assistant professor at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, and author of the upcoming book When Life Happens. Carla Manly, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist and author. Kiera Lane, N.M.D., MSAc, L.Ac., Dipl. Ac., is a naturopath and director of Arizona Natural Medicine.
1. Anchor Your Day With Mindfulness (Even If You’re Not “A Mindfulness Person”)
Mindfulness gets a reputation for being extra or unnecessary, but experts say it’s one of the most reliable ways to build stress resilience. “Mindfulness allows us to notice stressors and discover the ones that can be excised from our lives and prepare for stressors and face them with greater peace,” says clinical psychologist and author Carla Manly, Ph.D. “By increasing our awareness of the cognitive and behavioral dynamics that fuel many of our stressors, we can often build resilience and set ourselves free from negative, stress-inducing patterns.”
Research backs this up. One recent study published in the journal Neuroscience found that even a single session of meditation changed real-time activity in the amygdala and hippocampus, two deep brain regions tied to mood and emotional regulation.
“Mindfulness helps you recognize what’s actually a stressor, what’s avoidable, and what you’re adding on unnecessarily,” adds Manly. Even a few minutes count. She recommends trying a short body scan before getting out of bed and again when you lie down at night.
2. Use Breathing to Train Your Nervous System to Recover Faster
Breathwork isn’t just calming—it’s physiologically training. “Intentional diaphragmatic breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system through the vagus nerve, which shifts our body out of the stress response (also known as the fight-or-flight),” explains Goldman. “Over time, your nervous system learns how to recalibrate more efficiently.”
A study published in Psychophysiology found that diaphragmatic breathing delivered a measurable boost in high-frequency heart rate variability, the HRV range tied to parasympathetic activity and emotional regulation. It also lowered heart rate and was rated as easy and relaxing.
Read More: Swap These Common Habits To Instantly De-Stress
Manly recommends incorporating a few minutes of deep breathing into your routine once or twice a day, whenever it works for you. Try it before starting work, in between meetings, in the pickup line at school, or before bed. Set a timer for two or three minutes, then inhale for a count of four and exhale for a count of six, and repeat
3. Move Your Body
Regular physical activity is one of the most effective ways to build stress resilience because it helps regulate the body’s primary stress-response system, explains Goldman. “Research consistently shows that even moderate-intensity movement (such as brisk walking) reduces cortisol levels, improves mood, lowers anxiety, and increases emotional tolerance,” she says.
Even if you don’t have time for a full exercise session, something is better than nothing, notes Avena. “Even a short walk can shift your physiology and make it easier to handle your thoughts and emotions.”
Of course, prioritizing dedicated workout time is a good move for mental and physical health. There’s a reason it’s recommended that folks do at least two strength training sessions and 150 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio each week!
Moving consistently throughout the day is just as important as workout time, too, Avena says. Weave movement into your everyday way of life by taking quick walks after meals, opting for the stairs over the elevator, and parking farther away from your destination to get extra steps in. “Over time, these small, regular movement breaks help regulate your nervous system, making it easier to respond to stress before it snowballs,” she says.
4. Stabilize Blood Sugar With Balanced Meals
Big swings in blood sugar can feel a lot like emotional whiplash—and your stress hormones are the reason why. When glucose spikes and crashes, your body pumps out the same fight-or-flight chemicals you’d release in an actual danger scenario, explains naturopath Kiera Lane, N.M.D., MSAc, L.Ac., Dipl. Ac., director of Arizona Natural Medicine. “Unstable glucose levels worsen anxiety, irritability, and ‘wired-and-tired’ fatigue, making people far more reactive to daily stressors,” she says.
The research backs this up: In one study published in Appetite, high perceived stress was associated with poorer diet choices (less fruits and veggies and more snacks), lower activity, and higher insulin and BMI. Another 2020 study in BMC Psychiatry had similar findings: People who ate more junk food had higher odds of depression and psychological stress than those who ate less of these foods.
Read More: 6 Signs Your Blood Sugar Isn’t As Healthy As You Think
Your move? Keep blood sugar stable by always including a balance of protein, healthy fats, fiber, and complex carbs in your eats. “This combination of nutrients slows digestion, blunts glucose spikes and keeps your energy (and mood) even,” Lane explains.
Fill a quarter to a third of your plate with protein (think eggs, Greek yogurt, chicken, fish, or tofu), another quarter with complex carbohydrates (quinoa, brown rice, sweet potatoes, or whole grains), and the rest with non-starchy vegetables for fiber. As for your fats? Get them in by cooking vegetables and grains in healthy fats like olive or coconut oil, enjoying full-fat dairy, or sprinkling nuts, seeds, or avocado into side dishes, suggests Lane.
5. Get More Sleep
Sleep is something many of us take for granted—but it’s much more necessary for our wellness than we realize. “During deep, high-quality sleep, your brain clears stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline and restores the prefrontal cortex, the area responsible for emotional regulation,” says Lane. “Even a single poor night can ramp up your stress hormone (cortisol) and make you more reactive the next day, while consistent, high-quality sleep strengthens your ability to stay grounded under pressure.”
Sticking to a regular sleep schedule and wind-down routine—and reducing screens before bed—all help your nervous system reset and repair. These habits don’t just improve mood; they build the physiological foundation for handling life’s daily stressors with more steadiness, Lane explains. She recommends prioritizing seven to nine hours per night, creating a soothing evening ritual like reading or taking a bath, and turning off screens 30 minutes before bed (trust us, you can do it).
6. Revamp Your Supplement Routine
Supplements aren’t magic, but when your foundations (sleep, nutrition, movement) are solid, the right ones can offer your system meaningful support, says Avena. Think of them as targeted reinforcements, not shortcuts.
Magnesium is one of the most researched nutrients for stress and nervous system regulation. “Magnesium (particularly the glycinate or l-threonate forms) supports the parasympathetic nervous system and has been shown to ease anxiety and improve sleep quality,” says Avena. “For many people, magnesium is appropriate for daily, longer-term use, especially amidst ongoing stress, poor sleep, or dietary gaps,” she says. One systematic review looked at 15 clinical trials to see whether magnesium actually helps with anxiety and sleep—both of which impact stress levels—and found that it typically improved at least one measure of sleep quality or self-reported anxiety, especially in people who seemed low in magnesium to begin with.
Another long-term ally: omega-3 fatty acids, which may help regulate stress hormones and support brain health, suggests Lane. One 2021 study published in Molecular Psychiatry found that omega-3 supplementation lowered cortisol reactivity to stress and improved mood stability.
In addition to those foundational friends, you can call in other handy helpers for backup when you notice stress starting to creep up. “B vitamins (especially B6, B9, B12) support neurotransmitter production and energy metabolism—and studies have shown that B-complex supplements improve mood and reduce stress in people with high baseline stress levels,” says Lane. While folks with deficiencies might take them for longer periods, B vitamins are a great addition to your regimen when life gets intense.
Certain herbs also come in clutch when you need extra support. “Adaptogens like ashwagandha and rhodiola have evidence suggesting they may support healthy cortisol rhythms and improve stress tolerance,” Lane suggests. Just stick to using these for a few weeks to a few months at a time and cycle off of them when you find your feet.
Finally, there’s l-theanine. This amino acid found in green tea has been shown to increase alpha brain waves and promote calm focus and reduced stress-related tension within an hour of taking it, shares Avena. It’s a great go-to amidst stressful situations or when you’re having a hard time winding down at night.
The Takeaway
Gone are the days of taking a reactive approach to stress and waiting until your system is in overdrive to try to soothe it. The more proactive approach here is to build stress resilience, a foundation of health and well-being in your body that allows you to navigate stress with greater ease and capacity. Get a few lifestyle elements in order, and you’ll be better equipped to let stress roll right off your back when it inevitably pops up.