1. Go for a walk

Virtually any form of exercise can act as a stress reliever, but activities such as walking or jogging that involve repetitive movements of large muscle groups can be particularly stress relieving since they offer many of the same benefits as meditation.  The benefits are strongest when you exercise regularly. People who exercise regularly are less likely to experience anxiety than those who don’t exercise.

There are a few reasons behind this.

• Regular exercise lowers the level of stress hormones. It also helps release endorphins, which are chemicals that improve your mood and act as natural painkillers.

• Exercise can also improve your sleep quality, which can be negatively affected by stress and anxiety.

• Regular exercise improves feelings of confidence and mood, which in turn promotes mental wellbeing.

Try to find an exercise routine or activity you enjoy, such as walking, dancing, rock climbing or yoga to relieve stress, worry, and anxiety.

2. Consider supplements 

Several herbal and natural supplements help manage and relieve stress and anxiety. Here is a brief overview of some of the most common ones:

• Lemon balm: Lemon balm is a member of the mint family that has been studied for its anti-anxiety effects. Research shows that taking a single dose of lemon balm increases calmness and alertness.  Other studies show that adding lemon balm to a food or drink reduces anxiety and improves memory.

• Omega-3 fatty acids: One study showed that medical students who received omega-3 supplements experienced a 20% reduction in anxiety symptoms.   In another study, researchers found that people who took high doses of omega-3s (up to 2,000 mg a day) seemed to have the most reduction in anxiety symptoms. 

• Ashwagandha: Studies show that Ashwagandha, a medicinal herb, seems effective at lowering symptoms of stress and anxiety.  Ashwagandha  helps to lower levels of cortisol, a stress hormone in the body.  

• Valerian: In studies, Valerian root demonstrated antioxidant, neruoprotective, antispasmodic, anxioytic (anxiety reducing), anticancer, and antidepressant effects. It is also popularly used as a sleep aid due to its tranquilizing effect.

• Kava kava: Kava kava is an herbal remedy used to relieve stress and anxiety and boost sleep. Studies show that this plant extract has a calming, euphoric effect.

• Vitamin B: Many studies show that B-complex supplements have been shown to be beneficial in alleviating symptoms of anxiety.  Vitamin B1 is important for balancing blood sugar levels, which are a significant factor in anxiety levels. Vitamin B3 has been shown to help with anxiety at a dosage of 1,000-3,000mg per day.  Vitamin B5 supports the adrenal glands, which reduces stress and anxiety levels. Vitamin B6 together with magnesium can balance out anxiety that occurs in conjunction with PMS.  Vitamin B9 (also known as folate or folic acid) and vitamin B12 are important in balancing out depressive moods.  Although individual B vitamin components offer positive effects, it is a good idea to include a B-complex since they work together synergistically.

Some supplements can interact with medications or have side effects, so you may want to consult with a doctor if you have a medical condition.

3. Connect with nature

Spending time outside in nature is good for the body and the mind.  It helps relieve feelings of worry, anxiety and stress.  Natural beauty distracts us from problems and just helps us feel good.  Studies show that being in nature, or even viewing scenes of nature, reduces anger, fear, and stress and increases pleasant feelings. Exposure to nature not only makes you feel better emotionally, it contributes to your physical wellbeing, reducing blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension, and the production of stress hormones.

4. Journaling

One way to handle stress is to write things down.  Many studies have shown that journaling is a valuable tool to improve mental health.  There are many approaches to journaling that can help with anxiety:

• Taking out the trash:  If you’re struggling with negative or overwhelming thoughts, one technique to help relieve the tension and stress is to write all the negative thoughts down on paper.  Keep writing until you can’t think of anything else to write.  Then tear up the paper and throw it away or burn it.  This symbolically helps your mind understand that these thoughts are garbage.  Then write new positive thoughts to replace the negative ones.  Keep and re-read those positive thoughts often.

• Gratitude journal:  Gratitude may help relieve stress and anxiety by focusing your thoughts on what’s positive in your life.

• Success journal: Writing down successes and focusing on positive thoughts have been shown to reduce worry and stress.

• Write a letter you won’t send: When you’re feeling anxious about an interaction or a personal relationship, you might have a lot of dialog building up in your head. And while a real conversation might be necessary, writing a letter to someone that you won’t send will help to expel some of the extra energy that’s overwhelming you. Write an honest and brutal letter, holding nothing back. Write as many letters as you need to before you feel some relief — just don’t send them.

5. Listen to soothing music

The soothing power of music is well-established. It affects our emotions and can be an extremely effective stress management tool.

Soothing music can slow the pulse and heart rate, lower blood pressure and decrease the levels of stress hormones, and distract us from our worries.  Research shows that listening to music can help a person with clinical depression or bipolar disorder get through their worst, lowest moods.

When people are feeling stressed and overwhelmed, there is a tendency to avoid actively listening to music. Perhaps because it feels like a waste of time when there’s so much to do and to worry about.  But adding music to our day is a small effort that can produce great rewards since our productivity actually increases when stress is reduced.

To incorporate music into a busy life, try playing CDs in the car, or listen while doing other necessary tasks like bathing or getting ready for the day.  Take portable music with you when walking the dog, or listen to music instead of watching TV to wind down before bed.

6. Laughter

When looking for an excellent distraction, laughter really is the best medicine.  Laughter stops distressing emotions.  It helps you shift perspective, allowing you to see situations in a more realistic, less threatening light.

Laughter makes you feel good.  It triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals.  And the good feeling that you get when you laugh remains with you even after the laughter subsides. Humor helps you keep a positive, optimistic outlook through difficult situations, disappointments, and loss.  It adds joy and zest to life, eases anxiety and tension, relieves stress, improves mood, and strengthens resilience.

So what makes you laugh?  A good joke?  Funny cat videos?  Make a list of things that make you laugh and keep them on hand because nothing works faster or more dependably to relieve stress, worry, and anxiety than a good laugh.

7. Connect with friends

We live in a digital age where we can be tempted to replace person to person contact with phones and computers, especially if we’re feeling vulnerable.  But humans are social creatures, we crave feeling supported, valued and connected.  Studies show that being socially connected increases happiness and leads to better health and a longer life.  It helps overcome feelings of loneliness and isolation.

Make a list of the people you can turn to.  These are people that you trust to support you and make an effort to contact them regularly.  Reach out to them and ask for specific kinds of help. Remember, your friends can’t read your mind and it’s not fair to expect them to.  And if you’re working on a goal, such as trying to overcome anxiety and depression, having a friend to report to and keep you accountable can make all the difference in the world. The likelihood of getting new habits to stick, of following through on your assignments and reaching goals is remarkably higher when someone else is aware or your goal or assignment and you set a time to report back to someone on your progress.

8. Mindfulness and meditation

There are many studies that verify that mindfulness and meditation ease anxiety and mental stress.  Mindfulness is about paying attention to daily life and the things we typically rush through. It’s about turning down the volume in your mind by coming back to the body.  To see what a mindfulness meditation experience is like, you can try one of the guided recordings by Dr. Ronald Siegel, an assistant clinical professor of psychology at Harvard Medical School. They are available for free at www.mindfulness-solution.com.

Here’s a mini mindfulness/meditation exercise that you can do anytime, anywhere, to help calm you down in just a few seconds.  With your hands in front of you, line up the tips of the fingers of your left hand to the corresponding tips of the fingers of your right hand.  Take 5 slow, deep belly breaths while pressing the fingertips against each other.  Shake out your hands and relax them to your sides or your lap and take one last slow, deep breath.

Some people have found that doodling or using coloring books helps them get the creative juices flowing and lets their minds take a break.  There are a variety of Art Therapy Adult Coloring Books featuring geometric patterns, mandalas, nature, flowers, owls, the ocean, Native American inspired designs, and more. Many experts recommend these anti stress adult coloring books as an alternative to traditional meditation. 

Deep abdominal breathing increases the supply of oxygen to your brain and promotes a feeling of calmness.  Deep breathing helps to activate the body’s relaxation response and studies show that abdominal breathing for 20 to 30 minutes each day reduces anxiety and stress.