fun ways to relieve stress

Top 8 Fun Stress Relievers
From Your Guide, Elizabeth Scott, for About.com
Created: June 21, 2007
About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board

There are many great stress relievers out there, but it's not always easy to stick with them. However, the fun stress relievers do seem to be easier to practice on a regular basis--you look forward to them! So for those of us who like a little fun with our stress relief, I've compiled a list of fun stress relievers, along with explanations of their other benefits as well. Enjoy!

1. Stress Relieving Games
Sometimes playing a fun game on your computer is just what you need to keep your mind off of stress in the office or at home. You don't have to go anywhere, you can play for just a few minutes, and you can return to the tasks at hand with a fresh frame of mind. These stress relieving games can help you relieve stress in just a few minutes, without being addictive.

2. Stress Relieving Books
Nothing takes your mind off of stress like a good book. And these stress relieving books can provide just the right distraction and escape from stress, as well as teaching you something new you can use to relieve stress. With a book, you can also take as much or as little time as you have available for stress relief.

3. Laughter
A good laugh can be a great stress reliever: it releases endorphins and other healthy hormones, takes your mind off of stress, and can even provide a decent physical workout if you really get going. It also leaves you in a more positive frame of mind, and can bond you to those with whom you share a good laugh. Learn more about laughter as a stress reliever, and see how you can incorporate more humor into your life.

4. Gardening
Planting a garden (or even tending to a houseplant) can be a great way to reconnect with nature, beautify your space, and enjoy other stress relieving benefits. Learn more about the stress relief benefits of gardening, and see if this is the stress reliever for you!

5. Drawing
Rediscovering your artistic side with anything from doodling to serious sketching can be a good stress reliever for several reasons: it's a good distraction, it helps you express and process emotions, and it leaves you with something beautiful to enjoy when you're finished. Learn more about the stress relief benefits of drawing and how to incorporate them into your life.

6. Music
Music is a great stress reliever for many reasons, and it can also improve health to the point that it's being used in hospitals to promote health! As a stress reliever, it provides distraction, inspiration, can speed you up or calm you down, and more. And you can use it durning your commute, while exercising, or at any time as you go about your daily activities. Learn more about the benefits of music, and find out how to incorporate it into your life to relieve stress.

7. Sports
Enjoying sports, from karate to mountain biking to tennis and more, can be a fun way to get exercise and relieve stress, providing endorphins, a social outlet, a way to release frustration, and more, and leave you healthier and happier in the end. Find ideas on what types of stres relieving activities to try in this section.

8. Mini-Vacations
Vacations are a wonderfully fun and sadly under-used stress relief resource. If you find yourself longing for a vacation but don't have the time or the funds to go on the trip you deserve, you can still treat yourself to a stress relieving mini vacation and get similar stress relieving benefits without expending as much!

MY THOUGHTS

The title itself takes out the stress - fun stress relievers. And these are quite easy - and cheap!!! Laughter, for example is free. I should know. When I was born and the midwife (yes! midwife pa - haha) slapped my butt, I didn't holler and cry. I hooted with laughter. I guess that's why although I get into the brink of stress I never got to the point of killing my self or killing someone else. I do manage to kill stress.