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Need Stress Relief? Read This List
Many people are more anxious than ever. Here are some stories, tips and wacky facts to help bring a smile back to your face
Say "hello" back to your dog by smiling at them — the bond is good for your mental health.
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In 2024, a poll found that 43 percent of American adults said they're more anxious than they were in 2023, an increase of more than 30 percent from the previous year. Respondents cited the economy, the presidential election and gun violence as the main causes for their rising stress. Whatever your reasons for feeling anxious, we've got solutions. Here are some simple ways to calm your jittery nerves during these trying times. We've also collected some fascinating (and sometimes silly) stories and historical anecdotes that are guaranteed to put a smile on your face.
Smile with your dog
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If you ever thought your dog was smiling at you, chances are you were right. When a pup pulls back their lips and exposes their teeth — especially while approaching, wagging or whining — that's their way of saying hello. Scientists say this behavior evolved as a form of communication with humans to reinforce the bond between species. And that bond is good for your mental health. Studies have found that interacting with a dog for just five to 20 minutes, even if it's not your pet, can lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol and increase levels of oxytocin, the so-called "love hormone."
Punk dental advice
During a 2010 commencement speech at New York's Pratt Institute, the great performer and poet Patti Smith gave this life advice to the graduating class: “Be happy, take care of your teeth, always let conscience be your guide." It's a beautiful reminder not to overthink things in our life.
Alice Cooper's and Salvador Dali's bromance
After seeing heavy metal rocker Alice Cooper perform live in 1973, the surrealist painter Salvador Dali was so impressed that he invited Cooper to hang out with him in New York City. Dali even proposed immortalizing Cooper with a portrait, which he created using diamonds, ants and a chocolate éclair. Cooper repaid the compliment by naming his pet boa constrictor after the iconic, mustachioed artist.
Purrfectly relaxing
Cats don't purr because they're happy; they purr as a form of self-soothing, helping them reduce their stress levels. And it has a residual effect on us. Research suggests that the calming vibrations of a cat's purr can have therapeutic effects on humans, lowering heart rates and anxiety levels.
Lithuanian basketball players wear tie-dye kits, sponsored by the Grateful Dead.
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Tie-die for the bronze!
When Lithuania’s national basketball team lacked the funds to compete in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, they lucked out with an unusual sponsor: The Grateful Dead. The iconic rock band stepped up with tie-dyed uniforms and other necessities. The collaboration resonated as a worldwide act of goodwill, and a Lithuania snagged a bronze medal.
Gardening for life
Ron Finley, an urban farmer who plants vegetable gardens in abandoned lots across his South Central Los Angeles neighborhood, calls gardening “the most therapeutic and defiant act you can do." Plus, he adds, "you get strawberries." He's not wrong: A 2021 study by British researchers found that people who garden every day have 4.2% less stress than people who don't garden at all.
Think of three good things
Gratitude has been lauded as the Swiss army knife of emotional tools. Try this during a meltdown: shift your perspective to identify three things that might make you feel happy or optimistic in your life. These specifics could be as simple as the pleasant weather, a convenient parking spot you found earlier that day, or finding the perfect birthday gift for a friend. Strengthen your practice by dedicating 10 minutes every day to thinking= about these boons in detail, or even writing down why they make you happy. You may notice your blessings multiply. According to research, the simple act of giving thanks makes you happier.
Souvenir magnets are powerful memory tools and help us preserve positive vacation memories.
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Refrigerator magnets rock
Those souvenir magnets that adorn our fridges aren't just useless vacation trinkets. A 2024 study found that they're actually powerful memory tools. They help us preserve positive vacation memories and even trigger bursts of happy emotions every time we open our fridge. Vacations don't last forever, but we can get that endorphin rush back, even for a few seconds.
Surf city
The world record for the most surfboards on top of a car is 282. In 1998, a group of American surfers near Santa Barbara, California, stacked the boards sandwich-style on the top of a Humvee and drove the vehicle 100 feet to set the Guinness World Record. Talk about stoked!
Find birdsong
If you've ever wondered why the trills, cheeps and peeps of birds bring so much joy and comfort to our ears, there’s science behind it. In 2022, researchers found that just listening to birdsongs can increase feelings of well-being for up to eight hours. A bird's melody can boost our mood, lower our stress levels, and combat mental fatigue.
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