Reducing stress = preventing UC flares?

What's your current thinking as to whether genuine efforts to reduce stress will prevent flares?

Apologies to the veterans, if this is well-trodden terrain. I've been reading about it, and searched here for the relationship of stress to UC flares. Most threads go back a few years, talking about how stress makes flares worse and asking whether stress caused UC.

Now that meditation and mindfulness are more pervasive, I'm wondering if those of you who practice them are convinced they help prevent flares. Taking a slightly different view, there's a new book, Blue Mind, looking at the intersection of neuroscience, psychology, and nature, and it suggests that being near water or looking at the ocean make us healthier. And there's the positive psychology movement prescribing the path to happiness & healthfulness. I also read Mind over Medicine. Have any of you looked into these seriously; and if so, has it helped prevent UC flares? Or do you dismiss them as the latest "pop psychology"?

I'm especially interested in the experiences of those of you who are not on any of the stronger maintenance drugs (like biologics), perhaps are only on natural supplements and/or milder drugs (mesalamine-which didn't keep me from flaring...). I know it's also possible to flare too while on the stronger meds, so feel free to weigh in if you are on them. I see some of you have also changed jobs or quit working (that'd be nice but I can't....).

I'm currently not on a UC maintenance drug but contemplating entyvio as a next step. My GI doc says I will likely flare in a few months if I don't do it, so I might as well do it soon for maintenance rather than induction. But I have adverse reactions to many drugs. And I was wondering if it'd first be worth putting a big effort into dramatically changing my lifestyle (rethinking all daily habits, how I approach my work, trying to sleep more, scheduling time to relax (i realize that may sound pathetic but it's not how i'm naturally wired), being more vigilant in sticking with foods that digest easily for me, etc.). In my last flare, life came to a grinding halt. Same with my last adverse drug reaction. So I'm highly motivated to consider "re-programming" myself. Is that even possible?.... I'd be inspired to explore it, if any of you have had success or you are convinced it will be successful in preventing flares.

Stress definitely makes me worse. It's obviously not the only component, (I'm sick when relaxed too), but my worst flares were during exams and extremely challenging personal circumstances.

Mindfulness is unlikely to prevent your flares, because UC is way more than a psychological disease. But either way it's not going to hurt to keep your stress levels down. You mentioned getting more sleep, and that's likely to benefit you in all kinds of ways. High stress levels cause all kinds of long-term health problems, not only bowel related.

I have definitely noticed a relation to stress and flares in my case. The flares I have experienced (including when I was getting diagnosed) all seemed to have revolved around very stressful situations. Some where the symptoms crept up gradually and others where I went from 'normal' to full on flare over night.

Also, on the flip side, I stubbornly refused to cancel a big vacation in the middle of an awful flare, and 1 day into the trip, all my symptoms went away. Same thing when I went away for a weekend during a flare.

I am wondering if it has anything to do with adrenaline levels?