Through My Eyes

But more importantly, as difficult as it may seem, living a healthy stress free lifestyle is much more beneficial for you than any exercise. Here are seven ways to deal with everyday stress by Huffington Post:

My personal favourite,

• Bring Your Dog To Work - A recent study in theInternational Journal of Workplace Health Managementshowed that bringing your dog to workcould help to lower office stress and boost employee satisfaction.The study, which looked at the pet-friendly company Replacements, Ltd., showed that employees who brought their dogs in to work experienceddecreases in stressthroughout the workday. Meanwhile, self-reported stress increasedfor people who didn't bring their dogs, and for those who don't have dogs.

• Laugh It Up - If you're feeling particularly stressed, perhaps it's time to take a quick YouTube break. A small 1989 study in theAmerican Journal of the Medical Sciencesshowed that"mirthful laughter" is linked with lower blood levels of the stress hormone cortisol.The Mayo Clinic reported that laughter also promotesendorphin releasein the brain and relaxes the muscles, which are all key for stress relief.

• Grab A Shovel And Some Seeds - Caregiving is extremely stressful, but a 2008 survey showed that gardening may help to reduce stress among caregivers. And, Health.com reported on a Netherlands study, suggesting that gardening can help to lower cortisol levelsand boost mood among people who had just finished a stressful task. That's because doing something that requires "involuntary attention" -- like sitting back and enjoying nature - helps to replenish ourselves, Health.com reported.

• Crack Open A Book - Justsix minutes of readingis enough to help you de-stress, theTelegraphreported.The study, which was sponsored by Galaxy chocolate, suggested thatreading was linked with a slower heart rateand muscle relaxation. Drinking tea or coffee, listening to music and taking a walk also seemed to help lower stress, according to the Telegraph.

• Call Mom - Even if she's not there in person, a call to mom can help lower stress.Scientific Americanreported on a study in the journalProceedings of the Royal Society showing that young girls whotalked to their mothers on the phoneafter completing stressful tasks had decreased cortisol (the stress hormone) in their saliva, and increased oxytocin levels (the bonding hormone).The girls who talked to their mothers on the phone haddecreased cortisoland increased oxytocin levels compared with young girls who weren't allowed to contact their mothers at all, Scientific American reported - girls who hugged their moms in person had a similar reaction to the phone group. (Love this one and it really does work for me)

• Eat Some Chocolate - Dark chocolate doesn't only have health benefits for the heart - eating it can also help tolower stress.LiveScience reported on a study illustrating that eating 30 grams ofdark chocolatea day for a two-week period is linked with decreased levels of the stress hormone cortisol. That study was published in 2009 in the journalProteome Research.

• Gossip - Gossip may not be viewed as socially "good," but itmighthave benefits in relieving stress. Researchers from the University of California, Berkeley, found thatgossiping can actually lower stress, stop exploitation of others and police others' bad behaviour. "Spreading information about the person whom they had seen behave badly tended tomake people feel better, quieting the frustration that drove their gossip," study researcher Robb Willer, a social psychologist at UC Berkeley, said in a statement. Willer's research was published this year in theJournal of Personality and Social Psychology. So if something's bothering you, go ahead and gab - but just make sure you move on so you don't dwell on the negative emotions!

But with all that said and done remember; "Sometimes it's important to work for that pot of gold. But other times it's essential to take time off and to make sure that your most important decision in the day simply consists of choosing which colour to slide down on the rainbow." - Douglas Pagels, These Are the Gifts I'd Like to Give to You.