Body: Headaches, muscle tension or pain, chest pain, fatigue, upset stomach, sleep issues

Mood: Anxiety, restlessness, lack of motivation or focus, feeling overwhelmed, irritability, anger, sadness or depression

Behavior: Overeating, undereating, angry outbursts, drug or alcohol misuse, tobacco use, social withdrawal, exercising less often

Know your triggers: Stress and its triggers are different for everyone. Certain people, places or situations might produce high levels of stress for you. Think about what causes you stress, and brainstorm solutions. If there are friends or social situations that cause extreme stress, you may want to avoid them when you are already feeling tense or overwhelmed.

Exercise: All forms of exercise reduce stress hormones, flood the body with feel-good endorphins, improve mood, boost energy and provide a healthy distraction from your dilemmas. Plus, exercise may make you less susceptible to stress in the long run. Here are some 10 minute exercises you can try!

Manage your time well: Write down everything you need to do in a calendar or a task management app. Prioritize your list, break projects into single steps or actions and focus on one task at a time. For more tips on time management, visit this site!

Reach out: If you’re stressed out, talk to your friends and family. If you feel like you can’t handle the stress on your own, schedule an appointment with a counselor, therapist or other mental health professional.

Relax: While it’s impossible to eliminate all negative stress from your life, you can control the way you react to stress. Relaxation techniques are a huge help in calming you down, boosting mood and fighting illness. Try techniques like yoga or meditation and schedule a relaxation break every day. Click here to learn more about meditation!

Harness the power of breath: Modern research has shown that by controlling your breath you can regulate stress levels, improve mood, decrease fatigue, lower blood pressure, curve insomnia, increase your athletic performance and more! With just a few minutes of breathwork per day, you can master the same exercises used by psychotherapists, olympic athletes, yogis, sleep doctors, navy seals, neuroscientists, and breath experts! Click here to download the Breathwrk app!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped bell pepper, any color
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
• 6 6- to 7-inch whole wheat pita rounds
• 1 cup chopped avocado
• 1 cup oil-free salsa
• 2 tablespoons snipped fresh cilantro

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large saucepan, bring ¼ cup of water to a boil. Add the onion, sweet pepper, garlic, and cumin; cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes or until the onion is tender, stirring occasionally and adding additional water, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time, as needed to prevent sticking. Stir in the beans and corn. Cook for 5 minutes more or until flavors are blended and beans and corn are heated through, stirring occasionally.
3. Meanwhile, place the pita rounds on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until lightly toasted.
4. Mash the avocado. Spread pita rounds with avocado and bean mixture. Top with salsa and sprinkle with cilantro.