I'm tight on money and high on stress. Are there any good free stress relievers

Question: I'm tight on money and high on stress. Are there any good free stress relievers

Answer: You’re in luck—many of the best stress relievers are free! These free stress relievers work well with regular practice, and many of them have cumulative positive effects, meaning the more you practice them, the better these free stress relievers work! Here’s a list of my favorites, with explanations of why they rank high with me. You’ll also find links to more information on each.

Breathing Exercises

One of my very favorite forms of stress relief, breathing exercises are excellent free stress relievers, and can be done anytime, anywhere. They work well by calming your physiology and preventing damage due to chronic stress. You can even use these free stress relievers when you’re in the middle of a very stressful situation—you don’t have until later!
Read more about breathing exercises.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Tensing and relaxing muscles is a very basic free stress reliever, and it’s exactly what PMR is. It’s simple and easy to learn, and with practice, you can reduce or eliminate the tension in our entire body in a matter of seconds!
Read more about PMR.

Meditation

One of the most popular forms of stress relief for good reason, meditation is one of the most effective and widely practiced stress relievers around. Though it does take regular practice, and sometimes requires some getting-used-to, meditation is an excellent form of stress relief, and can even help prevent future stress. There are many types of meditation to try; the important thing is to just do it.
Read more about meditation.

Exercise

Contrary to what they gyms would have you believe, you don’t need an expensive membership somewhere to get adequate exercise. Working out can be a free stress reliever if done creatively. Take a walk with a friend, try a workout video in your home, or just do a bunch of push-ups and jumping jacks to work up a sweat during inclement weather. Whatever your route, you can experience the release of tension and influx of endorphins that accompany exercise—for free.
Read more about exercise.

Laughter

It’s not only ‘the best medicine’, laughter is one of the more fun free stress relievers available! It’s also important to maintain a sense of humor in life; it can be a great way to relieve stress, and can make life more enjoyable at the same time. It’s one of those free stress relievers that can relieve stress in those around you as well.
Read more about laughter.

Music

Listening to music has proven benefits, and it’s one of the most enjoyable and effortless free stress relievers you can try. Whether you’re listening to meditation music to soothe your body, or using some upbeat music to create energy to get through a stressed day, music can be an excellent secret weapon.
Read more about music.

Saying No

The other free stress relievers listed can help you with your stress response; they can enable you to calm your physiology once you’re already stressed, and perhaps make yourself less reactive to stress that you experience. The techniques of reexamining priorities and saying no can help you set boundaries and reduce stress before you experience it. And this can free up your time for some of the other free stress relievers and activities!
Read more about saying no.