Stress Reducers For First Responders

Asking for help is the hardest thing to do, sometimes even heroes need help! Please reach out if you or someone you know is struggling.


First responders will experience stress, managing stress and taking breaks will make you a better responder. Below are some tips and resources to utilize when you are experiencing stress and burnout.

  • Work in teams and limit amount of time working alone.
  • Talk to family, friends, supervisors, and teammates about your feelings, and experiences.
  • Maintain a healthy diet and get adequate sleep and exercise.
  • Know that it is okay to draw boundaries and say “no.”
  • Avoid or limit caffeine and use of alcohol.
  • Find a hobby; they are essential for personal development, and a safe, healthy, and fun way to shift focus away from stressors and toward relaxation. From gardening or playing cards to painting or joining a club, participating in activities outside the workplace adds balance and serenity to your life.

  • Exercise regularly; keep up with the physical demands of your profession while maintaining a healthy weight by exercising regularly. This increases the body’s level of endorphins, resulting in improved mood, decreased irritability, and an enhanced ability to concentrate. Choose a fun fitness routine like boxing or group classes to remain motivated to exercise.

  • Eat healthy foods; expecting an uninterrupted lunch break as a first responder may seem farfetched but that isn’t an issue to load up on carbs, fat, sugar, and salt. In addition to it negatively affecting your overall health, consuming unhealthy, processed, or fast foods can lead to increased irritability, low energy, and poor concentration. Instead, drink plenty of water and eat balanced meals that include whole grains, lean protein, and vegetables.

  • Practice meditation or yoga; to battle the effects of stress, engage in a meditation or stress-relieving exercises like yoga. By combining stretches, breathing exercises, and body poses, yoga helps relieve anxiety, depression, and stress. Meditation alone is shown to help alleviate feelings of anxiety and depression, as well as reduce pain.

  • Start a journal; Communicating your thoughts and feelings is crucial to overcoming the experience of trauma. Even if you’re not ready to speak with a counselor, keeping a journal about your experiences allows self-expression without threat of discrimination. Simply writing to yourself will not only help get certain events off your mind, but will also enhance your communication skills.

  • Seek Counseling; individual counseling can work wonders for first responders, even if they have not recently experienced trauma. By actively participating in counseling, emergency professionals receive a source of ongoing emotional support while working to manage stress. Working with a therapist to manage and maintain a healthy lifestyle increases your ability to appropriately cope with stress.

  • Attend a support group; Participation in social events in a supportive setting is crucial for first responders, as it helps form bonds between those recovering from work-related trauma. Meeting with others who have experienced similar events is both an affirming and reassuring activity. After joining support groups, first responders can expand their social networks, focus on healthy relationships, and overcome work-related trauma.

    • Remind Yourself:

    • It is not selfish to take breaks.
    • The needs of survivors are not more important than your own needs and well-being.
    • Working all the time does not mean you will make your best contribution.
    • There are other people who can help in the response.

    Resources for further information and assistance.

    American Foundation for Suicide Prevention – Resource for understanding warning signs of suicide and how to get help for yourself or someone else.

    Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – Resources for individuals affected by a disaster, including first responders.

    National Center for PTSD – Resource for anyone who has experienced trauma.

    National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – This is a hotline for anyone in crisis or to get help for someone in crisis. You do not need to be suicidal to call this line, they are there to listen and provide resources without judging. Afraid to call? Use the chat function from a computer or mobile device-either way you can remain anonymous.

    CopsAlive.com – This site has information, strategies, and tools to help cops plan for happy, healthy, and successful careers, relationships, and lives.

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