From walking and puzzles to creative expression and self-care, these strategies can help reduce stress and bring emotional relief.
During times of stress, anxiety can ramp up — and when layered on top of bipolar symptoms, it can feel especially intense. Your mood might swing, your appetite may shift, and it can be hard to focus or feel grounded. In those moments, it’s easy to overlook the small, everyday actions that might help ease the pressure.
That’s why it helps to return to the basics. Bipolar disorder affects your internal rhythm — your energy, sleep, focus, and mood stability — and anxiety only adds to that inner chaos. It can heighten restlessness, trigger racing thoughts, and make even small tasks feel unmanageable. Re-centering doesn’t have to mean doing more. Sometimes it starts with a pause, some self-compassion, and one small step toward calm.
If everything feels overwhelming, remember: you don’t need to overhaul your life to feel better. Small actions can have a powerful ripple effect. The ideas that follow aren’t a checklist to complete. They’re gentle invitations. Try one. Try none. Try the one that feels most doable today.
1. Engage Your Mind and Feed Your Soul
Learning something new can be a powerful mood booster. It builds confidence, offers a sense of progress, and connects you to the world around you — even from home. You may already have a list of skills you’ve been wanting to explore. Why not start now? Here are a few gentle and engaging options to consider:
- Watch a TED Talk on a topic that inspires calm or sparks curiosity, like nature, personal growth, or creativity.
- Follow a cooking blogger who specializes in simple, budget-friendly meals — especially helpful during depressive phases when energy and motivation are low.
- Take a short online class or tutorial that suits your current energy level:
- Learn a few chords on the ukulele or a simple song on piano.
- Try a gentle drawing exercise like Zentangles or cartoon doodling.
- Explore guided journaling prompts for emotional awareness.
- Try dog or pet training if you have a companion animal — the structure and connection can be grounding.
2. Ditch the 10,000 Steps-a-Day Mantra
It’s no secret that physical activity can ease stress and improve mood, but when you’re managing bipolar symptoms, the idea of hitting 10,000 steps a day can feel unrealistic — even overwhelming. The good news? You don’t need to chase that number.
The 10,000-step benchmark actually began as a marketing slogan in 1960s Japan, not a medical recommendation, according to an article in Scientific American. It caught on because it was catchy — not because it was based on science.
One pivotal study followed more than 16,000 women with an average age of 72. It found that even modest increases in daily steps led to significantly lower mortality — with the greatest benefit seen around 7,500 steps per day. Importantly, walking speed or intensity didn’t affect outcomes as much as simply moving more overall.
Other large studies confirm that:
- Adults under 60 benefit most from 8,000 to 10,000 steps per day.
- Adults over 60 see the greatest benefit from 6,000 to 8,000 steps per day.
- People who are the least active often have the most to gain by adding even a few thousand steps to their day.
What matters most is consistency — and finding a level of movement that feels manageable to you. Even tracking your steps, regardless of the total, can provide a small boost in motivation and mood. For an encouraging way to stay active, consider starting a “stepping circle” with friends. Free apps like Stridekick make it easy to share progress and support each other.
3. Use Puzzles to Train Your Brain and Calm Your Mind
Puzzles are more than a nostalgic pastime — they offer real therapeutic value, especially when you’re dealing with bipolar symptoms and anxiety. Whether it’s a jigsaw puzzle, a crossword, or a round of Sudoku, these quiet activities invite you to slow down, stay present, and focus on one small task at a time.
This kind of focused attention is at the core of mindfulness, and studies show that it’s effective in reducing stress and promoting emotional balance. In fact, one study found that jigsaw puzzling draws on multiple cognitive skills and may help protect against cognitive decline.
The beauty of puzzles is that they’re flexible: you can work on one solo as a calming ritual or invite a friend to join, in person or virtually. And if traditional puzzles aren’t your thing, try puzzle apps, logic games, or printable visual challenges. There’s no right or wrong here — just the simple act of engaging your mind in a soothing, structured way.
4. Volunteer From Home
Helping others can shift your emotional focus outward — a powerful counterbalance to anxiety, low mood, or racing thoughts. Research shows that volunteering not only supports those in need but also boosts well-being, self-worth, and stress resilience in the person doing the helping.
In one qualitative study on people with severe mental disorders — including bipolar disorder — researchers found that volunteering helped participants feel socially included, build a sense of identity, and imagine future goals, such as returning to work.
When mood symptoms make it hard to leave the house, remote volunteering offers a flexible and manageable way to tap into those same benefits, without the overwhelm of a commute or rigid schedule. Consider one of these low-pressure, high-impact options:
- DOROT’s Caring Calls Sign up to call an older adult once a week. Just one conversation can ease loneliness — for both of you.
- Be My Eyes Use your smartphone to help someone with low vision navigate everyday tasks, like reading a label or matching colors, through the nonprofit Be My Eyes.
- Crisis and Emotional Support
If you’re feeling emotionally steady, these platforms offer training to support others through text-based peer support. Try: Crisis Text Line or 7 Cups.
Volunteering is a gentle reminder that you still have something to offer, even on your hardest days. And feeling needed can sometimes spark a deeper sense of stability and hope.
5. Spruce Up Your Space to Soothe Your Mind
When you’re feeling anxious or overwhelmed, even small messes can add to that mental clutter. According to Mayo Clinic, a disorganized or chaotic environment can contribute to increased stress levels and make it harder to focus or relax. On the flip side, a tidier space can help you feel more in control and better able to manage your emotions.
That doesn’t mean you need to tackle your entire home. Instead, think of cleaning or organizing as an act of emotional self-care. Try starting with just one drawer, shelf, or corner — a manageable task that offers a small but satisfying sense of progress.
To make it more enjoyable:
- Put on an upbeat playlist or a calming podcast.
- Light a scented candle or diffuse your favorite essential oils.
- Reframe the task as self-care for your environment, not a chore.
And remember, you’re not aiming for perfection — just a little more peace in your surroundings.
6. Make Today Your ‘Someday’
We all have a mental list of things we’ve been saving for the “right time” — projects, passions, or pleasures that always seem to get pushed to the side. When you’re living with anxiety or mood symptoms, it can be easy to put off joy, creativity, or even simple pleasures until you feel more stable. But sometimes, waiting can become its own kind of weight.
Instead of tackling everything at once, choose just one “someday” thing — something meaningful but manageable — and give yourself permission to do it today. This might look like:
- Watching a movie trilogy you’ve never had the time (or focus) for.
- Reaching out to someone you’ve lost touch with — even just to say hello.
- Printing and organizing old photos into a scrapbook or memory box.
- Finally browsing those design blogs or DIY sites you’ve bookmarked for months.
- Starting a “bucket list” journal — not with pressure to complete it, but as a way to dream again.
These aren’t indulgences — they’re gentle steps toward reclaiming a sense of agency and joy. Especially when you’re feeling emotionally stuck or flattened, doing something you’ve wanted to do (rather than what you have to do) can provide a refreshing shift in perspective.
As with everything in this list, it’s not about achievement — it’s about showing up for yourself in small, meaningful ways.
7. Rebuild Your Foundation With Self-Care and Stability Habits
When stress is high, self-care often slides — but for people living with bipolar disorder, the basics like sleep, food, and movement are essential to maintaining stability.
Think of self-care not as a task list, but as a way to support your body and mind when they need it most. Start small:
- Keep a regular sleep schedule — even just consistent wake-up times can help regulate your mood.
- Stay nourished with steady meals, even simple ones like toast or soup.
- Move your body gently: stretch, walk, or dance to one song.
And remember, what you feed your mind matters, too. If the news or social media heightens your anxiety, take a break. Instead, try:
Small acts — like changing clothes or drinking water — can be powerful when done with intention. These moments of care can help restore a sense of balance, even on the most challenging days.
8. Tap Into Creativity for Healing and Self-Expression
Creativity isn’t just for artists — it’s a powerful form of emotional release and self-connection. When you’re dealing with anxiety, restlessness, or numbness, creative expression can help you process what you’re feeling, even when words fall short.
Art therapy research backs this up: Engaging in visual art — including drawing, coloring, or collage — has been shown to reduce cortisol levels (the body’s stress hormone) and improve mood after just 45 minutes.
The best part? There’s no need to be “good” at it. Let it be personal, imperfect, and reflective of where you are right now. Here are a few creative outlets that are especially helpful when emotions feel tangled:
- Print and color a mandala, or create one from scratch using repetitive shapes and patterns — a form of moving meditation.
- Start a visual journal, combining a few words with sketches, collage, or paint. It can be a private space to express moods or memories.
- Write a letter to your future self — or to your anxiety — and decorate it. You don’t need to send it anywhere; the act of creating it is what matters.
- Browse virtual galleries, like the Louvre’s online exhibits or The Met 360° Project, for a dose of beauty and calm.
Even 10 minutes of creativity can shift your focus, slow racing thoughts, and help you reconnect with your inner world. These moments don’t just distract — they help rebuild a sense of identity, one image or word at a time.
RELATED: 5 Small Lifestyle Changes to Help Prevent Mood Episodes
When anxiety feels overwhelming, it’s tempting to believe that only big solutions can bring relief. But often, it’s the small, everyday actions — taken with care and intention — that can make the biggest difference.
Editorial Sources and Fact-Checking
- The Met 360° Project. The Met.
- Denworth L. You Don’t Really Need 10,000 Daily Steps to Stay Healthy. Scientific American. May 1, 2023.
- Lee IM et al. Association of Step Volume and Intensity With All-Cause Mortality in Older Women. JAMA Internal Medicine. August 1, 2019.
- Fissler P et al. Jigsaw Puzzling Taps Multiple Cognitive Abilities and Is a Potential Protective Factor for Cognitive Aging. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience. October 1, 2018.
- Pérez-Corrales J et al. The Meaning of Volunteering Among People With Severe Mental Disorders: A Phenomenological Qualitative Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. November 21, 2021.
- Volunteer From Home. DOROT.
- Let’s See the World Together. Be My Eyes.
- The Life-Changing Impact of Volunteering. Crisis Text Line.
- Become an Online Volunteer Listener. 7Cups.
- Dorfner M. Spring Cleaning: Declutter Your Home, Declutter Your Mind. Mayo Clinic. April 12, 2018.
- Kaimal G et al. Reduction of Cortisol Levels and Participants’ Responses Following Art Making. Art Therapy. May 23, 2016.
- Enjoy the Louvre at Home. Louvre.
UPDATED: Originally posted on May 4, 2020