In 2026, stress isn’t always something that happens after a big event—it’s the constant feeling we often wake up to. How can we learn how to calm down when we're faced with daily news cycle that basically confirms the worst of humanity every morning, where screens are our workplace and our downtime, and where “quiet” is a luxury none of us can afford. The sharp and stressful spikes of the pandemic years may have faded, but the baseline tension hasn’t. It's just repositioned itself as something more insidious: chronic, low-grade anxiety that doesn’t seems to go away when you slam your laptop shut.
So let’s be honest — figuring out how to calm down in 2026 is about building strategies that work in a world that constantly pulls your attention away from calm.
According to the Household Pulse survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Census Bureau, well over 50% of adults in their 20s and 30s exhibited symptoms of anxiety- or depression-related disorders in November 2020, and the stats have been (understandably) high since the weekly survey began in April 2020. As anxiety rises, so does our need for self-care.
“Of course, we’re all feeling down, but that doesn’t mean we get to skip taking care of ourselves,” says Julia Colangelo, DSW, LCSW, a therapist and adjunct lecturer at Columbia University. Here, We asked experts in anxiety and emotion regulation for their favorite stress reduction strategies so you can figure out—once and for all—how to calm down.
1. Grab a weighted blanket.
Weighted blankets feel like a 15-pound hug—and we already found the best ones to buy. Studies have shown that using a weighted blanket can significantly reduce anxiety symptoms.
2. Create tension to release tension.
Progressive muscle relaxation helps with de-stressing by tapping into your mind-body connection. The idea is simple: Tense up your muscle groups one by one—really squeezing until they’re pretty tense for 30 seconds each—and then release them all at once. Try this five-minute tutorial via InsightTimer after your next meeting if you feel an anxiety attack coming on.
3. Binge something comforting.
Whether it’s a go-to playlist on repeat, the same episodes of Sex and the City, or iconic movies you loved when you were younger, you can calm down your headspace through repetition. This is especially true for music. “When a melody is familiar, that can be comforting because you know what to expect, you know what’s coming next,” says Rachel Schwartz, a certified psychiatric music therapist.
4. Track your moods.
Keeping track of your changing moods can help you manage an anxiety disorder. “Use a visual reminder to track waves of stress, calm, or anxiety,” says Colangelo, who uses an oversized wall calendar to track her own. “When you do experience a more significant bout of stress, you can go back to review your patterns and plan for support.”
5. Take a mental health day.
Tracking your moods can also allow you to plan ahead for low days. For example, your mental state may fluctuate with hormonal changes throughout your cycle, so if you know you typically see signs of anxiety just before your period, “you can begin to anticipate certain waves of emotions and inform those around you,” says Colangelo. She suggests planning something with friends, or taking a mental health day if you can, just to relax.
6. Give yourself a massage.
Self-massage can help relieve pain and stress while stimulating physical touch. Try a reflexology technique or outsource your rubdown to one of the best heated mechanical foot massagers.
7. Dance it out.
There’s so much tension in an average day—so where can you unleash that? Suggests Schwartz, “Have a dance party in your home to literally shake off the energy you’re holding.”
8. Find your inner child.
“I encourage my clients, peers, and students to engage in more activities that activate our inner child and enhance our creativity,” says Colangelo. She paints: “It’s not for social media, I don’t post about it, it doesn’t matter what I make—it’s just for me,” she says.
9. Use your hands.
If painting isn’t your jam but you're still not sure how to relieve stress, try another form of active mindfulness, like knitting or embroidery, which can help boost your mood and focus on what’s right in front of you.
10. Retrain your brain.
If you're reading this article, you may have googled “What is anxiety” and “What causes anxiety” so many times that it only added to your stress. “A lot of times when you’re in an uncertain situation, your head goes to the worst possible outcome," says Beltzer. Cognitive bias modification is a therapeutic practice that can help shift your thinking. You can find a therapist that specializes in helping you get out of anxious thought patterns.
11. Chill out.
For times of extreme distress, Beltzer suggests a practice called ice diving. The basics: Fill a bowl with ice water and dunk your face in. This dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) tactic balances the nervous system, taking us from a sympathetic response back to a parasympathetic state. “We need these extremes, when we are feeling extreme or when we’re feeling an overall flatness,” says Colangelo.
12. Try aromatherapy.
Lavender aromatherapy has been linked to the ability to decrease stress. Essential oils can be a great aromatherapy tool (just make sure you vet them) or light a scented candle.
.png)
.png)
13. Rearrange your space.
“Can you shift your room around, and give yourself more of a sanctuary?” says Colangelo. If you're waking up with anxiety, channel that Home Edit energy and tackle your closet to remove clutter in your space that could be adding to your stress.
14. Write a letter to yourself.
Colangelo recommends “future writing,” a technique to envision a time beyond the stress of “here and now,” to help you calm down. “Mindfulness is great until we get stuck in the present moment,” she says. “Writing to your future self can be cathartic and start to bridge the gap between the stuck-ness of here and now and the excitement for what good might come down the road.” (You can send yourself notes at FutureMe.org.)
15. Try breath work.
Practicing certain breathing exercises, known as breath work, engages our psychosomatic responses by regulating oxygen flow and mental focus. Try taking a deep exhale, which can stimulate your body's relaxation response through the parasympathetic nervous system. Inhale for four seconds, exhale for six, repeat.
16. Try a new meditation app.
There are tons of free meditation apps out there to help you manage stressful situations. If you haven’t found one you love yet, we vetted the best ones. And for those who find themselves tossing and turning, try sleep meditations.
17. Read a book.
Understanding the science of our emotions can help us navigate them more comfortably. Burnout, by Emily and Amelia Nagowski, is a game changer for understanding our emotional pathways and how to deal with anxiety. (Their conversation with Brené Brown on her podcast is also illuminating.)
.png)
18. Get to know your triggers.
Forewarned is forearmed when it comes to conquering anxiety, says clinical psychologist Dr. Monica Vermani. Understanding your triggers better equips you for future anxious moments. “Think about what situations and events have spiked your anxiety in the past,” Vermani suggests. “Make a comprehensive list of your triggering settings and scenarios. The next time you know you will be facing a feared, anxiety-inducing situation, you will arrive prepared with your arsenal of strategies to calm you down."
19. Be in nature—or just listen to it.
Don't underestimate the power of a little fresh air. Says Corrie Fentress, a lead therapist at Connections Wellness Group, recommends “observing wildlife or animals in nature or sitting by a body of water.” Can't make it outdoors? Fentress suggests listening to sounds of nature that tend to relax and soothe.
20. Practice warm self-touch.
Oxytocin is a naturally occurring, calming neurotransmitter. “It acts as a rapid down-regulator of our body’s stress response,” says Niloufar Nekou, the clinical director at Alter Health Group. One of the easiest ways to produce more of it is to use kind self-touch. Start by placing your hand over your heart. “Warm, safe touch anywhere that feels comfortable on our body can release the oxytocin, but there are neural cells around the heart that communicate directly with the brain and more quickly begin the activation of the release of oxytocin,” Nekou says.
21. Be one with your senses.
Your five senses have a grounding power to them. When anxiety gets to be too much, use them to anchor you to the present moment. “Look around,” Vermani says. “Notice and identify small details you might normally miss. Breathe deeply and catch the scent of the fragrances in the air. Taste a bite of food, a piece of chocolate, a mint, or a take sip of cold water, strong coffee, something you enjoy. Touch an object and feel its texture, shape, and temperature. Tune in to sounds in your environment and identify and name them.”
22. Play around.
Playful activities serve as an antidote to anxiety. Fentress suggests activities that embrace a more carefree side of yourself, like flying a kite, playing a board game, tossing a frisbee around with a friend, or picking up a musical instrument.
23. Switch off.
After you finish reading this article, power down your devices for just an hour—or a full weekend if you’re feeling particularly overwhelmed. Let your key loved ones know you’ll be offline for a defined amount of time and then allow yourself to take a mental break. While you’re at it, dive into How to Do Nothing, Jenny O’Dell’s assessment of our productivity culture and the attention economy is an enlightening guide to how we can redesign a better future with technology that feels less draining.
Stefanie Groner is a writer in Chicago. DM her @stefsnapshots to share your favorite anxiety memes and self-care follows.
Did you know you can shop right here, right now on Glamour? Hit select Buy Now buttons in this article to start building your cart. Once you’re ready to check out, complete your purchase without ever having to leave the article. Best part? There’s free shipping on all orders. Happy shopping!
.jpg)
