15 Holiday Stress Relievers

It's the most wonderful time of the year, right?  The problem is that the holidays can also be the most stressful time of the year.  The good news is, there are many ways you can beat the stress!  Check out these 15 holiday stress relievers from Beachbody.com.  Pick one or two (or try your own) - I KNOW they'll work! Once you start to relieve the stress, the holiday season will become more enjoyable.

Smile. When you smile, feel-good chemicals are released into the bloodstream, taking the place of stressful chemicals.  So smile and watch the world smile back at you.

Take a deep breath. The act of deep breathing allows your mind to focus on the present moment and stop the worry train.  Take a deep inhalation through your nose, allowing your lungs to fill up completely, and as you exhale through your nose, allow your lungs to empty entirely.

Call a friend. Research suggests that people who have close ties with friends and family are all around happier, healthier people.

Make to-do lists.  Knowing what needs to be done can help you navigate what you need to do for the day, and it allows you to focus on the tasks at hand and not on remembering all of them.  As you finish them, check them off.  At the end of the day, you'll see how much you have really accomplished.  Making this list the night before can even lead to a less stressful morning.

Focus on the positive.  Some researchers believe that your thoughts can affect your physical body.  Anxious, sad, and angry thoughts can make your entire body feel more stressed because they cause the brain to release the stress hormones, while pleasant, peaceful thoughts can make the body feel less stressed because they can cause the brain to release the pleasure hormones dopamine, endorphins, and serotonin.

Laugh. Laughing gets endorphins and dopamine coursing through the bloodstream. These feel-good chemicals will help you feel happy and relaxed.  So cue up a funny movie or play with kids - they're always good for a laugh!

Get a good night's sleep.  Staying up too late can cause one to wake tired and depleted, and even everyday tasks will take more time and energy.

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Go for a walk.  When it's too much, step away from it and get some fresh air into your lungs.  Even a short, five-minute walk can help give you a fresh perspective and relieve stress.

Plan something fun for the future.  When you're under a lot of pressure, this can give you a light at the end of the tunnel to look forward to.  Just don't make planning this stressful too.

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Get sweaty.  Exercise relieves stress.  Research even says that if you have a hard workout right before bed, you'll get longer, more restorative sleep.

Be affectionate.  People who kiss, touch, and hug produce less stress hormone and more feel-good chemicals than those who do not.  When we are touched, our pre-frontal lobe gets a signal that we have another "carrying the load." Our body then gets the "OK" to relax.

Drink less caffeine.  I know that's just mean, right?  But it's true. If the body is all jacked up on caffeine, it has more energy but is also in a very reactive state, which can lead to mega stress.

Create a mantra.  Negative self-talk can be a self-fulfilling prophecy. Create a positive mantra instead such as: "I live in a loving, peaceful world" or "It feels like a lot, but I can handle it. I've done it before and I can do it again."

Stretch. When you are faced with a stressful situation, your body tenses up immediately and quite often does not relax unless you consciously make an effort to relax it.  Stretching is a great way to relax those tense muscles.  Stretch several times a day.  Your body will thank you.

Have a dance party.  Pump up the volume and break out any move that feels good.  You might feel silly, but the combination of exercise and feel-good music will put you in a better frame of mind.

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What's your favorite stress reliever?