With gas prices rising and warm weather off too far in the future, life can seem bleak.

We asked psychiatrist Dr. Jennifer Boisture how to deal with stress and she gave us her top three suggestions.

• Exercise Data and literature support that cardiovascular exercise combats the body’s response to stress. Exercise increases serotonin, known as the happy hormone, and helps the body relax. Plus, the physical changes to your body are undoubtedly a mood-booster.
• Deep Breathing Exercises “In stressful situations we tend to breath with our shoulders. Abdominal breathing helps to calm you down,” Boisture said. Place your hand on your belly button and watch your hand move in and out with your belly to assure you are breathing correctly
• Talk to Someone about your stressful situation. Whether it’s a friend, relative, or a therapist, seeking support helps us escape.

Deep breathing gives the mind time to think, Boisture said. We start assuming the absolute worst scenario in a stressful situation, if we stop for a moment, we give ourselves time to think more reasonably and help our bodies more easily cope with a stressful situation.