How to Manage Stress and Anxiety: Strategies That Help

4 min readPublished on October 25, 2026

Learning to manage stress and anxiety protects your mental health and your overall well-being. No single technique works the same for everyone or removes these feelings completely, but many people find some strategies helpful. Here are a few.

Prayer to connect with the moment

Prayer can slow you down and remind you that you are not carrying everything alone. Here is a simple way to practice it:

Find a quiet place, at home or outdoors, where you can pray without interruption.
Pick a time of day that works for you: when you wake up, at midday or before bed.
Begin with thanks for your blessings, big and small.
Breathe slowly for a few moments and let your mind settle.
Read a Bible passage that comforts you and think it over.
Tell God, as you would a close friend, about your joys, your fears and your needs.
Then stay quiet for a few moments, open to receiving calm.

If prayer turns into a ritual you have to repeat again and again to ease fear, talk with a professional about it.

Regular exercise

Physical activity is good for the body and for the mind. Many people notice that it helps release tension and sleep better. Choose something you enjoy, such as walking, swimming or jogging, and start small. If you have a health condition, check with your doctor first.

Breathing techniques

Slow, deliberate breathing can calm you in the moment. Try diaphragmatic breathing: inhale through your nose, letting your belly expand, and exhale slowly through your mouth. If it makes you dizzy, or it makes you feel more nervous, stop and breathe the way you normally do.

Setting boundaries

Saying “no” when you need to, putting your needs first and setting clear limits in your relationships and activities protects you from burnout and keeps your time for work and family in balance with rest. If setting limits in a relationship scares you because of possible retaliation, talk with a professional first.

Finding social support

Talking with friends, family or a therapist you trust offers another perspective, comfort and help in finding solutions. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Many churches have prayer groups or Bible studies where you can share your worries.
Attending services gives a sense of community and belonging.
Your pastor can offer spiritual guidance and company. If what you are going through calls for treatment, a pastor can walk with you but cannot take the place of a mental health professional.
Serving others in community activities can also give you connection and purpose.

When to seek professional help

Stress passes. Anxiety that doesn’t go away, that shows up in many situations or that gets worse over time needs attention. Seek help if it affects your work, your sleep or your relationships, if you have panic attacks, or if you feel hopeless. Effective treatments exist.

Which of these practices could you add to your week, and who could you share it with?

Would you like to talk with a professional? Call (407) 559-7093 (Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern) or find professional help here. For general questions that are not an emergency, write to drduany@zodugroup.com. Please do not send health information by email.

This article is for education only. It does not offer diagnosis or personal advice, does not replace evaluation or treatment by a health professional, and reading it or writing to us through this site does not create a therapeutic or pastoral counseling relationship. This site is not an emergency service and is not monitored continuously: do not send health information through comments or public forms. The author is a licensed psychotherapist and pastor, and is part of ZODU.