Whether it’s stress from finals, family, or simply stress from being stressed all the time, there are small things you can do throughout the day to keep the storm in your brain under control. We all get stressed out at some point but dealing with it is what’s important here.

Here are 10 easy tricks to manage stress.

1. Avoid Caffeine, Alcohol and nicotine: Avoid, or at least reduce, your consumption of nicotine and any drinks containing caffeine and alcohol. Caffeine and nicotine are stimulants and so will increase your level of stress rather than reduce it. Swap caffeinated and alcoholic drinks for water, herbal teas, or diluted natural fruit juices and aim to keep yourself hydrated as this will enable your body to cope better with stress.
2. Start a physical activity: Physical exercise can be used as a surrogate to metabolize the excessive stress hormones and restore your body and mind to a calmer, more relaxed state. When you feel stressed and tense, go for a brisk walk in fresh air.  Try to incorporate some physical activity into your daily routine on a regular basis, either before or after work, or at lunchtime.  Regular physical activity will also improve the quality of your sleep.
3. Get more sleep: This one may seem obvious, but due to the busy schedule most people in general tend to balance these days, sometimes getting enough sleep isn’t a viable option. While most doctors would recommend that adults get around 8-9 hours of sleep on a daily basis, I know plenty of people that are surviving on about 45 minutes. Unfortunately, not getting enough sleep, as many studies show, can lead to increased anxiety and stress. If you find that you don’t have much time to sleep in the first place or there are factors that disrupt your sleep, one way of taking advantage of the time you do have is to turn off all electronics about half an hour before going to bed, since this can help you fall asleep easier. A lack of sleep is a significant cause of stress. Furthermore, stress also interrupts our sleep as thoughts keep whirling through our heads, stopping us from relaxing enough to fall asleep. Rather than relying on medication, your aim should be to maximise your relaxation before going to sleep.  Make sure that your bedroom is a tranquil oasis with no reminders of the things that cause you stress. Avoid caffeine during the evening, as well as excessive alcohol if you know that this leads to disturbed sleep. Stop doing any mentally demanding work several hours before going to bed so that you give your brain time to calm down. Try taking a warm bath or reading a calming, undemanding book for a few minutes to relax your body, tire your eyes and help you forget about the things that worry you. You should also aim to go to bed at roughly the same time each day so that your mind and body get used to a predictable bedtime routine.
4. Take 20 minutes to relax each day: Relaxing here doesn’t necessarily mean watching TV or being on your phone, but doing an activity that will engage the mind. Even if it’s something simple like colouring or journaling or doing yoga. Ideally, everyone should have 20 minutes to a half hour each day just to themselves.
5. Have a better diet: As hard as this one may be (especially for anyone that has a sweet tooth like me), cutting down on sugar and processed food in your diet can also have an impact on helping your mood. If you realize you need 8 cups of coffee to function in your daily life, it may not be easy to quit cold turkey, but slowly reducing the amount of caffeine and sugar you put in your body on a regular basis will also be a factor in helping you feel better.
6. Spend time with friends and family: Social support from friends and family can help you get through stressful times. Being part of a friend network gives you a sense of belonging and self-worth, which can help you in tough times.
7. Laugh: It’s hard to feel anxious when you’re laughing. It’s good for your health, and there are a few ways it may help relieve stress; it brings more oxygen into your body and organs, stimulates and relieves your stress response and lastly, relieves tension by relaxing your muscles. In the long term, laughter can also help improve your immune system and mood. Watch a funny TV show, hang out with friends who make you laugh and even find humor in your troubles.
8. Avoid procrastination: Another way to take control of your stress is to stay on top of your priorities and stop procrastinating. Procrastination can lead you to act reactively, meaning you’re scrambling to catch up. This can cause stress, which negatively affects your health and sleep quality. Get in the habit of making a to-do list that’s organized by priority. Give yourself realistic deadlines and work your way down the list. Work on the things that need to get done today and give yourself chunks of uninterrupted time, as switching between tasks (multi-tasking) can be stressful itself.
9. Take a yoga class: Yoga has become a popular method of stress relief and exercise among all age groups. While yoga styles differ, most share a common goal — to join your body and mind. Yoga primarily does this by increasing body and breath awareness. The the benefit of yoga for stress and anxiety seems to be related to its effect on the nervous system and stress response.
10. Positive thinking and mindfulness: Mindfulness describes practices that anchor you to the present moment. It can help combat the anxiety-inducing effects of negative thinking. There are several methods for increasing mindfulness, including mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, mindfulness-based stress reduction, yoga and meditation. A recent study in college students suggested that mindfulness may help increase self-esteem, which in turn decreases symptoms of anxiety and depression.

If you’re in sahel and want to practice yoga, ex-BeFit coach and yogi Farah Nofal started her own yoga practice @edenwellnesseg (this is their instagram account) you can find them at Telal next to Lemon Tree & Co. Schedule is on both @farahnofal ‘s page and @edenwellnesseg ‘s.