Things You Will Need
Repairing the cracks will simply make the room look better — and possibly make you feel better as well.
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Set up a stepladder under the stress crack so you can easily reach it.
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Cut into the sides of a crack with a utility knife so that it forms a smooth, even V-shape. Scrape any drywall dust or debris out of the crack. The exact width of the crack doesn't matter, as long as it is fairly uniform and free of debris.
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Spread joint compound inside the crack with a putty knife so the joint compound completely fills and slightly overfills the crack. Smooth the excess joint compound down over the surrounding area of the ceiling so it forms a paper-thin layer for about 2 inches in every direction surrounding the crack. Leave the joint compound to dry for the amount of time specified on the instructions included with the compound.
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Scrape over the joint compound with a drywall knife to remove any high bumps in the compound.
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Tape the crack with a strip of fiberglass tape. Center the tape over the crack.
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Apply a second thin layer of joint compound over the tape. Feather the edges a few inches farther to the side to disguise the slight bump where you patched the ceiling. Leave the compound to dry.
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Sand the area with fine drywall sandpaper to smooth it. Do not sand down to the tape.
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Prime and paint the area to match the rest of your ceiling. If your ceiling has not been painted in several years, repaint the whole ceiling to get a better color match.