From Unhealthy Coping to Positive Habits: 7 Strategies to Reduce Stress

By Dr. Keri Chiappino

Stress is an unavoidable part of life. Whether it’s a demanding work schedule, family responsibilities, or unexpected challenges, stress finds its way into our daily routines. While it’s impossible to eliminate stress completely, how we respond to it can make all the difference in our overall health and well-being. If you are looking for effective strategies to reduce stress then the best place to start is to change how you respond to stress. 

Unfortunately, many people develop unhealthy coping mechanisms to deal with stress, such as emotional eating, excessive screen time or turning to alcohol. These habits may offer temporary relief but often exacerbate stress in the long run. The good news? With intentionality and the right tools, you can transform these unhealthy responses into positive habits that empower you to manage stress effectively. Here’s how.

Watch the Video: 5 Ways to Reduce Stress

Go-To Strategies to Reduce Stress Levels Naturally by Transforming Your Habits

1. Recognize the Patterns

The first step to transformation is self-awareness. Take a moment to reflect on how you typically respond to stress. Are you “treating” yourself with unhealthy foods? Do you find yourself glued to social media or binge-watching shows to escape? These behaviors might feel comforting in the moment, but they often leave you feeling worse afterward. Identifying these patterns is crucial to creating lasting change.

2. Replace, Don’t Just Remove

It’s not enough to simply stop an unhealthy habit – you need to replace it with something that nourishes your body and mind. Here are some examples of healthy alternatives:

• Instead of stress-eating: Try a mindful eating approach. Pause before reaching for food and ask yourself, “Am I truly hungry, or am I stressed?” If it’s the latter, consider sipping a calming herbal tea or snacking on something nutritious like almonds or fresh fruit.
• Instead of mindlessly scrolling on your phone: Practice a grounding exercise. Step outside, take a few deep breaths, and notice your surroundings. Spending even five minutes in nature can help reset your mind.
• Instead of reaching for alcohol: Experiment with relaxation techniques like deep breathing, meditation or BrainTap sessions. These practices can help calm your nervous system and provide a much-needed mental reset.

3. Meditation is Powerful Way to Reduce Stress

Meditation is one of the most effective strategies for reducing stress because it trains the mind to stay present and cultivates a sense of calm. By focusing on the breath or a specific point of awareness, meditation helps to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, counteracting the stress response and promoting relaxation. However, for many people, the challenge lies in quieting their thoughts long enough to meditate effectively. That’s where BrainTap can be a game-changer. BrainTap combines audio-visual technology with guided meditations to make the practice of meditation more accessible and impactful, even for those who struggle to meditate traditionally. This innovative tool helps guide your brain into a meditative state, making it easier to experience the benefits of reduced stress and improved mental clarity.

Incorporating innovative technology can revolutionize how we manage stress. I’ve seen remarkable transformations in my patients who use BrainTap. This audio-visual entertainment system offers meditations designed to address a variety of challenges, including stress, anxiety, and poor sleep. By using this technology, you can retrain your brain to adopt healthier stress responses and achieve a state of balance more quickly.

4. Cultivate Gratitude

Gratitude is a powerful antidote to stress. When we focus on what we’re thankful for, our perspective shifts, and we’re better able to handle challenges. A simple way to build this habit is by creating a gratitude jar. Each day, write down one thing you’re grateful for and place it in the jar. 

This activity can be a wonderful family ritual. Each member can contribute a gratitude note to the jar, fostering a shared sense of appreciation and positivity. Over time, you’ll have a collection of positive moments to reflect on whenever stress feels overwhelming.

5. Build a Routine of Stress-Reducing Habits

Consistency is key when it comes to managing stress. Start small by integrating one new habit into your routine. For example, commit to practicing breath work daily using the 4-7-8 technique:

1. Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds.
2. Hold your breath for 7 seconds.
3. Exhale through your mouth for 8 seconds.

This simple practice can help activate your parasympathetic nervous system, promoting relaxation and calm.

6. Make Time for Connection

Stress often isolates us, but connection is a powerful healer. Prioritize spending time with loved ones, whether it’s enjoying a family meal, taking a walk with a friend, or simply sharing a heartfelt conversation. Building a strong support network provides emotional comfort and reinforces healthy habits.

7. Retrain Your Brain To Manage Stress Better

Sometimes, self-help strategies aren’t enough to break the cycle of chronic stress.  When the brain is not functioning at its optimal level, it becomes increasingly difficult to manage stress effectively. Imbalances in brainwave activity can amplify feelings of anxiety, overwhelm, and mental fatigue, leaving you stuck in a cycle of poor coping mechanisms. A dysregulated brain struggles to adapt to challenges and may perpetuate patterns of negative thinking and emotional instability which lead to increased levels of stress. This is why addressing brain health is critical to building resilience against stress and fostering long-term well-being.

At New Beginnings Wellness Center in Smithtown, we utilize BrainCore neurofeedback therapy to facilitate the creation of neuroplastic connections in the brain, allowing your brain to learn how to manage stress. This technology is life-changing and offers a non-invasive way to teach the brain how to behave.

The process begins with a QEEG (quantitative electroencephalogram) brain map, which helps visualize brainwave imbalances and guides the neurofeedback training to address these issues. By correcting these imbalances, neurofeedback promotes a healthy, regulated brain, making it easier to form and sustain habits that reduce stress. Additionally, BrainTap technology can be used at home to reinforce the changes made during neurofeedback sessions, helping to maintain healthy brain function.

One of my patients came to me struggling with chronic anxiety and insomnia. Her brain was stuck in a beta state, a high-frequency brainwave state associated with active thinking, problem-solving, and heightened alertness. While the beta state is essential for daily tasks, prolonged beta activity can lead to anxiety, worry, insomnia, and compulsions.

Through BrainCore neurofeedback sessions, her brain learned to shift more fluidly between different brainwave states. Using BrainTap at home reinforced these changes. After a few months, she noticed she could fall asleep more easily, felt less anxious, and had an improved ability to focus. This regulated brain state made it easier for her to adopt and maintain stress-reducing habits like mindfulness and regular exercise.

By leveraging BrainCore neurofeedback and BrainTap, individuals can achieve a balanced brainwave pattern, enhancing their ability to manage stress and improve overall mental well-being.

Final Thoughts

Transforming your stress response isn’t about perfection; it’s about progress. Small, intentional changes can have a profound impact on your mental and physical health and they are the best strategies to reduce stress. At New Beginnings Wellness Center, we’re here to support you on your journey toward resilience and well-being. 

Remember, you have the power to choose how you respond to stress. Let’s turn unhealthy coping into positive habits that nourish your mind, body, and soul.