When your stress levels are high, it can be hard to stay calm and collected. But with these helpful tips, you’ll find that it’s much easier to handle stressful situations in a calm way instead of getting riled up or stressed out by them. Let’s take a look at these six easy tips to keep your stress levels low and help you remain calm.

1) Take 3 deep breaths

Deep breathing calms your body and mind. It’s been found to reduce levels of cortisol (known as the stress hormone) in our bodies—and that’s precisely what you need when stressed. Plus, breathing deeply releases oxygen and nutrients into your bloodstream, keeping you energized and positive all day long. If you can manage three deep breaths every time you feel tense up, you’ll find that your mood improves dramatically over time.

2) Meditate

Meditation is one of those little things that can make a huge difference in your life. In fact, research shows that meditation helps ease stress and anxiety, which lowers cortisol levels. To reduce stress and de-stress whenever you need it most, meditate for 10 minutes each day. Or even better—meditate for a few minutes every day!

3) Have a cup of tea

Tea is a great way to help lower your cortisol levels. Green tea in particular has been shown to be a natural stress reliever. Make sure you’re not adding sugar or honey—these are high in sugar and will keep your blood sugar levels elevated, which also increases cortisol. Instead, add a little lemon juice for flavour and some aromatherapy oils for calming effects. Additionally, drink plenty of water throughout the day.

4) Acknowledge the feeling (but don’t focus on it)

A common response when we’re stressed is to try and ignore it. Don’t feel it, don’t let yourself get emotional—just do your work, we tell ourselves. Unfortunately, ignoring emotions only makes them more difficult to handle later on down the road. Acknowledging stress and learning how you react when you experience it can help you figure out how to respond next time.

5) Write down your thoughts

In a stressful situation, it’s easy to become distracted and react without thinking. It’s important to have a pen and paper nearby when you feel yourself getting upset so that you can jot down your thoughts before they become overwhelming. Looking back on these will often make it easier for you to stay focused on an issue at hand instead of reacting emotionally. For example, if something upsets you during your commute home, take out your notebook and write down what happened in detail.

6) Let go of what you can’t control

Things will always go wrong no matter how much you plan. A key part of staying calm is making sure you’re not wasting your energy by obsessing over things you can’t control. Not only does it feel draining, but it prevents you from acting effectively on those things that are within your power—which, in turn, drains your stress levels even more. The solution: Stop sweating what you can’t change and focus on what makes a difference for you.