Live stress-free

1

Be prepared

Coping strategies can help you confidently take action to prevent and reduce any negative impact of stress.

2

Understand your condition

Learning as much as you can about your condition and things that make it better or worse can help you feel in control.

3

Avoid stressful situations

Identifying causes of stress is a great first step to avoiding them whenever possible. This may involve rearranging parts of your life, but it will be beneficial in the long-term.

4

Keep a record

A symptom diary can help you identify triggers that increase your stress or make your MS worse to help you prepare and better manage your daily life.

5

Learn relaxation techniques

Deep breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation, yoga, creative visualisation, meditation, and stretching exercises can be incorporated into your daily routine and help reduce stress and anxiety.

6

Plan ahead

Organising your days and weeks in advance can let you feel more in control. Taking five minutes at night to plan the next day can be calming, and provide clarity and confidence that things won’t be forgotten.

7

Keep your environment positive

Doing activities you enjoy and surrounding yourself with positive people who understand the challenges of MS can help make you feel happy and supported.

8

Look after yourself

Healthy eating, regular exercise and consistent quality exercise will help keep your body and mind as energetic as possible and help you feel on top of things.

9

Talk with family and friends

Making those closest to you aware of potential signs of stress means they can support you during stressful periods and plan to reduce it or even avoid it altogether.