K-State Extension: Managing stress key to protecting health and building resilience

 

Family and community wellness agent shares tips for relieving stress in your life

 

At a glance: Stress is a universal experience, touching people of all ages and backgrounds, but when it becomes chronic, it can pose serious risks to physical and mental health.

More information: Joy Miller, Joy.Miller@jocogov.org

Related: Managing the Strain of Stress

April 27, 2026

By Pat Melgares, K-State Extension news service

MANHATTAN, Kan. — Stress is a universal experience, touching people of all ages and backgrounds, but when it becomes chronic, it can pose serious risks to physical and mental health, according to a Kansas State University extension agent.

Joy Miller, a family and community wellness agent in Johnson County, said April’s designation as Stress Awareness Month serves as a reminder to pause and reflect on how stress shows up in daily life and to take steps to manage it.

“Stress comes in two forms,” Miller said. “We have the positive stress, also known as eustress, and then we have the more negative stress, called distress.”

Positive stress, she said, can be beneficial. It often appears as short-term challenges that motivate and energize people, leading to growth or a sense of accomplishment.

“Positive stressors can help motivate us and energize us, and we often just see them as a challenge,” Miller said. “They might lead to personal growth, improved performance, or even a sense of accomplishment.”

Examples of eustress include preparing for a presentation, starting a new job, training for a marathon, or even celebrating holidays and milestones.

But distress -- the more harmful form -- can feel overwhelming and persistent, potentially affecting overall health.

“So often we might feel a bit like stress is a threat,” Miller said. “It can feel overwhelming and create some anxiety or fatigue, and it can be short term or long term, but it’s stress that affects our health and is not good for us.”

Left unmanaged, chronic stress can contribute to conditions such as anxiety, depression, high blood pressure, digestive issues and heart disease.

“When we have too much stress, it can impair our thinking, our ability to regulate our emotions, and in fact, it can come to a point that it affects our brain health overall,” Miller said.

Common sources of long-term stress include relationship struggles, financial pressures, health concerns, caregiving responsibilities, parenting challenges and workplace demands.

Miller said stress can manifest in a variety of ways. Emotional symptoms may include feeling overwhelmed, irritability and difficulty concentrating. Physical signs can range from headaches and fatigue to changes in sleep or appetite. Behavioral changes may involve withdrawing from others, procrastination or relying on unhealthy coping habits.

Recognizing those signs is a first step toward managing stress effectively, said Miller, adding that one of the most important strategies is prioritizing daily self-care.

“Self-care is really about taking care of yourself,” she said. “When we prioritize those things on good days and bad days, it helps us be at our best.”

That includes maintaining healthy habits such as balanced nutrition, regular exercise and adequate sleep. Small actions -- like getting up and moving throughout the day, spending time outdoors or practicing gratitude through journaling -- can also make a difference.

“Relieving your stress level is making those small daily habits that can make a meaningful difference over time,” Miller said.

She also suggests setting boundaries for your time, including protecting time for rest, limiting commitments or establishing clear expectations in relationships, finances and work.

“The power of ‘no’ is big,” Miller said. “Sometimes we hate to disappoint people, but that may be what we need to do for keeping our own stressors down.”

And don’t forget the value of kindness, she said.

“Kindness definitely benefits the giver, but it also benefits those who are receivers,” Miller said. “It could be offering encouragement, expressing thankfulness or just even simply checking in on somebody.”

Additional resources, including the “Managing the Strain of Stress” fact sheet, are available through the K-State Extension bookstore and local extension offices across Kansas.

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K‑State Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the wellbeing of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county extension offices statewide. Its headquarters is on the K‑State campus in Manhattan. For more information, visit www.ksre.ksu.edu. K-State Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.