ABSTRACT: There seems to be a pill for everything these days, and doctors aren’t shy about prescribing them, especially for rest, relaxation and stress symptoms. But there are ways to relieve stress and reduce anxiety without popping a pill.

Stress invades our lives in unprecedented ways in today’s society, from the high-speed, instant, on-demand, demanding lifestyles many of us live. Raising kids, holding down one, sometimes two or more, jobs, managing a household, social obligations, family obligations and more, it’s a wonder we aren’t all stressed out all the time. But researchers have found that people who are less stressed have healthier, happier, longer lives than those who don’t deal well with their stress.

So if you want to live healthier, happier and potentially live longer, you must reduce stress. Let’s look at some fun and pleasurable ways to reduce stress and improve the quality of your life at the same time:

All-Natural Stress Relief: Physical Activity

1. Sex! Yes, who knew sex was good for you? Well, actually, Women’s Health Magazine says there are some very beneficial side effects of having sex, including stress reduction. Sex can improve headaches, backaches, hot flashes, menstrual cramps and so much more, and it also increases endorphin levels that help manage pain.

2. If you don’t have a safe partner and reliable method of birth control, sex might cause more anxiety than it helps prevent. That’s where something almost as good as sex but safer comes in: snuggling and cuddling. Making out, kissing, touching, snuggling, cuddling with someone you care about can help substantially reduce stress levels and is fun too.

3. Exercise, especially aerobic exercise, can help reduce stress. Jogging, running, treadmills, elliptical, swimming laps, riding a bike, going to the gym, all these things can help reduce stress. An additional side effect of exercise for stress reduction is that you might lose weight and gain lean muscle mass, both of which put less physical stress on your body, which lets you handle mental and emotional stress better.

All-Natural Stress Relief: Relaxation and Rest

4. Sleep is so crucial to living a vital life. Ensuring you get enough sleep but not too much can be a tricky balancing act. Most adults need about six to nine hours of sleep per day, preferably in one stretch and while it’s dark. Getting enough quality sleep will help reduce stress levels. After all, think about how cranky you or loved ones or coworkers can get when they don’t get enough sleep!

5. Meditation is an excellent way to have guided, focused relaxation to bring about stress reduction. Meditation can be something as simple as sitting still for several minutes and focusing on your breathing while clearing your mind or as complex as guided meditation with music and chanting. Really up to you and what makes you feel better.

6. Sauna, whirlpool, hot tub, etc., can all help you relax, loosen muscles, clear the mind, and they might also help eliminate toxins through the heat or the vibration of the water. The more relaxed and toxin-free you are, the better you are able to handle stress when confronted with it.

7. Reading helps relax your body while keeping your mind active. You can sit, relax in a chair or on the bed, curl up with a good book, and let the story transport you away from your worries and cares for the day. Cozy mysteries, happily-ever-after stories, and others that don’t keep you literally on the edge of your seat are the best for stress relieving through reading.

Stress Reduction through Psychology

8. The other day, I repeated to someone what my father used to say: When you whack your thumb with a hammer, saying, “Gosh, golly, gee whiz, that hurt!” just doesn’t cut it. Sometimes, letting loose with a barrage of curse words just makes you feel better. Seriously, screaming obscenities can actually reduce your stress levels. Try it some time! Just be sure you aren’t in the middle of a class or meeting at work when you do it. That might bring about a different type of stress.

9. Laughter is, as they have long said, the best medicine, and that is the case with stress relief too. Laughing regularly has been shown in research studies to do everything from helping hospital patients heal faster, utilizing medication better, decreasing depression and helping to manage stress. Find things you love to do, and do them, and throw a few jokes and laughter in along the way. Go see a funny movie, read a funny book, or hang out with funny friends to reduce your stress levels naturally and have fun at the same time.

10. Of course, the last tip for reducing stress is one that sounds so simple: reduce stress. I know, you’re reading an article about how to reduce stress, and now you’re being told to just do it. There’s a point here though: stress creates stress. When you start reducing your stress levels, you’re less likely to create stressful events in your life. If your job is a source of stress, consider changing jobs. If your boyfriend or girlfriend is stressful to you, maybe it’s best to reconsider the relationship.

More Fun Equals Less Stress

Whatever you’re doing in your life, you choose how much stress you receive and how much you can handle. These tips can help you reduce some of the ordinary stress we all have day to day. Each person is different and stress handling varies, not just from person to person, but even with the same person on different days. Mostly, if you want to reduce stress, you should replace as many stressful situations in your life with fun situations as possible. You can’t avoid stress completely, but you can enjoy yourself most of the time, and then the stressful situations are simply less stressful.

Sources:

Women’s Health, retrieved 4/27/2012, from: http://www.womenshealthmag.com/sex-and-relationships/benefits-of-sex-0