Stress & Anxiety: How I Reset Before Spiraling

Living with an autoimmune condition means stress isn’t just “stress.” It’s a physical trigger. When my stress or anxiety rises, my body feels it — inflammation, fatigue, brain fog, pain, and flares — that can knock me out for days. So managing my stress isn’t optional anymore. It’s part of taking care of my health, my family, and my everyday life.

Over the years, I’ve found several simple practices that help calm my nervous system before it spirals. These are the things I return to again and again.

🌱 Why Stress Management Matters

Stress and anxiety activate the body’s fight‑or‑flight response. For people with autoimmune issues, that stress response can:

Increase inflammation
Disrupt sleep
Trigger flare‑ups
Intensify pain and fatigue
Make symptoms harder to manage

So when I say stress management is “flare prevention,” I mean it literally. Every small choice to calm my body adds up.

✨ My Go‑To Stress & Anxiety Relieving Techniques

1. Grounding with Essential Oils

When I feel that tightness in my chest or the buzzing under my skin, I reach for Young Living Stress Away, Grounding, or Peace & Calming (there are sooo many good options — these are just three of my favorites). I apply it to my wrists and neck, inhale it deeply, or mix it into an Epsom salt bath. It’s a simple sensory cue that tells my body, you’re safe.

2. Quiet Moments with Scripture + Prayer

Even a few minutes of stillness with my Bible helps settle my mind. When I’m overwhelmed, this is the first thing I want to skip — and the thing that helps me most. God meets me with a peace I can’t create on my own.

3. Shrinking My To‑Do List

Stress makes everything feel urgent. Autoimmune flares make everything feel impossible. So, I take my giant list and rewrite only my top three tasks. Just three. It breaks the overwhelm and gives my brain something doable to focus on.

4. 4-7-8 Breathing Technique

This is a powerful way to calm the nervous system.

Inhale for 4
Hold for 7
Exhale for 8
Repeat 4 times.
This slows your heart rate and helps your body shift out of fight‑or‑flight.

5. Grounding 5-4-3-2-1

A quick way to interrupt spiraling thoughts.
Identify:

5 things you can see
4 things you can touch
3 things you can hear
2 things you can smell
1 thing you can taste

It pulls your brain back into the present moment.

6. Gentle Movement

Not a workout — just movement.

A slow walk
Stretching
A few yoga poses
Movement helps regulate cortisol and reduce inflammation without stressing the body.

7. Sunlight + Fresh Air

Five minutes outside can shift your entire nervous system. Sunlight boosts serotonin, which helps calm anxiety and stabilize mood.

8. Sensory Resets

Tiny but powerful:

Warm washcloth on your face
Holding something cold
A weighted blanket
A warm drink
These help your body downshift quickly.

9. Brain Dumping

When your mind is racing, write everything down — messy, unfiltered, no order.
It clears mental clutter and reduces the overwhelm that can trigger flares.

10. Micro‑Joys

A 30‑second reset:

A favorite song
A candle or diffuser
A photo that makes you smile
A piece of chocolate
Small joys interrupt stress patterns and remind your brain that good things exist too.

💛 Final Thoughts

Stress management isn’t a luxury for me — it’s part of protecting my health. These things help me calm my body before it spirals, and they’ve carried me through some of my hardest seasons.

If stress triggers your symptoms too, you’re not alone. What helps you reset?