The most common reasons for stress are relationships, work and money. Understand that there is no way to live 100% stress free. The question is, how do you handle a major load of stress? Here are some suggestions that will help you manage you through it.

Forgiving others will get less stress in your life. Spending your energy focusing on the ways others have wronged you will increase your stress levels and make you anxious and irritable.

Find more positive and productive ways to work through your stress. For example, if you generally smoke whenever you are stressed, why not just take a walk around the block instead. When you replace a bad habit with a good one and stay healthy, you will see that the stress in your every day life is significantly lowered.

Self-hypnosis has proven itself to be an effective treatment for individuals who find themselves fixating on life's little irritations. Many people have reported that self-hypnosis helped them work through day-to-day irritations like an irritating co-worker or a bothersome noise.

One method involves placing your palms against a stationary surface and pushing with all the power you can gather. Stretching your hamstrings can relieve stress in the rest of your body as well.

Stress can be relieved by viewing something relaxing. Looking at calming visual images like gardens, waterfalls or mountains may actually relax the brain. If you find yourself without photos or paintings of natural scenery, close your eyes and use your imagination to visualize pleasant scenes. Imagining yourself in these types of settings will help your body feel relaxed.

Dealing with other people, even beloved people, can sometimes be a pain. Yet, companionship is an important part of managing stress. Take time to relax with your pet everyday. Research shows that time spent with a pet promotes healthy relaxation.

Try drinking a tonic for stress relief. A variety of homeopathic remedies are available to decrease anxiety and the symptoms of stress. These all-natural therapies have helped a lot of people and are quite safe. You could replace anti-depressants such as Xanax with herbs like kava.

Take time to smell the roses, and many other plants, and watch your stress melt away. Smelling items like eucalyptus, peppermint oil, lavender, thyme, oils of anise, bay, and rose can soothe you. Combine scented oil with some rock salt, and place it in a small container. If you begin to feel stressed, simply open your vial and smell the contents for a quick aromatherapy treatment.

An excellent way to manage stress is through the practice of yoga. Yoga helps you to attain a higher state of mental and physical relaxation. Since yoga requires that your mind be cleared of all thoughts, you cannot think about what is causing you stress. Each yoga pose will help to create muscle endurance and flexibility. Your entire body and mind benefit greatly from all that yoga offers, and in the process your stress is minimized or even eliminated.

Figuring out exactly where your stress comes from is a priority, since the array of potential causes is so vast. If one of your major stress factors is something that is not necessary, then by all means, remove it. It's easier to enjoy your life if you don't feel stressed out.

There are many things in life that can cause stress, and many of them cannot be avoided. However, there are ways to reduce the effects. Follow the advice given here to improve the quality of your life by reducing the effects of stress.