# What do you do to relieve stress **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 24, 2010, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-to-relieve-stress/547804 "2010-07-24T03:00:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2010, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-to-relieve-stress/547804/1 "2010-07-24T03:00:01Z")
I am pretty sure I am sensitive to stress (esp. my psychological health) and am trying to do more to keep my stress levels low. Some things that work well on other people (gratitude journals, adaptogens, mindfulness meditation) don’t do anything for me. What does seem to work is meditation done with electronic tools (binaural beats, coherence monitors) and a guided relaxation meditation mp3 I have. I really don’t know if exercise makes a difference, but I’d say generally not a big deal for me. My levels are the same irrelevant of whether I exercise regularly or not. I’ve been trying to watch more comedies (and fewer cerebral and black documentaries) and I think that helps. So what does and doesn’t work in other people’s lives for stress reduction? ---
**Author:** ![rolandgunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cdc98d/32.png) [@rolandgunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rolandgunslinger)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2010, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-to-relieve-stress/547804/2 "2010-07-24T03:01:33Z")
Hookers and blow always worked for me.😉 ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2010, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-to-relieve-stress/547804/3 "2010-07-24T03:30:42Z")
Brisk walks or a quick spin on the bike for normal stress, target shooting for over the top stress. Especially archery, flintlocks or trap. You really need to calm and center to do those and it “carries over” for me pretty well. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2010, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-to-relieve-stress/547804/4 "2010-07-24T03:37:46Z")
> [@rolandgunslinger](#): > > Hookers and blow always worked for me.😉 There is a video where Dr. Phil says to Pat O’Brien ‘Let’s go get some hookers and some coke and go crazy’ that I can’t find, but that would fit here fairly well. ---
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2010, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-to-relieve-stress/547804/5 "2010-07-24T03:42:51Z")
[Kava](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kava) works like a charm for me. ---
**Author:** ![Walpurgis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ea924/32.png) [@Walpurgis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walpurgis)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2010, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-to-relieve-stress/547804/6 "2010-07-24T05:37:18Z")
Climbing has a wonderful double calming effect: anaerobic training plus you have to focus 100% all the time on what you’re doing. Just 30 minutes of that makes me feel at peace with the world. ---
**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2010, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-to-relieve-stress/547804/7 "2010-07-24T11:30:55Z")
Sleep, if practical. Otherwise physical labor of some sort, even something as simple as washing the dishes. ---
**Author:** ![Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e56c9b/32.png) [@Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harriet_the_Spry)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2010, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-to-relieve-stress/547804/8 "2010-07-24T15:51:38Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > Some things that work well on other people (gratitude journals, adaptogens, mindfulness meditation) don’t do anything for me. > > What does seem to work is meditation done with electronic tools (binaural beats, coherence monitors) and a guided relaxation meditation mp3 I have. This is eerily similar to my own experience. Yoga stretches can be relaxing, but I find nothing relaxing about concentrating on the nuances of my breathing. Gah! ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2010, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-to-relieve-stress/547804/9 "2010-07-24T15:59:45Z")
Reading, watching TV, going online - something to distract my mind from whatever it is I’m feeling stress about. ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2010, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-to-relieve-stress/547804/10 "2010-07-24T16:43:19Z")
A very hot bath with mounds of citrus scented bubbles, a trashy romance novel and an ice bucket within reach with a supply of my beverage of choice. Quiet from the rest of the house during this ritual is a bonus. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Onimous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ea5d25/32.png) [@Ann\_Onimous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Onimous)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2010, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-to-relieve-stress/547804/11 "2010-07-24T17:00:23Z")
Exercise. Work causes the biggest amount of stress, and the best stress reliever is hitting the treadmill on break or lunch. When the weather gets cooler, I’ll head back outside for a walk. Even a couple of laps around the building are enough to relieve stress. ---
**Author:** ![Perciful](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b38774/32.png) [@Perciful](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Perciful)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2010, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-to-relieve-stress/547804/12 "2010-07-24T17:00:30Z")
I take a walk or sometimes a nap will help. ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2010, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-to-relieve-stress/547804/13 "2010-07-24T17:02:22Z")
Meditation with soft, steady chanting. ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2010, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-to-relieve-stress/547804/14 "2010-07-24T17:03:40Z")
Oh! Also cute animal sites. I swear I can be in a foul mood but after a while I’m smiling and awwwing. I can’t help myself. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2010, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-to-relieve-stress/547804/15 "2010-07-24T21:54:45Z")
Go to a karate class and kick the crap out of a bag for 45 minutes. Feels awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2010, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-to-relieve-stress/547804/16 "2010-07-24T22:53:45Z")
> [@Harriet\_the\_Spry](#): > > Yoga stretches can be relaxing, but I find nothing relaxing about concentrating on the nuances of my breathing. Gah! You know I took an anger management class where we did breathing exercises. I hated doing it and the first time it made me mad. I was told I was doing it wrong. I’m glad to know that other people don’t like it either. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2010, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-to-relieve-stress/547804/17 "2010-07-25T00:05:30Z")
Shoot guns. Shooting is very therapeutic. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2010, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-to-relieve-stress/547804/18 "2010-07-25T01:27:01Z")
In addition to the above, I find “comfort TV” helpful, and that is to watch a tv show (I like Dirty Jobs. And Everybody Loves Raymond, so sue me, I think it’s often hilarious) or movie you personally find comforting. I like costume movies (pirates! knights!), old musicals, old creature feature movies - even if I’ve seen them before, I watch and somehow regress to that more care-free time of life for a little while. ---
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2010, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-to-relieve-stress/547804/19 "2010-07-25T01:29:45Z")
Get a boat and float down a river. ---
**Author:** ![Panurge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/fbc32d/32.png) [@Panurge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Panurge)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-to-relieve-stress/547804/20 "2010-07-26T09:59:36Z")
Play music - piano, guitar, tabla. Works almost every time. In case it doesn’t: Go to the sea and throw stones into the water for a few hours. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-to-relieve-stress/547804.md?page=2)