Stress can affect your body, your thoughts and feelings, and your behavior. Recognizing common stress symptoms can help you to manage them; this is important because stress that's left to fester can contribute to mental health challenges, high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity and diabetes.

Here are a few tips for getting your stress under better control.

Take a deep breath (or maybe a few)

If you’re stuck in traffic or a stressful meeting, the easiest thing you can do to stay calm is take a few deep breaths. We can all agree that breathing is important, but proper breathing is even more important. Try one of these easy breathing exercises from Dr. Andrew Weil next time you start to feel overwhelmed. Joining a local meditation or yoga group can also be a great way to destress, promote calm and stay active throughout the winter months.

Boost your B intake

There are a total of eight different B vitamins; you might be familiar with a few like folate, B12 and biotin. B vitamins take part in a variety of processes inside the body and they play a major role in our stress response by regulating our central nervous system. Try AOR’s B complex formula which contains all the active forms of these water soluble vitamins.

Mellow out with magnesium  

Consider adding magnesium bisglycinate to your supplement regime. Bisglycinate is a form of magnesium that can cross the blood-brain barrier and promote relaxation. We love magnesium by local company Pure Lab Vitamins.

Reduce your overall inflammation

Inflammation can increase stress on the body, but stress can also cause inflammation. You can see where many people fall into a harsh spiral. Supplements like curcumin and omega-3 fatty acids can help to reduce inflammation.

Get moving

Gentle exercise promotes the release of feel-good endorphins and conditions your brain to handle stress better and reduce anxiety. Join a running group or pickup a workout DVD from the library. Exercise doesn’t need to cost money or require fancy equipment.

Sip some tea

A calming cuppa is just what you need! The simple act of drinking a cup of tea can help us to unwind from daily stressors. Choose decaffeinated blends containing lavender, chamomile, and passionflower. Add a touch of raw honey or cinnamon for extra flavour.

Think happy thoughts

Learning to stay positive even when things get really hard takes practice, but keeping a positive attitude will reduce your overall stress and anxiety levels. Not sure where to start? Here are five strategies to help you stay positive.

Be a kid again

Colouring isn’t just for kids anymore. Studies have actually shown that “art therapy” is a lot like meditation in its ability to replace anxious thoughts with more positive ones. Print a colouring sheet and start relaxing!