A nutritional composition comprising at least one human milk oligosaccharide selected from 6′ sialyllactose, lacto-N-neotetraose, lacto-N-tetraose, disialylated lacto-N-tetraose, 3′-fucosyllactose, and 3′-sialyllactose. The nutritional composition is used in a method of reducing stress in an individual in need thereof.