One great stress reliever is a massage. If you have a partner or close friend, see if they're interested in trading massages. If not, pay to have one done professionally. Having the tension worked out of your muscles can have a profound effect on your state of mind and relieve a lot of stress.

Let your friends and family members know that your stress has nothing to do with them. Many times, spouses and especially children, feel as though you think they have done something wrong. Do your best not to treat your family and friends badly because of your stress.

Next time you are feeling stressed, do something that makes you smile. Just the act of smiling has been scientifically shown to reduce stress levels. The nerves you use when smiling trigger the center in your brain that controls emotions. This essentially begin relaxing you immediately. So next time you feel stressed, step back and grin!

In order to keep your stress level under control, you might want to consider taking up hiking. This is important because nature can be extremely relaxing in itself. This is also important because you are getting exercise at the same time - taking out two birds with one stone!

Make sure that if you are staring at a computer at work for the majority of the day, to get up and stretch your body. Stretching is really important, as remaining stagnant for the greater part of the day can increase stress levels. Move around and chat with co-workers to improve how you feel.

Stress is given the nickname of the silent killer. This is because many people do not even realize that it is something dangerous and so they take no actions to try and reduce it. The truth is that stress release cortisol, a chemical which accelerates your heart rate eventually leading to heart problems.

You should avoid thinking about your stress as such. If you envision yourself being hungry, you can convince your body that you are famished, this same theory holds out for being stressed. Just thinking of the word may even result in you feeling it more, so instead of falling into this trap, try and come up with an alternate word for what you are experiencing!

Sometimes, you will get stressed out if you do not have anything to look forward to in the future. If you are dating someone, plan a vacation a couple of months in advance. This will give you something in the future to get excited about every time you feel down.

When it comes to dealing with stress consider meditation. This can be a great way to not only relax your body but also clear your mind of everything that might be causing you stress. Consider buying audio tapes or books to assist you with different ways of meditation.

If you search out the root of the stress causing problems in your life, you will be able to get rid of them and feel much better. For example, if one of your friends is always finding ways to get you stressed out, try to be less active in that friendship. Eliminating as many sources of stress as possible can dramatically improve both your attitude and your health.

If you are really close with a friend, tell them about your problems with stress. It is vital to express the feelings that you have to someone, so that you do not feel alone when going through hard times. Explain what is bothering you and ask their advice on how to ease some of your stress.

To reduce stress, one of the things that you can do is plan a hiking trip with your friends. This will be great for your body and give you the emotional reprieve that you need. Also, you will be out in the natural wilderness, which will provide very comforting scenery.

One way that you can attempt to manage your stress is to make a list of everything in your life that causes you anxiety or stress. This is important because after making this list, you will be able to tackle each item one by one and work to completely eliminate all the stress in your life.

Sometimes, with a hectic work schedule, it is important to take a 20 minute nap here and there to recharge your internal batteries. This will make you feel great when you wake up and will eliminate the haggard feeling that you carry around. Find time to take short rest breaks to limit tension.

As was discussed in the beginning and throughout this article, stress can have a negative effect on your mental and physical health. Hopefully, this advice given can not only help you identify what's causing you stress, but can also help you sort it out and live a more happy and healthy life!

A great way to help you fight stress is to substitute walking for driving whenever you can. Everyone knows that driving can be a highly stressful activity. You can bypass all of that by simply walking to where you need listen to Koshi chimes go instead. You'll feel much better and your stress will go down.

Breathing works wonders for alleviating stress. Take a deep breath, this helps to oxygenate your blood and can help you to relax instantly. If you breath shallow, it causes your heart to beat faster and your muscles start to get tense. Instead, breathe deeply, inhale through your nose, hold a few seconds and then exhale through your nose.