5 Instant Ways To Counteract Stress When You're Feeling Overwhelmed

As anyone who lives in 2019 is well aware, stress happens—a lot. And it can be hard to find ways to make it go away, especially when we can't always control what's causing it in the first place.

The sneaky thing about stress is that many of us often don't start managing it until we're burned out, overwhelmed, or already reeling from its mental and physical effects. Getting a regular stress-reducing practice or outlet into your routine is priority one—think daily exercise, meditation, or adding aromatherapy to your wind down every night (lavender + peppermint + bergamot essential oils—trust us).

1. Make a mental shift. How many times have you thought, "I have so much work to do, and I don't know how I'll get it all done in time," or "Nothing's going right; what else will I have to deal with today?" It's natural to feel helpless when you're stressed out, but while you can't control what happens around you, you are in control of how you choose to experience it. Opt out of that negative feedback loop by focusing on a constructive intention or simply jotting down your gratitude. A study published in Clinical Psychology Review found that individuals who kept gratitude journals reported better moods, less fatigue, more restful sleep, and even showed lowered levels of inflammation related to heart health—all in all, a simple recipe for decreased stress in the long run.

2. Take three deep belly breaths. Bouts of major stress, whether caused by a real fear of an imminent threat or perceived dangers like worrying you might lose your job, can trigger an autonomic fight-or-flight response. One way to break through this uncomfortable feeling is with deep, controlled breathing, which has been linked to lower stress levels. Breathwork is the core of ancient mind-and-body practices like yoga and meditation, but you can do a calming deep-breathing exercise anytime and anywhere you're experiencing a particularly stressful moment: Take several slow breaths, inhaling through your nose and expanding your belly, then exhaling through your mouth.

3. Put on some music. The "Mozart effect" is the real deal: Numerous studies1 have found that listening to music can alter brain activity and counteract the physiological signs of stress, making it an effective relaxation technique during stressful situations. It's no wonder music therapies and sound baths are becoming more and more common.

4. Laugh it off. You already know how great you feel when you have a good laugh—and you're not imagining it2. Turns out, social laughter triggers the release of endorphins—one of our happiness-boosting hormones—and effectively helps lower cortisol levels, reducing some of the physical and mental effects of stress, according to research published in the Journal of Neuroscience.