Close
1GardeningMusketeer / Digital Vision / Getty ImagesGardening can be a great stress reliever for many reasons, including getting you into the sunshine and fresh air, creating more beautiful surroundings to come home to each day, and more.Why Gardening is Such a Great Stress Reliever
1
GardeningMusketeer / Digital Vision / Getty ImagesGardening can be a great stress reliever for many reasons, including getting you into the sunshine and fresh air, creating more beautiful surroundings to come home to each day, and more.Why Gardening is Such a Great Stress Reliever
Gardening
Musketeer / Digital Vision / Getty Images
Gardening can be a great stress reliever for many reasons, including getting you into the sunshine and fresh air, creating more beautiful surroundings to come home to each day, and more.
Why Gardening is Such a Great Stress Reliever
2
Explore Photography
HIKARU VISION / Moment / Getty Images

3
Scrapbooking
Hill Street Studios / Blend Images / Getty Images

4
Maintain an Aquarium
Hero Images / Getty Images

5PuzzlesHero Images / Getty ImagesEngaging your mind in a puzzle can take your focus off of what’s stressing you, and develop your brain power at the same time. The end result is that you get a nice break, experience some ‘flow’, and come back to your problems with a fresher, stronger mind, which can help you to better handle life’s stressors.
5
PuzzlesHero Images / Getty ImagesEngaging your mind in a puzzle can take your focus off of what’s stressing you, and develop your brain power at the same time. The end result is that you get a nice break, experience some ‘flow’, and come back to your problems with a fresher, stronger mind, which can help you to better handle life’s stressors.
Puzzles

Engaging your mind in a puzzle can take your focus off of what’s stressing you, and develop your brain power at the same time. The end result is that you get a nice break, experience some ‘flow’, and come back to your problems with a fresher, stronger mind, which can help you to better handle life’s stressors.
6Drawing, Painting, and ColoringHero Images / Getty ImagesYou can get in touch with your artistic side and use drawing as a way to process emotions, distract yourself, and achieve other stress management benefits. The end result will be something beautiful and personal that you can enjoy or share.Painting carries similar stress management benefits as drawing but through a different medium.Coloring is another great stress-relieving activity that has grown in popularity.
6
Drawing, Painting, and ColoringHero Images / Getty ImagesYou can get in touch with your artistic side and use drawing as a way to process emotions, distract yourself, and achieve other stress management benefits. The end result will be something beautiful and personal that you can enjoy or share.Painting carries similar stress management benefits as drawing but through a different medium.Coloring is another great stress-relieving activity that has grown in popularity.
Drawing, Painting, and Coloring

You can get in touch with your artistic side and use drawing as a way to process emotions, distract yourself, and achieve other stress management benefits. The end result will be something beautiful and personal that you can enjoy or share.
Painting carries similar stress management benefits as drawing but through a different medium.
Coloring is another great stress-relieving activity that has grown in popularity.
7Physical Activity or ExerciseHero Images / GettyPhysical activity can not only improve physical health; it can also relieve stress and improve your mental well-being. Look for a physical activity or exercise that you enjoy, then start making it a regular part of your life. It might be something as simple as going for a walk each day. Other ideas including joining a local sports team, signing up for an exercise class, or using online exercise workouts a few times each week.
7
Physical Activity or ExerciseHero Images / GettyPhysical activity can not only improve physical health; it can also relieve stress and improve your mental well-being. Look for a physical activity or exercise that you enjoy, then start making it a regular part of your life. It might be something as simple as going for a walk each day. Other ideas including joining a local sports team, signing up for an exercise class, or using online exercise workouts a few times each week.
Physical Activity or Exercise
Hero Images / Getty

Physical activity can not only improve physical health; it can also relieve stress and improve your mental well-being. Look for a physical activity or exercise that you enjoy, then start making it a regular part of your life. It might be something as simple as going for a walk each day. Other ideas including joining a local sports team, signing up for an exercise class, or using online exercise workouts a few times each week.
8KnittingJupiterimages / DigitalVision / Getty ImagesAside from helping you create beautiful gifts for yourself and others, knitting provides you with an opportunity to relieve stress. The repetitive motion can get you into an experience of ‘flow’, or can at least provide an outlet for nervous energy.
8
KnittingJupiterimages / DigitalVision / Getty ImagesAside from helping you create beautiful gifts for yourself and others, knitting provides you with an opportunity to relieve stress. The repetitive motion can get you into an experience of ‘flow’, or can at least provide an outlet for nervous energy.
Knitting
Jupiterimages / DigitalVision / Getty Images

Aside from helping you create beautiful gifts for yourself and others, knitting provides you with an opportunity to relieve stress. The repetitive motion can get you into an experience of ‘flow’, or can at least provide an outlet for nervous energy.
9
Playing an Instrument
Nisian Hughes / Stone / Getty Images

Learning to play an instrument such as the piano can be a stress reliever for you as well as for those around you, as you share the music you create.
10
Writing
Portra Images / Taxi / Getty Images

18 Effective Stress Relief Strategies
2 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Clements H, Valentin S, Jenkins N, et al.The effects of interacting with fish in aquariums on human health and well-being: A systematic review. PLoS ONE. 2019;14(7):e0220524. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0220524Smith MA, Thompson A, Hall LJ, Allen SF, Wetherell MA.The physical and psychological health benefits of positive emotional writing: Investigating the moderating role of Type D (distressed) personality. Br J Health Psychol. 2018;23(4):857-871. doi:10.1111/bjhp.12320
2 Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Clements H, Valentin S, Jenkins N, et al.The effects of interacting with fish in aquariums on human health and well-being: A systematic review. PLoS ONE. 2019;14(7):e0220524. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0220524Smith MA, Thompson A, Hall LJ, Allen SF, Wetherell MA.The physical and psychological health benefits of positive emotional writing: Investigating the moderating role of Type D (distressed) personality. Br J Health Psychol. 2018;23(4):857-871. doi:10.1111/bjhp.12320
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Clements H, Valentin S, Jenkins N, et al.The effects of interacting with fish in aquariums on human health and well-being: A systematic review. PLoS ONE. 2019;14(7):e0220524. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0220524Smith MA, Thompson A, Hall LJ, Allen SF, Wetherell MA.The physical and psychological health benefits of positive emotional writing: Investigating the moderating role of Type D (distressed) personality. Br J Health Psychol. 2018;23(4):857-871. doi:10.1111/bjhp.12320
Clements H, Valentin S, Jenkins N, et al.The effects of interacting with fish in aquariums on human health and well-being: A systematic review. PLoS ONE. 2019;14(7):e0220524. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0220524
Smith MA, Thompson A, Hall LJ, Allen SF, Wetherell MA.The physical and psychological health benefits of positive emotional writing: Investigating the moderating role of Type D (distressed) personality. Br J Health Psychol. 2018;23(4):857-871. doi:10.1111/bjhp.12320
Meet Our Review Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit
What is your feedback?