If you want to avoid stress, you shouldn't actually get out of bed at all. Because stress accompanies us throughout the day. But: there is good stress and there is bad stress - eustress and disstress. We experience eustress when we look forward to something or after a success: our pulse quickens, hormones are released, we don't feel anxiety or compulsion, we feel good. Disstress is different: it is mainly caused by pressure at work, our own perfectionism, too little time, too many tasks - the feeling of finally being able to relax is almost non-existent. Everyone perceives stress differently: some people can cope with it easily, others almost collapse. In the long run, stress makes you fat and ill. The stress hormone cortisol is to blame. It puts the body on alert so that it can flee or fight in the event of danger. In the case of constant stress, the cortisol level in the blood is also permanently elevated. This can lead to sleep disorders and weaken the immune system. Understandably, this is not healthy. It's high time to calm down. But how? How can I effectively reduce stress? Our expert tips can help!

Ralf Ohrmann
Sports scientist and nutrition coach
www.athlesys.de
"The stress hormones need to be metabolized"

Stress hormones are released during stress. These hormones cannot be broken down, the body can only metabolize them. And the only way to do this is through exercise. I'm not talking about rushing into the nearest park, jogging 15 laps and coming out with a red head and completely exhausted - no, that means additional stress, it doesn't relax you. I mean low-threshold exercise such as going for a walk, a very light jog or walking up and down the stairs. That can reduce stress. You should also avoid sugar. Sugar drives the mind and body crazy, it makes us more aggressive, more belligerent and generally more restless. My advice is to give it up.

Dr. Manfred Oetting
Psychologist and stress expert
www.oetting-mcg.de
"Don't give the feeling of stress a chance in the first place"

Realize that stress arises first and foremost in the mind. You have already taken the first step towards more relaxation if you trust that you can manage your workload even if you put your feet up from time to time. Just switching off for a short time like this helps you to be more relaxed and reduces stress. Take the fun component of completing your tasks seriously. This means: Reward yourself in between by doing things that you enjoy. And very important: laugh at yourself in front of the mirror in the morning. This will get your day off to a much more relaxed start.

Matthias Vette
Stress therapist and mental coach
www.justme-coach.de
"Focus your attention on the good things"

If everything goes wrong, remind yourself of five positive things. The number sounds high, but that's the point of the exercise. If you can remember a handful of positive aspects of a situation, you will be able to think of even more.

Dr. Volker Busch
Neurologist and psychotherapist
www.drvolkerbusch.de
"Nurture your friendships and relationships"

Studies have shown that the mere presence of a loved one in stressful situations significantly reduces the stress response in the brain. They provide solidarity and distraction. So: enjoy your relationship, your friendships and show interest in your fellow human beings instead of letting stress get the better of you.

Gabriele Vincke
Motivational trainer
www.gabrielevincke.com
"Set yourself realistic goals. Celebrate your successes"

If you have a major project ahead of you: Break it down into small, tangible goals. This also makes the reward center in the brain smile: we are much more motivated to work. Write down your positive achievements in a happiness diary and look at these lines once a week. This boosts your self-confidence and gives you pleasure, and reduces stress. Become aware of your individual strengths, as this is the key to a healthy self-confidence and thus to more inner relaxation. To identify your own strengths, it helps to ask your friends and acquaintances what they appreciate about you. Think back to situations in which you were particularly successful.

Peter Beer
Author and founder of the Mindfulness Academy
www.peter-beer.de
"Find out what can be changed and what can't"

The most important skill for maintaining an overview and your ability to act is to sort out what you can and cannot change. Write down all the problems and assign them to three categories. The first category contains everything that you can actively change. The second category contains the areas in which you can support other people. The third category includes everything that you cannot change. Ask yourself: What can I do specifically? Where can I help, and how can I manage to accept the things I can't change? This is an effective way to reduce stress.