Taking command of your stress levels may seem like an impossible task. But you'd be surprised that even in the middle of chaos, you can still forge a way out.

While we all would love to live our days completely stress-free, it's inevitable as we carry on with our responsibilities. We all feel a minimum level of discomfort because each of us has a role to fulfill. As pre-schoolers are responsible for doing and passing their homework on time, parents take on the task of figuring out which food can excite their kids' appetite.

Every day we're challenged to step out of our comfort zone, which helps us keep us on our toes.

Just the right amount of stress helps us stay alert and motivated to do better.

But at some point, as responsibilities start to pile up, it can also become overwhelming. Therefore, learning how to manage stress properly is essential to keep you from spinning out of control.

Sleepless nights, dull skin, and headaches may be the most obvious signs of prolonged stress. But there are also other ways that chronic stress affects your body that usually goes unnoticed.

How stress can take over your body

When you're trying to meet a deadline or settling in an unfamiliar environment, your body's instincts can kick in for you to feel that rush of adrenaline. This scenario is one way that stress hormones work for your benefit. However, when you're constantly in a state of distress, and your body keeps releasing these stress signals, it can disrupt your whole system. And as you may discover, these changes can happen without any hint of warning.

Stress hormones like cortisol are essential to many processes inside your body, including your immune defense and metabolism.

When your body pumps out these hormones in excess, it can lead to disarray, causing your immunity to decline. Because these changes happen gradually, most people only realize once it's too late and they're already experiencing the symptoms such as colds and increased sugar levels. Studies have even shown that this heightened state of stress may also affect your memory recall to falter when left unmanaged.

5 steps to control your stress levels

Although getting yourself back on track may seem like a daunting task, it's not impossible. We'll show you how to grab stress by the helm and regain some control.

1. Pinpoint the stress source

A crucial part of stress management is detecting the sources of your chronic stress. It's important to understand that sometimes tasks on their own are not the direct cause of distress. It could be that the main driver results from circumstances that make these tasks difficult to accomplish.

By taking a closer look at your habits, you may discover, for example, that it's procrastination that causes tasks to pile up on your end. Or it may be that it's been a long time since you've had some rest. Confronting stress starts with reviewing your actions and taking accountability.

2. Find new paths for success

You have to learn how to put yourself in the best place. But achieving this goal may involve specific actions from your end, which ultimately comes down to changing your perspective. For one, allow yourself to say "no" and avoid unnecessary stress. You have to learn how to reserve your energy only for people and events that warrant your time.

Another way to save yourself from additional strain is by learning the difference between reacting and responding to situations. Actively responding, rather than passively reacting, allows you to plan out your course of action instead of feeling helpless in the face of a predicament. Giving yourself time to appropriately respond ultimately propels you towards a sounder plan and direction.

3. Keep yourself moving with exercise

Sometimes the best way to get out of a mental rut is to move your body (literally). Putting your limbs to good use and getting your heart rate up make your body release feel-good hormones like endorphins to burn out stress. If you want to start your day on an upbeat note, doing a round of aerobics might just do the work. You may run into some challenges early on, especially when you're a bit rusty with physical activity. Still, you should trust that your body will soon find its groove.

4. Welcome rest as part your routine

When you've got several responsibilities to hop in and out of, you must be a master of knowing when to rest. It's more helpful to look at life as a marathon and not as a race that asks you to spear ahead nonstop. Because when you know when to slow down, you give yourself enough time to process, adapt, and face a new day with a refreshed outlook. Not to mention, sleep depravity fuels feelings of irritability and can make you think irrationally. So when you feel like you've got a big day tomorrow, rest assured that a good night's sleep is your best armor.

5. Learn how to release stress effectively

Repressing your feelings and keeping them locked in can cause major strain that may have easily been a passing nuisance if only you knew how to release them. There are countless ways for you to relieve stress at the moment. And perhaps the easiest way is to vent it out through a friend. Another effective method is keeping a journal for your thoughts to help you sort out your feelings on the matter. Breathing exercises and mindfulness practices are also highly recommended ways to manage stress. Taking deep breaths and focusing all your attention on your five senses can bring out a soothing hush to your mind and body.

Find more help with supplements

Making the best out of each day is not a solitary task. Most times, there are people by your side that help you get through the day. To arm your body with the same support system, here are some supplements you might want to consider.

The first step towards successful stress management is understanding that stress is a natural daily occurrence. And that it's up to you on how it affects your day and well-being. Although stress can be a messy affair, you can easily manage it if you've got a systematic way of handling the issue before it gets worse. Start putting our tips into practice and see how it makes a difference in your daily routine. If you're looking to onboard some extra help, try out the high-quality supplements we can offer with Neurobion and Berocca. — (MyPharma)