Horoscopes

Take a 10-minute walk: Walking helps clear your head and boosts endorphins, which reduces stress hormones. Consider walking somewhere with lots of vegetation. Trees naturally release chemicals that boost your immune system and relieve stress.

Try doing some yoga: Breaking exercises help you relax and reduce the built up tension and stress. Yoga is characterized by deep breathing, as opposed to shallow breathing that stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, which creates stress.

Eat a snack: Stress-eating isn't always a bad thing. The gut-brain axis is the connection between the gut and the brain — more and more researchers have produced data that pegs the gut as a major mediator of stress response.

Buy yourself a plant: Houseplants don't just beautify a room. They can actually help you calm down; simply being around plants can make you more relaxed.

Step away from the screen: There is a direct coloration between stress and late-night computer use. Make sure to take frequent breaks when you use your computer throughout the day.

Pucker up: Kissing relieves stress by calming your body and creating a sense of connection. Kissing releases endorphins into your bloodstream that combat stress and depression.

Put on some music: While classical music has a particularly soothing effect by slowing down your heart rate and lowering your blood pressure, it also decreases your level of stress. Any music that you love will flood your brain with good-feeling neurochemicals.

Spend time with friends: The best way to wind down after a long day is to talk it over with your best friend. Friends are great for both fun and comfort.

Craft: Repetitive motions like the fine motor skills used to knit, make jewelry, or cross stitch can soothe anxiety. It puts the mind in a comfortable, easy state.

Drink green tea: Green tea contains theanine, an amino acid that gives the tea flavor and promotes relaxation. It counteracts the stimulating effects of caffeine that can worsen stress response.

Open the window: Just looking out your window can have a relaxing effect. Looking out at a city landscape or a nature scene slows down your heart rate. It's a lot more effective than looking at a picture — the brain is not so easily fooled.

Work out: Working out is a great way to take a bite out of tension. When you are mentally tired, intense exercise can make you more stressed. Light-to-moderate exercise won’t improve your fitness, but will lighten your mood.