Simple, Inexpensive Stress Relief

Stress is the body's reaction to a perceived threat. It triggers the body's fight-or-flight response and is designed to help keep you alive. However, chronic stress often stems from less immediate dangers. You cannot either fight or run away from your past-due bills or demanding boss, not without unfortunate consequences, anyway. Therefore, chronic stress is more of a hindrance than a help and could take a toll on your general well-being over time.

Fortunately, stress relief doesn't have to be complicated or expensive. Here are some simple, inexpensive ways to calm yourself.

Move Your Body

Moving your body can help with stress relief. You can take a long drive out to a remote location upon obtaining an auto loan, a long walk, or try an exercise such as yoga or tai chi that improves the mind-body connection. It's not entirely clear why just moving your body helps you calm down. It may be the release of endorphins or the change of scenery, especially if the area is green and quiet. Whatever the case, you can't argue with the results.

Read a Book

You can reduce your stress levels by up to 68% just by reading a book for six minutes. Whether it be fiction or nonfiction, books offer an escape. The genre isn't important as long as it is something engaging in which you can momentarily lose yourself and forget your everyday problems.

Books can offer you some perspective on your own life, and you may come away with a better appreciation of how good you have it compared to the real people or fictional characters you are reading about. Or maybe you will experience a catharsis by identifying so closely with the character that you experience an emotional release from sharing their trials with them.

Listen to Music

In the old days, before it was possible to record musical performances, music was something that people typically only heard on special occasions. Nowadays, music is ubiquitous, and while some people have argued that it lost something as a result, it means that you can turn to music for stress relief whenever you want. Music can be as effective at changing the function of your brain as medication, and as long as you listen to it at a reasonable volume, it causes no adverse side effects.

Music with a slower tempo, i.e., speed, may be clinically more likely to relax you. Most important, however, is that you listen to something that you enjoy.

Drink Some Tea

Potentially, taking a moment to sit back with just about any type of hot beverage can relax you. However, tea contains natural chemicals that research shows can have a calming and elevating effect on your mood. Some particular varieties, such as green tea, have higher quantities of this chemical.

If you like the idea of drinking tea to relax but don't want the caffeine aftereffects, an herbal tea may be preferable. Chamomile is known for having relaxing properties.

Commune With Something Larger Than Yourself

Research shows that people who pray or meditate achieve greater peace of mind. Not only can such practices improve mental health but also physical health as well, with people using 43% fewer medical services annually after taking up the practice. This is not to suggest that faith should supplant medical science, nor is it to advocate for a specific religion or philosophy. As long as it is positive and fits into your worldview without belittling or degrading others, it is probably okay.

Take a Bath

A simple bath in your own tub is much less expensive than a spa treatment and at least as likely to improve your mood, in part by relaxing your muscles and joints. One study showed that participants' mood and optimism increased significantly just by taking a bath every day. Once in a while, you can still pamper yourself a little by adding bubbles or Epsom salt to your bathwater.

Each of these activities can be relaxing on its own. However, some of them may also be shared with someone close to you, and the companionship may help enhance the effects.