Stress is good, it keeps you going, gives you drive and encourages you to push your limits. This however, is true if stress is taken in healthy dosages. When this stress goes out of hand, then it begins to affect your mind, body and emotions. This is the bad kind of stress. When you start to overreact, tend to eat a lot to calm down, are facing digestive disorders, facing hearts burns and feeling the signs of depression, then you know that you are stressed, the bad kind.

There are ways that can help you keep the stress levels in check and keep you in charge of your life.

Identify your Stress button

Identifying the factors that stressed you out helps to keep your stress levels in control. If you know what is stressing you out, you will know what to avoid or if you cannot avoid it, you will make a conscious effort to not be taken by it. It may be a person, a situation or even a thought that may cause stress. One you know what it is, you will be prepared to handle it when it crosses your way.

Exercise

Exercise helps release endorphins. Endorphins are happy hormones. When you are happy in general, you will be unlikely to get stressed. Even if it is your most stressful trigger, when you have exerted and spent all your energy on exercise, you will not be in the mood to get stressed and waste your energy anymore.

Meet people

When you feel stressed, it is a good idea to distract yourself from your trigger. If you are stressed about a presentation that you have this week, take a break go to a bar with a friend and unwind. When you get back, you will feel refreshed and ready to take on any challenges that might come your way.

Talk

Another great way to beat the heat of stress is to talk. When you have something on your mind that is bothering you, call a close friend, book a table at a private dining restaurant and spill your heart out. Even if your friend is not in a position to help you with your situation, you will feel much lighter when you have let it all out. Sometimes speaking your fears out loud also gives you perspective. So go ahead and blab.

Sleep

Like they say, if you can’t find a way out, sleep over it. When you sleep , your mind relaxes, your body gets the required rest and when you wake up, your trigger does not seem like much of a trigger at all. You are now geared up to take your problem head on.