21 Incredibly Easy Ways to Relieve Stress & Boost Your Happiness

Stress is a normal part of life, but it can feel like there’s never enough time to relax. If you want to relieve your stress and stay healthy, there are many things you can do. In this blog post, we will talk about 21 ways that should help you manage the physical and mental effects of stress in your everyday life!

Take a break from your work and go for a walk.

In addition to giving your brain a refreshing break, physical activity like walking can also help you feel better physically.

If you walk and exercise regularly, you’ll get all the physiological benefits without having to think about what exercises you should do or how hard it is.

Plus, when we walk outside in nice weather, there are so many distractions around us that our body naturally relaxes more because it doesn’t have enough energy left over for tensing up.

If this sounds like something you need right now, try going on an indoor walk at work with a co-worker who needs some distraction too. This will allow both of you to focus back on work after your break but still give each other time away from screens and printed materials.

Drink tea or coconut water

It’s very well known that tea can be good for you when consumed in moderation, but it can also help to decrease stress hormones.

Rather than drinking alcohol, drinking tea not only soothes the soul, but it also lowers stress levels.

Drinking a warm cup of tea is often an excellent way to relax and unwind after a long day at work and offers complementary and integrative health. Tea contains caffeine which can help you stay more alert when tired, as well as many other properties that are beneficial for your body such as antioxidants in green tea. These components have been shown contribute positively towards reducing cortisol levels.

But if tea doesn’t sound appealing to you right now, fear not because there’s plenty of other beverages that would work just as well.

Coconut water is pretty great for people suffering from stress and also contributes to a healthy diet. This natural beverage contains GABA, a neurotransmitter that helps reduce anxiety and panic attacks in the body by relaxing it.

Listen to music that makes you happy

Listening to soothing music that makes you happy is a great way to combat stress when it builds up.

It can be as simple as turning on your favorite playlist and dancing around the house or singing along in your car, but there are plenty of studies out there about how beneficial music therapy actually is.

Another option for those who need more than just listening is playing an instrument–something that’s been shown to improve cognitive abilities too.

No matter what type of music you enjoy, find the genre that makes your mood lighten up and listen every now and then. It’ll give you a lot more energy than being in your head all day, so it’s worth a try!

Watch an inspirational movie or show on Netflix 

No matter what type of TV show or movie you enjoy, it can be a great way to take some time for yourself and get away from the stress.

But that’s not all–different genres have been shown to affect your mood in different ways. If you’re feeling down because life has thrown everything at you lately, then watching something light-hearted with comedy might do more good than anything else.

If on the other hand you need an emotional release after a long day where nothing seems like its going right, then try looking up dramas out there too.

They may seem heavy but they always end up making things better by teaching us how to overcome obstacles together as humans. And if this doesn’t sound appealing either, don’t worry because there’s plenty of other genres out there that work too.

When we are in a very good mood, our body releases endorphins which help us feel energized and happy. So don’t be afraid to indulge every now and then–especially if it makes you smile.

Relieve stress by calling someone who cares about you

The quickest way to relieve stress is talking about it! So, if you have somebody who cares for and listens to you, do yourself a favor by calling them up and catching up.

They don’t need to know what’s going on in your life right now or why you’re feeling this way–sometimes talking with the person about the topic that stresses you will also help put things back into perspective.

This can be especially helpful because when we talk about our problems out loud they seem less overwhelming than before and help us cope with managing stress.

Plus there are studies that show how much better people feel after having spoken with someone so take advantage of this option every once in awhile too!

Write down all the things that are bothering you so they don’t pile up in your head

It may seem like a lot, but it’s best to think about what’s been going on in your life for the past two weeks or so and write them down.

It can be as simple as five things that are stressing you out right now and why they’re bothering you (doesn’t have to be more than this).

Take some time after writing these down to come up with solutions too–so if one of those was an argument with somebody else, then try coming up with ways that would make both people happy again!

No matter what is concerning us at any given moment, our brains need closure in order for stress reduction to take place and for us to feel better.

This will also help us take care of ourselves better because it’s not just about what we’re feeling right now, but how things are going to look in the future too.

Find a hobby you enjoy and make time for it

It may not sound like much, but for a lot of people it’s easy to find themselves stuck at home all day.

But this doesn’t have to be the case! Whether you’re someone who loves cooking or drawing on their free time–finding something that makes us happy every now and then can really help with stress relief (and make our days more meaningful).

And don’t let your friend discourage you from trying anything new either because its always worth giving things a chance once in awhile. The whole point is taking some time out of life just for yourself so go ahead and give different hobbies a try.

Take up yoga or some other form of exercise

Don’t underestimate the power of exercise and it’s ability to relieve stress. The stress relief is only one of many benefits that come with it–and if you’re not someone who likes to work out, then yoga might be better for you.

It’s been shown in studies to help people feel more grounded and less like they are stuck on a hamster wheel since its one way we can find balance in life again.

And unlike other forms of exercises where our thoughts may wander off during them (running, weightlifting), this form forces us to focus on what’s happening here and now which will also give an endorphin boost.

Try meditation for stress relief and mental health

It sounds so simple, but meditation is one of the best relaxation techniques and has a lot of benefits for stress reduction. Not only does it help in relieving stress by lowering cortisol levels but it also helps to release endorphins, dopamine, and seratonin.

Plus the research that’s been done on this shows how we get to learn to focus our thoughts better as well–which is something most people struggle with throughout their day.

And no matter what type of person you are (whether you need some time alone during your morning commute), there are plenty of ways to do this every day whether its taking five minutes before bed or waiting until lunch break at work where nobody will notice.

Spend time with friends 

Our social networks are what keep us grounded and help us feel less isolated in our day-to-day lives–and there’s nothing wrong with this. People can be really good at helping each other out without even knowing it because they know how to relate to the person.

So even if you’re not feeling stressed, talking about life in general and positive things going on in your day, it may make a huge difference for you!

Watch funny videos online to help break the tension

Ever felt like you just need a good laugh? Watching a funny video might be the best stress relief possible–and there’s no reason not to take advantage of it! Whether its something on YouTube or an episode of your favorite sitcom, everyone could use some cheering up every now and again.

Sometimes we all need a break from our problems in order to see that everything will work out eventually. That feeling is important for us too because otherwise when things are really bad, it can seem like nobody cares which makes us feel even more isolated than before (which feeds right back into those cortisol levels).

Start a journal where you write down your thoughts every day

Just giving yourself the time and space to write down how you feel can be therapeutic–and if nothing else, it gives us an outlet where we can talk about things without having people judge us. Journaling instead of documenting things on your phone also ensures that your personal data never gets taken away from you.

There are a lot of other benefits too:

The act of writing helps clear our minds so are able to focus on what needs doing in order accomplish goals which brings joy again- something many people find themselves lacking these days. Plus by working through problems while writing them out, we’re also less stressed overall since in hindsight we’re able to put things in perspective.

There’s a lot of research out there that shows journaling to be beneficial for our mental and physical health–the consistent act of journaling helps improve our time management skills and it can even help us fall asleep better!

Create a list of all the things that you are grateful for

It’s easy to get caught up in our problems and forget that things could be worse- which is why gratitude lists are one of the best relaxation techniques.

We might not feel this way at the moment, but it can have a huge effect on how we start feeling about everything else because of all the good stuff going for us too–and this will make you happier overall!

Plus there are other benefits like:

A sense of accomplishment after finishing what’s been put down (especially if its something big).

It changes what our needs are since some people find themselves wanting different things than they did before.

So keep an eye out into your day-to-day life and see if anything pops up that you’re grateful for and be sure to be conscious of all the incredible blessings you have.

Reduce blood pressure by spending time with pets who love us unconditionally

Ever feel like nobody loves you? Well, luckily we can always count on our pet to give us the affection we need for stress management!

There are lots of benefits too: one is mental health-related because a lot of people find their anxiety levels go down after spending some good quality time with an animal (which makes sense since they don’t judge or care about your problems).

Another benefit is that dogs in particular have been shown to help lower blood pressure which means less stress for them–and there’s also evidence suggesting animals reduce feelings of loneliness as well so this might just be the best solution to stress ever!

Get outside in nature as often as possible – breathe deeply, be present, and feel the sun on your skin 

The benefits of being outside in nature are huge–and it’s something we should all be doing more!

There is a lot of research out there showing that people who spend time outdoors feel happier and less stressed.

Plus there are other benefits: we can get a break from our busy schedules and escape from the stress for just a few minutes which means less anxiety overall.

Breathing in fresh air has been shown to reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety too- so this is a great way to reduce stress.

Read a book

Read any book that has a happy ending to help release the stress and anger you may be feeling–and it will make you feel better overall (even if its fiction).

There’s also other benefits: one is that reading books can improve your concentration skills which means less daydreaming while at work.

Books are also really good for our mental health because they help us escape from whatever is going on and focus on something new for a while–which can be helpful when we’re feeling down.

This means lower levels of anxiety, depression, stress or any other mental health issue that might have been plaguing you!

It’s also an opportunity to learn more about things outside your field which can open up new doors in life.

Start volunteering

You know what’s better than spending time with other people? Spending time helping them.

There are so many benefits from volunteering. One is that it can make you feel a lot happier and less stressed at the same time.

Another benefit is that volunteering has been shown to help mental health by strengthening your social network which means if things start going south, you’ll have more support in place for when we need it most.

Volunteering also provides us with an opportunity for personal growth because were always learning so many new skills while doing something good like being helpful or teaching others about whats going on in the world.

Do a random act of kindness every now and then

One of the best ways to manage stress is by doing something nice for others.

This might be a little difficult if you’re feeling really down but it’s also one of the most effective and beneficial things we can do when were feeling stressed out because it reminds us that there are good people in this world who deserve kindness too–and they could use some support.

There are plenty of benefits from random acts of kindness like: reducing your own feelings about depression, anxiety or anger while at the same time increasing your happiness levels.

Plus, its a great way to feel accomplished since you did something selfless and good for someone else.

Get a massage

Massages are one of the best ways to relieve stress because they work to release muscle tension–and it’s something that can be done on a regular basis. Massages can target a specific muscle group that may be causing you stress. By loosening up the muscle group, you’re mood may improve immediately.

Plus, there are other benefits: one is that progressive muscle relaxation from massages has been shown to reduce chronic pain which means less stress hormones will be released since you’re not worrying about how much your hurting or what might happen if this continues going untreated.

Another benefit of having progressive muscle relaxation from massages is that they make us more present-minded and focused because we’re taking time out for ourselves while also focusing on feeling good. Massage therapists often incorporate breathing techniques into their sessions too so its like doing two things at once.

Do something that scares you but you’ve always wanted to try

It might be tempting to do something that makes you feel more comfortable but this is the opposite of what we need when were feeling stressed.

We should try doing things that scare us because they can help increase our confidence, self-esteem and make us feel better about ourselves in general–which will mean more stress relief overall.

The sense of accomplishment from doing something that made us feel a little nervous and pushing through is really rewarding which will help make you feel better about yourself in the long-run.

Deep breathing

Deep breathing can have a profound effect on your body and stress relief. It lowers heart rates, blood pressure and stress hormones in the brain.

Deep breaths are just what you need when feeling overwhelmed or stressed. Deep breathing is an incredibly easy way to calm down and oftentimes a few deep breaths can help you feel better immediately. When you breathe deeply, it sends a message from your brain that tells the rest of your body to relax – and in turn it will decrease in blood pressure!

Alternative breathing techniques like belly breathing also helps you to improve your mood and handle stress because it re-oxygenates the body and helps get more air into your lungs.