Tips for Managing Stress While in a Clinical Trial

What Stress Can Look Like

Stress shows up in different ways for everyone. You may notice you are:

• Eating more or less than usual
• Sleeping more or less than usual
• Having difficulty focusing
• Experiencing other physical symptoms like headaches or stomach issues²

Tips to Help Lower Stress

Whether you are taking part in a clinical trial or not, you may find some of these tips to be helpful. Remember, you don’t have to do them all. Start with small steps and choose one or two to try. If your stress feels overwhelming or your symptoms are getting worse, contact your doctor or healthcare team.

• Deep, slow breathing – Taking deep breaths may help to interrupt a stress reaction and help you feel calmer.³
• Move your body – Physical activity such as walking has been shown to reduce stress.⁴
• Refocus your mindset – Ask yourself, “What is a thought that I can focus on to reduce my stress instead of the one that is creating my stress?”³
• Meditate – Keep it simple by using short, guided meditations in a free app or just sitting quietly and breathing in and out slowly for a few minutes.³
• Connect with others – Identify resources such as peer support and community groups or something less formal like getting together with a friend who is a good listener.⁴
• Share insights about your stress with your Healthcare Provider – Keep track of stress levels, possible stress triggers, impact of the stress on your quality of life, and ability to take care of daily responsibilities and review them with your healthcare provider.⁴

What to Share With Your Healthcare Team

To help your healthcare team better understand the stress you are feeling, you may want to share answers to questions such as:

• When do you feel most stressed?
• What are the symptoms of stress you are experiencing? (e.g. headaches, difficulty sleeping)
• How is this impacting you?

Questions like these may help you notice how stress affects your body and emotions. Sharing what you learn with your healthcare team can give them a clearer picture of how stress may be making daily tasks harder or lowering your quality of life. Talking about what’s going on can help you take an active role in your care and may help your healthcare team find ways to support you.

Final Thoughts

Stress is real, and it matters. You don’t have to push through it alone. Small changes, support, and sharing how you feel can all make a big difference.

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