Wish I Read This While Drowning in Work Stress: 7 Tips to Cope Better

There’s a version of you — the burnt-out, caffeinated, about-to-snap version — who wishes this article had arrived months earlier. The version of you who stared blankly at your inbox at 11:47 p.m., the blue glow of your laptop painting your exhaustion, wondering how the hell work became so emotionally heavy.

I know that version well. As a coach who works closely with psychologists and mental-performance specialists, I’ve heard the same stories again and again — people vomiting from stress before big meetings, lying awake until 3 a.m. replaying conversations, skipping meals for days only to binge later, relying on wine to “quiet the noise,” and losing their inner spark as pressure keeps climbing.

Work stress isn’t just “a tough week.” It can fracture self-esteem, derail health, and rearrange entire identities. But psychologists also agree on one thing: you can cope, you can recover, and you can learn to navigate stress like someone who finally remembers they deserve peace.

Below are seven evidence-backed, psychologically grounded strategies I wish you had when you needed them most — and the ones you can use from this moment forward.

1. Understand What Stress Physically Does to You

Psychologists consistently reinforce this: stress is not in your head — it’s in your whole body.

When work pressure hits boiling point, your brain fires up the sympathetic nervous system like an alarm. Cortisol levels rise. Adrenaline floods your bloodstream. Heart rate increases. Muscles tense. Digestion slows.

That physical chain reaction is what leads to symptoms people don’t always connect to stress:

• Nausea or vomiting before work

• Headaches or migraines

• Shaking or sweating during meetings

• Trouble eating or sudden overeating

• Persistent stomach pain

• Twitching, teeth grinding

• A heavy, restless chest

Many psychologists call this “somatic stress,” meaning the body expresses what the mind is overwhelmed by. If you ever felt like your body was betraying you — it wasn’t. It was signalling that something had gone too far for too long.

Tip: Start with naming your symptoms. Research shows that labeling feelings reduces their intensity by up to 40% because it activates the brain’s prefrontal cortex. Say it out loud or write it:

“I feel nauseous because I’m overwhelmed. ”My heart is racing because I’m anxious about deadlines.”

Awareness is the first step to control.

2. Sleep Isn’t a Luxury — It’s the First System That Breaks

One of the earliest signs psychologists look for? Disrupted sleep.

Work stress drags you into two dangerous patterns:

The wired-but-tired cycle

You’re exhausted, but your brain is hyperactive. You can’t switch off. You worry, rehearse conversations, mentally plan, catastrophize. You wake up feeling like you never slept.

The collapse-and-crash cycle

You push and push and push — then sleep for 12 hours straight when your body finally forces a shutdown.

Sleep deprivation amplifies stress hormones, making everything feel harder. Lack of sleep also affects emotional regulation — which is why even small inconveniences feel catastrophic when you’re burning out.

Psychologist-backed fix:

• Do a 10-minute “brain dump” before bed — write everything swirling in your mind.

• Avoid screens for at least 30 minutes before sleeping.

• Try a breathing technique like 4-7-8 to quiet the sympathetic system.

• Keep your room cold — the body sleeps deeper in lower temperatures.

Good sleep doesn’t make work easier. It makes you stronger.

3. Anxiety Isn’t a Weakness — It’s a Signal

Work anxiety often arrives disguised as “just push through it.” But psychologists warn that ignoring anxiety is one of the fastest ways to escalate burnout.

Stress-induced anxiety can look like:

• Heart pounding before emails

• Feeling sick before work

• Shortness of breath before conversations

• Irritability and emotional reactivity

• Inability to focus

• Dread that starts Sunday morning and grows all day

When the body feels unsafe, it tries to protect you by flooding you with warning signs. It isn’t failure — it’s communication.

How to reduce the anxiety cycle:

• Ground yourself with 5-4-3-2-1 sensory anchoring

• Take small breaks every 90 minutes

• Pair work with micro-rewards

• Set stricter boundaries around your day

Anxiety doesn’t go away by pretending you’re fine. It eases when you acknowledge it, support it, and give it room to soften.

4. Your Diet Changes Because Stress Hijacks Your Appetite

People underestimate this one — but psychologists see it daily.

Burnout can lead to:

• Loss of appetite

• Eating only high-sugar or high-salt foods

• Emotional bingeing

• Forgetting to drink water

• Craving alcohol or caffeine to “cope”

Why? Cortisol, your stress hormone, influences hunger signals. It pushes you toward fast fuel (carbs, sugar) or shuts down your appetite entirely.

You’re not weak. You’re not lazy. You’re not “failing your discipline. "Your biology is reacting to overwhelm.

What helps:

• Eat every 3–4 hours even if it’s small

• Add protein to your breakfast — it stabilizes blood sugar

• Drink two full glasses of water every morning

• Prepare “default meals” you can grab without thinking

Fueling yourself is an act of self-respect — not a chore.

5. When Exercise Stops, Stress Takes Over Your Body

Psychologists see this early in burnout cases: exercise is always the first healthy habit to go.And the guilt that follows makes stress even worse.

When you’re overwhelmed, your executive function weakens — meaning motivation, planning, and routine collapse. Work stress drains the exact part of the brain responsible for sustaining habits.

But here’s the truth: You don’t need a “perfect” workout routine. You need movement.

Try this instead:

• 10 minutes of walking

• Light mobility/stretching

• A short YouTube workout

• A slow jog

• Dancing around your living room to one song

• A single set of squats, push-ups, or core exercises

Movement releases endorphins, reduces cortisol, and improves emotional resilience. You don’t exercise because you’re disciplined — you exercise to regulate your nervous system.

6. Stress Makes You Lean on the Wrong Things

Psychologists see a disturbing but common pattern: When work becomes overwhelming, people shift their coping mechanisms.

Some become emotionally dependent on partners or friends. Others withdraw completely. And many turn to:

• Alcohol

• Vaping

• Overworking

• Social media

• Sugar

• Late-night scrolling

• Hookups

• Emotional outsourcing

This isn’t a moral failing. It’s a survival response.

When your brain is drowning, it reaches for anything that provides immediate relief, even if it damages you long-term.

Here’s the reframe: Instead of beating yourself up, ask:

“What need am I trying to meet?”

• If you’re drinking to numb, the need is calm.

• If you’re relying on others, the need is safety.

• If you’re avoiding everything, the need is rest.

Once you identify the need, you can choose a healthier method to meet it.

7. You Don’t Cope Alone — You Cope With Tools

Psychologists are clear: stress doesn’t disappear because you ‘push through.’You need strategies, boundaries, and support.

Here’s what actually works:

A. Set Non-Negotiables

Pick 3:

• No work after 7 p.m.

• Walk every morning

• Phone on silent at lunch

• No checking emails in bed

• 20 minutes of sunlight a day

These micro-boundaries rebuild control.

B. Talk to Someone Who Gets It

Not everyone deserves access to your stress — but someone should. A therapist. A coach. A trusted friend. Someone who won’t tell you to “just take a day off.”

C. Reassess Your Workload Honestly

Ask yourself:

• Is this sustainable?

• Is fear stopping me from setting boundaries?

• Am I carrying responsibilities that aren’t mine?

Work stress often isn’t just about work — it’s about identity, expectations, people-pleasing, and perfectionism.

D. Rebuild Your Nervous System Daily

Try:

• Breathwork

• Winters showers

• Journaling

• Slow mornings

• Saying “no” faster

• Commute decompression rituals

• Mindfulness pauses

Small habits compound into resilience.

You Deserve a Life Beyond Stress

If you’re reading this from a place of exhaustion — the kind that sinks into your bones — I want you to know this:

You weren’t meant to survive your job. You were meant to live your life.

Stress doesn’t mean you’re weak. It doesn’t mean you’re failing. It means your body is waving a red flag asking for help.

And you deserve to answer that call.

There’s a version of you who sleeps deeply, feels grounded, moves confidently, laughs loudly, and remembers what life feels like outside of deadlines and pressure.

That version of you isn’t far away. They’re waiting for you to take the first small step back toward yourself.

You got this.

From Jack