Despite having chronic pain, you can reduce your stress levels. This is important for your physical and emotional health. These tips may decrease your pain, and anxiety or depression. Share these tips with your family and friends, too.

List of Stress-reducers:

• Exercise
• Eat a balanced diet
• Time management
• Leave extra time in your schedule to get things done or get to places
• Reduce the number of things on your to-do list
• Schedule in relaxation and fun
• Practice assertiveness skills
• Take a walk
• Practice saying no to requests you don’t have time to do, can’t do, or don’t want to do
• Practice saying yes to offers of help
• Have at least 1 positive activity each day
• Spend time with family
• Plant something
• Spend time with friends
• Schedule time just for yourself
• Do something for others regularly
• Practice deep breathing or meditation regularly
• Repeat positive phrases to yourself, like “things will work out all right”
• Write in a journal
• Spend time on a hobby – gardening, reading – whatever you enjoy
• Laugh at something each day
• Have a favorite place to go, either physically or in your mind

Pick a Specific Way to Reduce Your Stress