Manage Stress in Paris: 3 Simple Everyday Habits

Paris is energising, and sometimes it wears you down too. The metro at rush hour, days that run too long, family, messages piling up in your inbox: it all adds up to tiredness and stress. Living in the 15th arrondissement, the most populous in the capital, doesn’t change much: you pass a lot of people and cars… and the time you have for yourself keeps getting shorter.

Here are a few simple pointers, inspired by the Gestalt therapy I practise, to lighten everyday life without turning it upside down.

Updated on 28/10/2026

Where does stress come from in a city like Paris?

Rarely from a single cause. It’s often several things piling up:

• Pressure at work and an overloaded schedule.
• Daily commutes, the tiredness of public transport and a relentless pace.
• The mental load of family life, which leaves little room for yourself.
• Isolation, or that weariness particular to city life.

These are very real constraints, and spotting them is already a way of taking them seriously.

3 Simple Ways to Ease the Pressure

1. Just breathe

Take 3 deep breaths, several times a day: breathe in through your nose, then let the air out slowly, a little longer than you took it in. You can do it in a queue, standing on the metro or in front of your computer screen. Often, that’s enough to loosen your shoulders, back, face and jaw a little. If you prefer more structured methods, cardiac coherence breathing (a few minutes of slow, regular breathing) is also a good option.

2. Give yourself proper micro-breaks

5 minutes is enough: stand up, walk around, stretch, drink a glass of water and really take the time to savour it. Several small breaks are worth more than hoping for one long break that never comes. Pick 2 or 3 moments in your day to take this time for yourself (before a meeting, on your way home) and treat them as precious appointments, little gifts you give yourself to bring some ease into your day.

3. Ask yourself: “How am I feeling here and now?”

In Gestalt therapy, we talk about awareness: the ability to notice what is happening inside you, here and now, whether it’s sensations, emotions or needs. Ask yourself the question without looking for the “right” answer. Perhaps: “my shoulders are tense, my jaw is clenched, my stomach is in knots, my chest feels tight”, “I’m in a rush”, “I’m hungry”, “I’m cold or too hot”, “I can feel tension in certain parts of my body, some tingling”, and so on…

Becoming aware of what is happening inside you doesn’t mean it will solve everything, but it is already a first step towards identifying what you need: to breathe, to relax, to eat, to set your limits, to ask for support.

When should you talk to someone?

Passing stress is part of life. But when the tension sets in (short or restless nights, irritability, a feeling that you can’t cope, a body that is permanently tense), it can be valuable to talk about it: to your doctor for anything to do with your body and sleep, and to a therapist to talk through what you’re going through and begin a therapeutic process towards greater well-being and personal and professional fulfilment.

I see clients in the 15th arrondissement of Paris (Convention métro station, line 12) and online.

In individual sessions, we start from what you’re experiencing here and now, at your own pace.

Find out about individual therapy.

I also offer sophrology and hypnosis sessions, which can complement this work on yourself.

For a first conversation or an appointment:

Explore Further

• Expat in Paris: Settling In and Finding Your Bearings
• The FAQ: What You Need to Know Before Your First Session