If you’re like most people, you’ve experienced high stress levels before. Stress is something that impacts just about everyone to one degree or another. Whether you are stressed out because of your work, because of your finances, or simply because there is not enough time in the day to get it all done – stress is impacting you and your whole body.

How so? What few people realize is that stress impacts more than just how you feel on a daily basis. When you suffer from high stress levels, you’ll be more prone to weight gain, you’ll suffer sleepless nights, and your blood glucose levels may be harder to stabilize. This could in turn lead to diabetes or even heart disease over time.

Stress impacts every cell in your whole body, so it’s a must that you do whatever you can to get your stress levels under control.

Need a few tips on how to get started? Check out the following techniques, which will quickly help you get your stress under control for good.

Use A Stress Journal

One of the best and most effective ways to manage your stress levels is to use a stress journal. Now, it may seem like just a waste of time to write what you’re stressing about down (after all, you know what’s bothering you in your mind). It’s not.

Simply getting those stressors out on paper will release them from your mind, freeing you up to think about other things – possibly even a solution.

Often people will find that the act of writing what’s stressing them down helps their brain formulate a smarter plan to overcome that stressor. If nothing else, it will often help you put that stressor into perspective. Usually, you’ll be making a bigger deal out of it than it really is.

Perform Intense Whole Body Exercise

Next, try performing some intense exercise. Whether this is a high intensity interval cardio session, picking up some heavy weight in the weight room, or something else of your choosing, intense whole body exercise causes an endorphin release in the body, which can help ease stress and put you into a feel-good state.

Ever wonder why you feel so great after that hard workout you just completed? You can thank endorphins for that. Use these in your favor to bring down stress levels.

As an added benefit, you’ll also crank your metabolic rate into high gear as well.

Take A Yoga Class

On the flip side, sometimes it’s not intense exercise you need. Performing some relaxation focused exercise can also be a great way to lower stress levels and get you feeling better again.

For instance, try taking a yoga class. The deep breathing combined with soothing positions will help ease stress and make you more in control. It’s also a great way to raise mind-body awareness, so it could possibly help you be more in tune with your body and when stress levels are building as well.

Spray Some Lavender Room Spray

Want a fast and easy way to bring down your stress levels? Try spraying the room you’re in with some lavender. This scent is known to help promote relaxation and ease stress, so it might just do the trick.

There are many ways that you could harness the power of lavender. Try a body spray, a bath wash that smells like lavender, or try even washing your clothes with lavender scented detergent.

Sip Chamomile Tea

Moving along, chamomile tea is also a great way to calm the mind, ease the body, and can help promote sleepiness as well if you are preparing for bed.

Sipping a warm mug of chamomile tea is one of the best ways to help promote a deeper sleep if you often lay in bed at night, tossing and turning due to whatever is stressing you.

Don’t think it’s just for before bed either. It doesn’t have such strong sedative properties that you couldn’t use it during the day as well if you prefer. If you are not a tea person, try taking a supplement with magnesium to help you relax.

Get Lost In Something You Love

Finally, last but not least, consider getting lost in something that you truly enjoy doing. Whether this is drawing, going or a long bike ride, playing music, or something else entirely, do something that gets you into a ‘flow’ state. This is a state of being where you completely lose track of time (and all your worries).

It’s one of the best ways to reduce stress levels – even if only temporary, and help improve your overall outlook on life. You should aim to do something that you truly love doing for at least an hour or two a week to help maintain that healthy balance in your life that you need.

So keep these tips in mind and take charge over controlling your stress levels before they start to control you and have a negative impact on your mind and whole body over time.