A stress-reduced reflective optical element for a working wavelength in the soft X-ray and extreme ultraviolet wavelength range includes a first multilayer system (4) of at least two alternating materials (41, 42) having different real parts of the refractive index at the working wavelength on a substrate (2), which exerts a layer stress on the substrate (2), and comprising a second multilayer system (6) of at least two alternating materials (61, 62) on a substrate (2), which exerts an opposed layer stress on the substrate (2) and is arranged between the first multilayer system (4) and the substrate (2), wherein a first (61) of the at least two materials of the second multilayer system (6) is interrupted by layers (62) having a thickness of up to 1 nm of the at least one further material of the second multilayer system (6) at such distances that the first material is present in an amorphous state.