Popular Ways People Use to Relieve Stress Immediately

Most of all, stress is harmful to your health. Therefore, stress management activities for adults play an important role in staying healthy. Also, a February 2017 survey of 1,029 respondents, 18 years and older, reported:

  • First of all, 87% of survey participant between the ages of 18 to 29 stated that they experienced stress often or sometimes
  • In addition, 70% of the survey participants between the ages of 30 to 59 stated they also experienced stress often or sometimes
  • Finally, 42% of the survey participants 60 years and older stated they also experienced stress often or sometimes
stress management activities for adults

Especially relevant is that census data for 2018 reported that the United States has a population of 328,603,400. Furthermore, 2017 data for percentage by age, shows that approximately:

  • 16.57% of the population or 54.5 million were between the ages of 18 to 29
  • 39.07% of the population or 128.4 million were between the ages of 30 to 59
  • 21.75% of the population or 71.5 million were over 59 years of age

Consequently we can approximately conclude the following number of people who experience stress often or sometimes:

  • First of all, there are the 47 million people between the ages of 18 to 29
  • Next were the 90 million people between the ages of 30 to 59
  • Finally, there are the 30 million people over 59

That’s a total of nearly 167 million people experiencing stress either often or sometimes. Most of all, stress is harmful to your health. Therefore, stress management activities for adults is important to relieve stress.

Stress Management Activities for Adults – Sources of Stress

Most noteworthy, a 2017 study from the American Psychological Association reported the following sources of stress.

  • First of all was the future of the nation - 63%
  • Next was money - 62%
  • Also, work weighed played a large role - 61%
  • In addition, the political climate created stress - 57%
  • Finally, violence/crime was a daily news item  - 51%

Stress Management Activities for Adults – Frequency of Use

Most of all, stress management activities for adults are ways to relieve their stress. Furthermore,  a February 2017 survey reported that people used the activities, listed below, most often to relieve stress. Most noteworthy, an individual survey respondent may use one or more activities to relieve stress. As a result, the sum of the percentages exceeds 100%.

  • First of all, 45% watched movies or television
  • Next, 38% listened to music to help them relieve their stress
  • Also, 36% took a short nap or relaxed to get relief
  • In addition, 31% cooked or ate out for relief
  • Another, 31% decided to do some reading to take their minds of the stress
  • And, 31% decided to either go for a walk or if they were at home, do some gardening
  • Also, 30% decided to get some exercise to work off the stress
  • In addition, 28% decided playing computer games or video games could easily take their minds off the stress
  • Next 24% decided to work on the hobbies they enjoyed
  • Also, 19% decided drinking wine or beer would let them forget their stress
  • And, 18% decided to talk to their friends or family members to bring a sense of calmness
  • In addition, 17% decided to go shopping to unburden their stress load
  • Furthermore, since tea helps relieve stress, 16% decided to drink tea
  • Moreover, 13% decided taking a relaxing bath would calm them down and relax
  • And 11% decided to pamper themselves and have fun to forget the stressful situation
  • Finally, 9% decided meditation or yoga worked for them

Description of Stress Management Activities for Adults

Stress Reducing Activities - Watching Movies or TV

Most noteworthy, watching TV is one of the stress management activities for adults that makes people feel relaxed. Consequently, the brain releases endorphins that makes you feel good. Moreover, psychologists say that TV distracts us from our overworked minds and daily worries. Also, watching TV doesn’t require skill or physical effort. And, no one is bothering you or asking you to do anything. Finally, you can get lost in a safe fictional narrative and forget about your own problems.

Listening to Music

Most of all, listening to music is one of the stress management activities for adults that has a relaxing effect on our minds and bodies, especially the slow, quiet classical music. Furthermore, this type of music slows your heart rate, lowers blood pressure and decreases levels of stress hormones such as cortisol.  And all of which reduces your stress.

Stress Reducing Activities - Short Nap

Especially relevant, a study published in the Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, reported that a short nap reduces stress and bolsters the immune system. Also, one recent study found that taking a quick nap allows you to escape from daily stresses for a short time, rejuvenate and refresh yourself, then face the rest of the day with renewed vigor. Therefore, a short nap is one of the excellent stress management activities for adults. And, don't forget, a comfortable mattress is crucial for reducing stress. So, if you need any help looking for a better mattress, we recommend you visit Best Mattress Picks, which aims to help you make informed buying decisions.

Cooking

Most noteworthy, mental health experts say cooking is also one of the stress management activities for adults that helps relieve depression, anxiety, and its manifestations such as eating disorders. Furthermore, studies show a link between a healthier diet and higher levels of the happiness hormone, serotonin. Also, cooking with certain herbs, spices, and aromatics has a beneficial effects on your mood.

Stress Reducing Activities - Eating Out

Especially relevant, eating out with friends or family combines the benefits of eating as well as the company of friends and family on releasing stress. Therefore, eating out is one of the excellent stress management activities for adults to relieve stress.

Reading

Most of all, reading is one of the stress management activities for adults that distracts you from daily stressors. Also, reading relaxes your body by lowering your heart rate and easing muscle tension. Finally, a 2009 study at the University of Sussex reported reading reduces stress by up to 68%.

Stress Reducing Activities - Go for a Walk

First of all, brisk walking is one of the stress management activities for adults that boosts endorphins to reduce stress hormones. Furthermore, walking with friends increases the stress-relieving benefits of also spending time with friends. On the other hand, if the weather outside is not pleasant, walk on an indoor treadmill.

Gardening

Most noteworthy, a study published in the Journal of Health Psychology reported that gardening resulted in decreases in cortisol. Consequently, gardening is also one of the excellent stress management activities for adults to relieve stress.

Stress Reducing Activities - Exercise

Especially relevant, exercise is one of the stress management activities for adults. Moreover, exercise decreases ‘stress hormones' like cortisol, and increase endorphins, your body's ‘feel-good’ chemicals. And these 'feel-good' chemicals gives your mood a natural boost.

Moreover, if you experience stress in the office or at home, there may be easy options to reduce stress. Some of these options include using the sitting stepper, under desk pedals, foldable pedals, pedal exercisers for seniors, motorized pedal exercisers, under desk elliptical trainers, elliptical steppers, recumbent cross trainers, compact ellipticals, or long stride elliptical trainers. So, if stress is a frequent occurrence, it might be a good investment to get one of these machines. Most of all some are easy to use even when you are working at a desk or a table or sitting on a couch at home.

Playing Computer or Video Games

Most of all, a study by Texas A&M International University reported that young adults who play violent video games handle stress better than non-playing adults. Furthermore, a 2014 study at University College in London surveyed 491 subjects and found a correlation between total hours spent playing games per week and recovery from work related stress that day. Accordingly, if you make a conscious choice to play video games after work, you will experience faster recovery from stress that you experienced and also handle that stress better the next day. Therefore, computer or video games are also excellent stress management activities for adults.

Stress Reducing Activities - Hobbies

Hobbies such as knitting, needlepoint, sewing reduces stress. Moreover, being forced to sit down and concentrate on one thing, knitting forces you to slow down and breathe. Furthermore, according to research by Matthew Zawadzki, a health psychologist at the University of California, Merced, engaging in a mentally stimulating hobby reduces stress. Most of all hobbies that are relaxing and fun, are excellent stress management activities for adults.

Drinking Wine or Beer

Now, alcohol is a sedative and a depressant. Also, alcohol can reduce fears and take your mind off the stress, boost your mood and relax. However, if done in moderation, drinking a glass of wine or two is a good way to reduce stress. Consequently, in moderation, drinking wine or beer is one of the stress management activities for adults.

Talking to Friends or Being with Family

A small study in 2011 demonstrated that during stressful times, being around a best friends decreases levels of stress hormone cortisol. Furthermore, a study in Health Psychology showed that people need a good social support system at work. And those who don’t are 2.5 times more likely to die over 20 years compared with people who do.

Stress Reducing Activities - Shopping

Most of all, shopping is one of the stress management activities for adults that is a great stress-buster for someone in stress. And, shopping increases positive affect to relieve stress. So, if you enjoy shopping then it is the best thing you can do for relieving stress.

Tea

A 2017 study was published in the journal Nutrients. Most noteworthy, participants, in the study, were able to fall asleep much more easily when drinking decaffeinated green tea. Also, they reported feeling much less stressed out over the course of the one week experiment. Moreover, a 2010 study at University College London, drinking black tea decreased people’s stress over a six week period. Therefore, drinking tea is also one of the stress management activities for adults.

Relaxing Bath

Soaking in dissolved Epsom salt can help with muscle soreness and stress, allowing for even greater relaxation. Therefore, a relaxing bath qualifies as one of the stress management activities for adults.

Pampering Yourself

Personal indulgence is one of the stress management activities for adults that is a great stress reliever. Most of all, some of these indulgences include:

  • Hot soaks
  • Massage using a massage chair
  • Get intimate
  • Acupressure
  • Inspire yourself with stress management quotes

Meditation or Yoga

Most of all, Hatha yoga  is one of the stress management activities for adults that helps reduce stress. And, the core components of hatha yoga are:

  • Poses – series of movements to increase strength and flexibility
  • Breathing – helps you control your body and quiet your mind
  • Meditation - Most noteworthy, meditation provides space to sort out which demands on your energy, attention, and emotions are valid and which are not. And, when you don’t have this space your feel pressure in your mind and life. Furthermore, you experience relief when meditation gives you this space and clarity to organize your priorities.