The end of the school year is an insane time for everyone. Stress levels are high. Nights are long. Work keeps piling up. It can be easy to forget to take care of yourself. As a Professional Stressed-Out Person myself, I can attest to that. But here are four easy steps to take to care for your body and mind. Feel free to carry these habits over into the summer and the rest of your life as well. It can only help.

1. Nix the soda.

This includes energy drinks and sugary coffee shop drinks. No Unicorn frap here. These drinks are proven to only make you crash that much quicker after the initial boost of energy, and are full of bad fats and sugars your body doesn't need. Plus, soda makes you more dehydrated. Sip on an ice cold glass of water instead. If you must drink something with flavor, try an herbal tea. The calming effects will be sure to help you stress less.

2. Get better sleep.

I'm not going to try to tell you to get more sleep, because we all know the odds of that happening are slim (although it's always a good idea). But make sure that the sleep you do get is good sleep. That means turn off your computer, put your phone on do-not-disturb, and sleep in a clean bed in clean clothes. You may only get 4 or 5 hours of sleep, but at least it will be better than constantly being interrupted by buzzing phones and other distractions.

3. Find your person.

When life gets tough, you always need at least one person to talk things through with. I'm lucky enough to have three people I go to: my mom, sister and boyfriend get to hear my rants about why I'm stressed almost every day. Just sitting down and talking things out can help tremendously with your mental health. If you're not comfortable talking to a friend or family member, but believe you need to talk to someone, find a school counselor. Their job is to hear you out and provide you with ways to help if things just seem to become too much.

4. Breathe.

I'm definitely guilty of this. I'll be working hard, banging out an essay or sifting through tons of data from a research project, when I realize that something feels off. It's my breath. A lot of us are prone to shallow breathing when we're distracted or stressed out. Sometimes I'll even hold my breath. It's important to be in tune with your body and your breathing. If you start to feel overwhelmed, check your breath. Chances are you're not breathing deeply enough. Take a few minutes to slow your breathing down to eight to ten cycles per minute without breathing from your upper chest area. Aim to breathe slowly and smoothly. Slow, rhythmic breathing will help regulate the flow of oxygen and CO2, slow the heart rate - easing anxiety - and ensure your circulation is carrying the optimum amount of nutrients around the body.

Stress gets us all. But changing a few small habits can make a world of difference. Focusing on just a few small changes will have lasting impacts way past your final exams.