A workload piling up, an exam coming up, an overloaded day as a parent: stress creeps in everywhere, and anxiety sometimes settles in for the long term.
The good news is that neither stress nor anxiety are inevitable: both can be regulated with simple tools and a regular practice.
You still need to tell the two apart and know when professional support is needed. Would you like to know more on the subject? Our bilingual school in Paris shares here what really works when it comes to managing stress and anxiety, both day to day and in moments of sharper tension.
Key Takeaways
- Stress is a natural reaction to a one-off pressure, while anxiety sets in without a real threat and lasts longer.
- In 2021, 12.5% of people aged 18 to 85 in France experienced an anxious state, with a higher prevalence among women.
- Physical activity, deep breathing and quality sleep concretely reduce stress levels.
- Persistent stress in an adult as well as in a child deserves attention, or it risks settling in for good.
- Setting up a reassuring, soothing routine, both at home and at school, limits the build-up of tension in children and parents alike.
Where do everyday stress and anxiety come from?
Stress is a natural reaction of the body to a one-off pressure: an exam, a work deadline or a day that is too busy. It generally eases once the situation has passed.
Anxiety, on the other hand, sets in with no link to a real danger and disrupts everyday life over the long term, according to Inserm (the French national institute for health research). It takes various forms, from generalised anxiety disorder to specific phobias, and affects women twice as often as men.
The phenomenon remains common in France. According to the Santé publique France Barometer, 12.5% of people aged 18 to 85 experienced an anxious state in 2021, with a prevalence of 18.2% among women compared with 6.4% among men.
Identifying the source of your tension, adjusting your workload, easing academic pressure, or taking accumulated fatigue into account are among the first steps towards effectively managing stress and anxiety.
What techniques help ease everyday stress?
Easing stress does not require overhauling your daily routine, but rather adopting a few regular habits. On this point, France’s national health insurance body (Assurance Maladie) recommends an action plan accessible to everyone:
- Move for at least 30 minutes a day, even if it is just a brisk walk.
- Practise deep breathing exercises as soon as tension appears.
- Make sure you get quality sleep, with a regular bedtime and wake-up time.
- Set aside time every day for an enjoyable, replenishing activity.
- Prioritise your tasks and delegate when possible, rather than carrying everything alone.
These habits have a positive effect on the nervous system and interrupt rising stress before it takes hold.
École Galilée’s advice: for better results, it is best to spread these efforts evenly across the week rather than saving them all for Sunday evening, right before work or school starts again.
Anxiety that persists: when to see someone, and who to contact?
A level of stress that never eases and anxiety that keeps you from sleeping or going out should alert you.
According to the Haute Autorité de Santé (the French national health authority), cited by Inserm, 15% of adults aged 18 to 65 experience a severe anxiety disorder in any given year, and 21% will experience one at some point in their lives.
When it comes to younger people, Assurance Maladie recommends not facing overwhelming anxiety alone. The Fil Santé Jeunes helpline, free and anonymous, as well as the Mon soutien psy scheme, which gives access to sessions with a psychologist, exist precisely for that.
Finally, a parent who notices withdrawal, recurring stomach aches or a disproportionate fear of failure in their teenager benefits from addressing it early, before the anxiety settles in for good.
Easing children’s stress too: the school’s role
Stress does not only affect adults. Indeed, a child faced with pressure over grades or how others see them sometimes develops the same anxiety mechanisms. This learning starts early: in our bilingual preschool in Paris, children already learn to name what they feel.
Our experience in the field: at École Galilée, objective-based assessment, with no ranking between pupils, removes a major source of pressure. In addition, our daily discussion times, guided by the Nonviolent Communication method, teach children to identify tension before it overwhelms them.
Good to know: at École Galilée, this supportive framework continues through to our bilingual high school in Paris.
Are you looking for a setting that protects your child’s balance as much as their success? Meet the École Galilée team and discover a bilingual approach designed to ease school-related stress for good.
Sources
- Santé publique France, Bulletin épidémiologique hebdomadaire 2025, “Prévalence des états anxieux chez les 18-85 ans: résultats du Baromètre Santé publique France (2017-2021)”, santepubliquefrance.fr. https://beh.santepubliquefrance.fr/beh/2025/14/2025_14_1.html
- Inserm, “Troubles anxieux”, inserm.fr. https://www.inserm.fr/dossier/troubles-anxieux/
- Assurance Maladie, “Le stress”, ameli.fr. https://www.ameli.fr/assure/sante/assurance-maladie/comment-reduire-mon-risque-cardiovasculaire/mieux-prevenir-le-risque-cardiovasculaire/les-conseils-pour-reduire-mon-risque-cardiovasculaire-au-quo/le-stress
- Assurance Maladie, “Angoisse, stress, idées noires chez les jeunes: comment se sentir bien dans sa tête?”, ameli.fr. https://www.ameli.fr/assure/sante/jeunes-16-25-ans/souffrance-psychique/etre-bien-dans-sa-tete