Stress levels have surged among Americans in 2025, according to a study from March, exacerbated by events as different as the sudden layoffs of thousands of federal workers to extreme weather across the country. Three-quarters of U.S. workers polled in the first quarter by global workplace mental health platform Modern Health reported feeling low in response to politics and current events.

This echoes what Dr. Neha Chaudhary told CNBC Make It in March. "I'm actually hearing from a lot of my own patients that they can't remember the last time that they were this stressed and unable to see an end in sight," said Chaudhary, a double board-certified child, adolescent and adult psychiatrist.

Then, in April, President Donald Trump unveiled new global tariffs, which could lead to higher prices on everyday goods, more layoffs and potentially a recession, some experts warned. Markets dropped sharply over several days after the President's announcement.

Don't panic, advised Suze Orman, and stay the course. As a classic 19th-century poem Warren Buffett has suggested reading in times of market turmoil puts it, "Keep your head," even as many people about you seem to be losing theirs.

But how?

One of the simplest, effective ways is "micro-meditations," according to Dr. Esther Sternberg, a physician and the author of "Well at Work," who spoke to CNBC Make It about the technique in November. Micro-meditations don't take up much of your time, she said, and you can practice them just about anywhere and at any time.

How to practice 'micro-meditations' to calm down

Meditation can definitely help with stress reduction and improving self-awareness, but "it doesn't have to be the daunting kind that requires months, if not years, of training," Sternberg said. Traditional meditation isn't the only way to practice mindfulness and settle your thoughts. Micro-meditations can lead you to some of the same results, she said.

Here are five helpful iterations she recommends:

1. Do deep-breathing exercises: Take a deep breath in from your diaphragm, and place your hands on your stomach to ensure that it is moving out as you breathe in. Follow up with a slow breath out. "You do that a few times, and that will immediately put a brake on the stress response," Sternberg said.
2. Spend time in nature: Taking a walk in a green space or park in your area can help you to relax, she said. Paying attention to what you hear and see during that time can shift your focus off of your worries and onto your surroundings.
3. Drink a cup of tea: Embrace the aspects of an ancient tea ceremony in Japan to ground yourself in the present moment. As you drink tea, "feel the warm cup against your hands," Sternberg said, and think about the things you're grateful for, like having a cup to drink out of.
4. Foreground gratitude: Writing down what you appreciate at least once a week can leave you feeling more positive and optimistic, research indicates. Incorporate gratitude in your life by going outside and valuing what you see and hear, and by thinking about your loved ones and how fortunate you feel for them, Sternberg suggested.
5. Fix your attention on what's immediately around you: If you feel overwhelmed or anxious, focus on specific objects in or aspects of your surroundings, Sternberg said. Try the 5-4-3-2-1 method by identifying five things you see, four things you can touch, three things you hear, two things you smell and one thing you taste.

If your anxiety starts to feel out of control, consult a professional for more targeted tips.

"Start small, do what feels attainable, and make a habit out of it if you want to consistently bring your stress levels down," Chaudhary said. "You can get very big mental health gains from very small, repeatable habits."

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