Since 2008, the American Psychological Association has conducted an annual Stress in America™ survey to provide a temperature check on America’s mental health. The results indicate that Americans’ average perceived stress ratings typically hover around 5 on a 10-point scale, indicating steady, moderate levels of perceived stress. There are vast individual differences in stress levels, however, which indicates that some individuals may be more resilient than others.

One avenue for resilience may be through coping with life’s daily stressors. Although exposure, as well as reactions, to daily stressors improve with age, these processes may have later-life health and wellbeing consequences if left unchecked.

What are daily stressors?

Daily stressors refer to everyday inconveniences, arguments, and burdens that interrupt our routines. Americans report experiencing at least one daily stressor on 42% of days—an increase in daily stress exposure since the mid-1990s.

What is resilience?

There is little agreement on the definition of resilience. Scholars have conceptualized resilience as a real-time process, outcome, or resource that coincides with positive adjustment to life challenges. A recent theoretical framework, A Dynamic Adaptational Process Theory of Resilience (ADAPTOR), describes how various definitions of resilience may fit together. Specifically, adversity-exposed individuals may attain better health and wellbeing outcomes than expected by effectively using their resources to cope with stressors in real time. The resulting positive outcomes promote further resources and effective coping, reinforcing resilience.

Why does resilience to daily stressors matter?

Experiencing minor stressors may be inevitable, but the ways in which we respond to these stressors are important to our future health and wellbeing. Indeed, individuals who are more emotionally reactive to stressors carry greater 10-20-year risks for not only developing various chronic physical and mental health conditions, but also dying. Resilience allows us to respond effectively to these everyday stressors, potentially circumventing undesirable health and wellbeing outcomes.

Can I ‘work on’ my resilience to daily stressors?

Of course! Although some people tend to be more resilient than others, we can shape our resilience over time. Here are five resilience-building strategies that are surprisingly easy to implement:

1. Move your body. Research indicates that physical activity is associated with dampened reactivity to stressors among older adults. There is evidence that as little as 10 minutes of sweat-inducing physical activity can buffer individuals’ emotional reactivity to daily stressors. To achieve maximal health benefits, the current Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommends healthy adults engage in 150-300 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week (22-43 minutes per day).

2. Get involved. Loneliness is associated with heightened stress exposure and reactivity. To combat loneliness, step out of your comfort zone and meet people! Be on the lookout for community events, such as those hosted at the Columbine Health Systems Center for Healthy Aging. Get involved in formal membership programs like the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute.

3. Engage in hobbies. Leisure time may enhance mood and stress, so make time for the activities that simply make you happy! Leisure time can be filled with anything of your choosing – gardening, hiking, reading, knitting, watching movies, and spending time with loved ones are just a few examples.

4. Relish positive events. Positive emotion is associated with reduced negative emotional reactions to stressors. A great way to experience positive emotion is to think about, or savor, positive life events.

5. Prioritize sleep. Insufficient sleep is associated with heightened emotional reactivity to stressors. You can make several small lifestyle changes to improve your sleep, including following a sleep schedule, regularly exercising, as well as limiting late night screentime, caffeine, and meals, to name a few.