Stress is what every human being may face at some point of our lives. The cause can be from dealing with work deadlines, facing with a strained relationship to attending your first job interview. A small measure of stress is good to keep our adrenaline going but too much would “kill” us. And some stress made us lose sleep and that is not a good sign. We can’t prevent a stress-free life but we can certainly reduce or relieve some of the daily stress.

The good news is you don’t have to spend a fortune to reduce stress. Most of the ways are in fact free. Here are my take of the 20 simple ways to reduce stress that you can do right away:-

1.The quickest way – take breathing exercises. If not, just close your eyes and massage the back of your neck for at least five minutes.

2.Sing a song. If you have never tried singing, it can be very therapeutic. Don’t care about wrong key or notes – just sing! I sing aloud in my car sometimes and I love it.

3.Gardening or get a few potted plants to take care. If not, look out for some fresh flowers and smell them.

4.Exercise – the age-old advice. Any form of exercise that gets your sweat out is a great stress-reliever. Your muscles are more relaxed after that.

5.Get a pet. I enjoy walking my dog in the evening or even late at night. I get my exercise and fresh air, my dog gets her exercise and I get to talk nonsense to someone without being judged. My best stress-reliever, this one.

6.If don’t have a pet, visit a pet shop. Watch for ten minutes at the fishes in the aquarium.

7.Put on your favorite music and dance.

8.Read a joke book and laugh out loud. Or better, tell it to somebody and laugh together.

9.Watch a comedy movie or sitcoms. Try “Mr Bean” if you don’t have a clue.

10.Take a long shower.

11.Visit a spa centre and get a 2-hour long massage.

12.Read an inspiring book and help to put your life in perspective. You can try, “Don’t sweat the small stuff-and it’s all small stuff” by Richard Carlson.

13.Pay a compliment to a friend or neighbor. The smile on the other person’s face will bring joy to your heart.

14.Buy your friend a surprise gift or lunch. Again, the other person’s joy would warm your hearts. The old adage, “It’s more blessed to give than to receive…” still holds true.

15.Read a blog that talks nonsense.

16.Take a short break by driving to the outskirts – get your feet wet in a river or walk by the beach.

17.Prayer and meditation - a way to relax and focus on the big picture while giving our body a needed rest.

18.Prioritize. Cut down your commitments. Prepare for tomorrow by listing the tasks that need to be done and those that can wait so that your mind can stay focused. Learn to say “No” and don’t feel bad that you can’t meet everyone’s expectations. Remember, you are not God.

19.Play Sudoku or Word Puzzle.

20.Learn something new or involved in a new hobby. Hey, there’s always a different world out there that is yet to be explored – widen your horizon and see things from different lens.

Good sleep is important. Don’t let stress deprive you of that.