There are numerous methods for dealing with stress. Stress-relieving activities such as yoga, mindfulness meditation, and exercise are just a few examples. However, you cannot just excuse yourself to meditate or go for a long walk in the heat of the moment, such as during a high-pressured job interview or a fight with your spouse. You need something more immediate and accessible in these situations.

Engaging one or more of your senses—sight, hearing, taste, smell, touch—or moving is one of the quickest and most consistent ways to relieve stress. Because everyone is different, you’ll have to experiment to figure out which strategy works best for you—but the result will be enormous. When you know how to swiftly reduce stress, you can stay calm, productive, and focused.

Your body’s most evolved and reliable approach for controlling the nervous system is social interaction. Face-to-face communication with a calm and sympathetic listener can help you swiftly de-stress and release tension. Although having a friend to lean on in a stressful situation isn’t always possible, maintaining a network of close relationships is critical for your mental health. You’ll be covered on all fronts with sensory-based stress alleviation and good listeners.