Stress Management

In certain situations, stress can be good—a motivating, energizing force. Unfortunately, much of the daily stress we encounter has no upside. It comes from the steady drumbeat of hassles like stop-and-start traffic jams and annoying robocalls. We also feel stress from larger challenges to our sense of well-being. Mass shootings. Rising sea levels. Economic fluctuations. Here’s the good news: We’re hardly helpless in the face of all this stress. In this proactive online course, Harvard Medical School experts give you the tools to protect yourself from the effects of stress.

In 90 lessons, you’ll learn how to manage and cope with stressors. As you go through our interactive pages, photo features, videos, illustrations, and quiz questions, you’ll gain a greater understanding of how and why stress happens... and what you can do to keep it under control. 

Key to our lessons are stress management techniques that fall into two broad categories: the relaxation response and resilience. The relaxation response allows your body to enter a calm, relaxed state. It’s something you can attain through a variety of activities — yoga, meditation, or prayer, for example. Resilience enables you to adapt to and recover from stress. It’s a trait you can develop, as our course explains. 

By the time you finish, you'll feel a sense of relief along with the confidence to cope with any stressors thrown your way.