Stress: things that may help right away

You may find stress helpful, or even motivating, but if stress is affecting your life there are things you can try that may help.

Looking after yourself

You could try:

breathing exercises
relaxation techniques. For example, the NHS Feel Good app can help you to relax with a series of audio tracks
exercising: even a short walk or stretching will help you to relieve tension. You can find more advice about moving more on our webpages
focusing on your senses. This could be noticing what you can see, hear, smell, taste or touch in the present moment, or adjusting your senses in some way. For example; lighting a candle, looking at photos of your favourite memories or putting on your favourite song. For more advice on using senses visit the HelpGuide website

You could try:

talking to someone. Speaking to friends, family or a trained professional can really help
challenging unhelpful thoughts. The way you think affects the way you feel. Watch this video on the NHS Every Mind Matters website to learn how to challenge unhelpful thoughts

over the phone. If you're struggling to cope, or feel overwhelmingly low, Open Door has a mental health helpline. Call 0800 138 7276, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
in person. Open Door also provides a mental health daytime safe haven in the centre of Stockport that you're welcome to visit. Find more information about their opening times on their Facebook page. Call 0161 549 9717 before visiting if you can
online. Sign up to Kooth (age 10-25) or Qwell (age 26 and over) to talk to a qualified professional or other people in the community