Knowing which tool or technique to use during times of high stress keeps you healthy.

Chronic stress is damaging. It affects your physical and mental health in negative ways. It contributes to feelings of helplessness, loss of control, fear, and anger. Many people that experience chronic stress also display symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Learning healthy ways to cope with life’s challenges is essential no matter what age you are. Doing so provides you with a toolbox of options that can be personalized to meet your needs. When you take action in a stressful situation, you’re exercising control over circumstances that you once thought were impossible to improve.

Here are some suggestions for dealing with everyday stress like a champ:

1. Learn how to differentiate between things you can control and your reaction to stressful events. Some situations occur without notice. They leave you feeling surprised, angry or sad. That doesn’t mean that you need to keep feeling those emotions, however. You can quickly bounce back from trying times by applying the stress-management tools and techniques you’ve learned to rely on. By reframing the situation and seeing it as an opportunity to learn, you’ll feel better quickly.
2. Pay close attention to how your body feels. Stress manifests as illness and disease in the body. Notice how you’re breathing. Are you taking shallow breaths? Is your body tense? Do you feel pain anywhere? Focus on relaxing your muscles. Imagine the stress leaving each area that is tense.
3. Picture a place of calm. Visualize a place that feels comfortable and safe. Picture yourself there. How do you feel? What about the environment makes you calm?
4. Inhale the scent of lavender. Apply a Bioesse Tech Aromatherapy Inhalation Patch. Breathe in the sweet, soothing smell of lavender for up to eight hours per patch. Repeat as often as necessary until you feel yourself surrender and calm down.

There are many things you can to do to alleviate the symptoms of stress. Being mindful of the things that trigger the stress response in your body is key. It allows you to take charge of a situation that feels like it’s out of control in a positive and productive