Most people know what it feels like to experience stress. It can feel like a tight knot in your chest, a constant buzzing in your mind, or a weight pressing down on your shoulders. Stress can make your heart race, your muscles tense, and your thoughts spiral, leaving you feeling overwhelmed and on edge.

It’s never fun, and it can actually reap physical consequences. Letting this feeling go unchecked for too long can leave lasting effects on your body and mind. Not only will your mental health suffer, but you could also experience sleep trouble, gut problems, and cardiovascular issues.

So, what can you do to prevent these issues? Controlling your stress levels will require some adjustments to your lifestyle. However, once you get the hang of it, you’ll notice a difference in your mental and physical health. Keep reading for suggestions on how to accomplish this and start the journey to a less stressed life.

1. Invest in a Hobby

Having hobbies and interests can help lower your stress. Boredom leads to a wandering mind, allowing you to dwell on unpleasant thoughts. Additionally, without hobbies, you might be left with a feeling of unfulfillment in your life. Having something fun to do on your own in your free time can help keep you distracted and feeling fulfilled.

Whether it’s a familiar old favorite or trying something new, maintaining a hobby is worth the time. You can also be productive with these special interests. For example, if you like to crochet, you can make your own clothes, housewares, and decor. This is also a great way to make gifts in a pinch!

Since partaking in an activity during your free time busies your mind, you’ll be participating in a healthy coping method. This can actually help you better process your emotions or learn how to tune out overwhelming negative thoughts.

2. Improve Your Sleep Quality

It’s a well-known fact that missing out on sleep can leave you feeling grouchy and disoriented. However, routinely getting a lack of good sleep can build up over time and lead to worsened stress. Your body, as well as your mind, needs sufficient rest to function well — and this means hitting the REM cycle. This is the deepest level of sleep when your brain can truly ‘recharge.’

Getting a good night’s rest is important enough that it should be a priority in your life. You might have to make some lifestyle changes, like going to bed earlier than normal to ensure you get eight hours. Although, this might be difficult if you struggle to get restful sleep. Sitting awake at night isn’t any fun.

If you have trouble falling asleep on your own, consider taking a supplement to improve your sleep quality. Taking deep sleep gummiesfor example, can give your body that extra oomph it needs to enhance your nightly rest. You should wake up feeling more revitalized than before, and a good start to the day can already reduce stress.

3. Get Moving

Now that you’re rested and up and at ’em, it’s time to treat your body to some stress relief. If you’ve seen Legally blonde, then you’ll know exercise gives you endorphins, and endorphins make you happy. It’s true that your body will reward you for staying active, even if you’re not a gym rat. Finding some form of exercise that you can enjoy can definitely lead to lowered stress levels,

Exercising regularly doesn’t have to involve going to the gym or lifting huge weights. Even a simple 15-minute walk a few days a week can be beneficial. Getting your body moving and blood pumping can help your mind relax. Just make sure you stretch first and get yourself warmed up!

4. Boost Your Diet

Turns out, you really are what you eat. A diet lacking in certain nutrients can actually heightened stressworsening your symptoms. Additionally, frequently eating heavily processed, unhealthy foods can have the same effect. Balancing out your diet and getting more vitamins and minerals could help you.

Evaluate your meal choices in a normal week — are you eating lots of fast food? How much protein are you getting? Do you regularly skip meals? All of these elements can add up to a poor diet, but they’re typically easy to fix. No crazy fad diet is necessary when you make sure your meals are nutritionally balanced. The simple rules to follow in eating more healthily are to not skip meals, get plenty of protein, and eat a variety of fresh foods.

5. Try Meditation

You’ve probably heard that meditation can be very good for your mental health. You might get the image of sitting cross-legged and chanting “ohm,” but that’s not what all meditation looks like. Meditation is simply focusing your thoughts on a particular topic or feeling and letting yourself process it peacefully. You could try practicing mindfulness, breathing exercises, and even journaling. The main takeaway is slowing down.

Take some time out of your day to have a quiet, meditative moment. You can practice mindfulness by examining how you feel and letting yourself process those emotions. Or, you could focus on your feelings by writing down what you feel and experience in a journal. These are both very productive ways to better understand your mind and accept your emotions, which can reduce stress.

Be Kind to Yourself

Remember that nobody’s journey to a happier, healthier life looks the same. There will be highs and lows, as well as some bumps on the road — and that’s perfectly normal. Give yourself some grace as you work toward a less stressed life, and you’ll start to feel the positive impact.