We humans are beautifully designed. When stress builds up in the system, there are many natural ways to let it go. Here are seven natural stress releasers that we're all very familiar with: sighing, laughing, crying, yelling, burping, sneezing and yawning, plus there's one other way we know that works extremely well to bring our stress levels down.

Unfortunately, we can override instinct. When the stress builds up in the system we can consciously choose to hold it in. As a result we generate stress-related illnesses and we force our bodies to age prematurely.

Sighing

Sighing is marvellous. Think of a time of heightened tension. A good time or a bad time may come to mind. Your favourite football team was about to kick the winning goal. The tension in the crowd was mounting. The goal was kicked successfully and you let out a long loud sigh.

When it looks like another driver is about to hit your car, it's an anxiety-provoking situation. You watch, knowing at this moment that there's nothing you can do. They just miss. You let out a sigh of great relief and maybe a few expletives - expletives being pressure-reducing words that come out in an instinctive blast.

Laughing

Have you noticed in a meeting when things are too serious for too long and the atmosphere is getting heavier and heavier and it's harder and harder to stay focussed, that someone senses the timing is right for a joke? The ensuing laughter instantly lightens up the atmosphere and everyone feels better for it.

Laughter not only releases stress, it also acts as an internal massage toning up the system. It's instantly refreshing.

Crying

How long since you've had a really good cry? Would you be able to let the tears flow if you felt that natural urge to let stress go in this way, or would you consciously override the natural instinct by telling yourself you shouldn't?

Biochemical analysis of tears cried in distress or sadness reveals leucine-enkephalin and prolactin, two natural substances that reduce stress and heighten wellbeing. These substances are not emitted in tears from cutting onions.

Yelling

And how about a good yell when you're angry? Could you let it out, or would you always politely constrain yourself? And burps are good for letting the stress out of the system (and I mean both ends). Sneezes and yawns will also release accumulated tension. All these ways may need some control in terms of social niceties, however, if there's no-one around, go for it!

Remember when you were very small, you wore a diaper? When the pressure built up, you were free to follow your natural urges. As you grew in society, such instinctive behaviour was no longer appropriate and you learned to hold on.

As an adult, it's good to realise that this can be taken too far. Perhaps you work at a desk all day. Your brain gets the message that it's time to go and relieve the pressure. You send a message back to your bladder: 'Not now, it doesn't suit me, I want to get this project finished'. You don't heed the call of nature, and the urge goes away. This way, you miss an ideal opportunity to bring your general stress level down.

'Plus there's one other'

And what is the 'plus one other' I referred to at the start of this article? Well, this stress-releaser wasn't available to us as babies. It lets go of tension, but unfortunately it won't be possible if the system is so stressed you've gone beyond this option.

Perhaps you've guessed it. It's the Big O. Orgasm is such a pleasurable form of natural stress relief. When I worked as a stress management consultant, I used to highly recommend it.

But smiling's a good one too and smiling may be more available to you right now, so why not try a big natural super-stress-releasing smile? It's simple, it's natural, and it's free. Share it with someone else and just feel that tension ease.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

c Michele Bolitho 2008