It goes without saying that starting and growing a business is a stressful task. In each stage of the game you will face new challenges. You do not want to burn bridges by saying or doing something that you regret when you feel frustrated, or worse, wear yourself out completely.

So, what steps can you follow to remain calm? Keep reading to get 18 tips to calm down when you're stressed.

1. Breathe deeply

All you need are a few simple steps. The Harvard Medical School recommends choosing a place where you feel relaxed and that you can clear your mind. "Try a deep breath: breathe slowly through the nose, allowing the chest and lower abdomen to rise as you fill the lungs. Let your abdomen expand completely. Now exhale slowly through your mouth (or your nose, if that seems more natural to you). "

2. Laugh

According to the Mayo Clinic, laughing and finding humor in things is so beneficial that it can alleviate physical pain, strengthen your immune system, help you make connections with other people and deal with anxiety and depression.

3. Receive a massage

A 2005 study from the University of Miami pointed out that the levels of cortisol (the chemical that the body produces when you are in a stressful or frightening situation) decrease after massage therapy.

4. Do a mental scan of your body

Andy Puddicombe, co-founder of the Headspace meditation application, told Entrepreneur that if you are stressed you should close your eyes and for 30 seconds perform a mental scan of your body, from the top of the head to the feet. "By changing the focus to your physical senses, you leave your thinking mind, which immediately has a calming effect," he said.

5. Show gratitude

Consider keeping a gratitude journal so you can have something specific to refer to when the anxiety starts to get depressed. A study from the University of California at San Diego found that people who were grateful had healthier hearts. "They showed better well-being, less depressed mood, less fatigue and slept better," study author Paul J. Mills told Today. "When I'm more grateful, I feel more connected to myself and my environment, which is the opposite of what stress does."

6. Sing

Try it, even if you are not a singing bird, the benefits will surprise you. A study conducted in Japan in 2014 on the health of older people found that after a group of old people sang, their stress levels decreased and their moods improved, even if they were not singing fans.

. The nose knows

Some odors are commonly used to combat stress. In particular, lavender, lemon and jasmine are known to help relieve anxiety and tension. Lavender oil is sometimes used to treat headaches.

8. Count to 10

The American Anxiety and Depression Association recommends slowly counting to 10 or 20 to focus the mind on something other than what stresses you.

9. Rest a little

If you feel stressed during the day, consider taking a nap or going home a little earlier to go to bed at an earlier hour. According to the American Psychological Association, "when we do not get enough sleep or well, our bodies do not get all the benefits of sleep, such as muscle repair and memory consolidation." Sleep is so crucial that even its affects memory, judgment and the mood ".

10. Drink water

The Anxiety and Depression Association of America states that coffee and alcohol can dehydrate you and make you feel irritable, shaky or stressed, which can even trigger panic attacks. Instead, use H2O to stay hydrated.

11. Warm up your hands

During truly distressing situations, blood flow is directed to the larger muscles of the body, leaving the extremities cold. But when the blood returns to your hands and feet it is a sign that the danger, perceived or not, has passed. "Even the mere visualization of warm hands may be enough to help quell the fight or flight reaction," Marsha Lucas told her.

12. Chewing gum

A study from Australia found that chewing gum is associated with lower anxiety and stress, higher levels of alertness and better focus.

13. Give or receive a hug

A 2015 study from Carnegie Mellon University found that hugs actually make people less susceptible to colds and generally reduce feelings of anxiety.

14. Eat something with antioxidants

According to the Harvard Medical School, foods high in antioxidants, such as beans, apples, plums, berries, nuts, broccoli and artichokes, can help relieve feelings of stress and anxiety.

15. Talk

The American Psychological Association advises that one of the key ways you can calm yourself down if you are stressed is to talk about it. "When you share your concerns or feelings with another person, you relieve stress, but it is important that the person you are speaking with is someone you trust and feel that you can understand and validate yourself."

16. Exercise

The Mayo Clinic notes that exercise helps the production of endorphins, which can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, as well as improve sleep.

17. Turn off your phone

Larry Rosen, a professor of psychology at California State University, wrote in the Harvard Business Review about a study he conducted on sleep and anxiety. "Students who were more anxious to be separated from their phones used their devices more during a normal day and woke up to check their messages more often at night," he said. "The last two results (more daily smartphone use and more nightly awakenings) led directly to sleep problems."

18. Take a hot bath

This technique not only helps humans to calm down, but also benefits our primate companions a lot. A recent study of Japanese macaques (those monkeys with gray hair and red faces that live in snowy climates and who are often photographed enjoying the hot springs), discovered that these baths are not just for heating. They also reduce the creation of a stress hormone in monkeys.