There are both preventive and curative techniques to de-stress, but most of these therapies or meditation takes a lot of time for it to actually work.

Here are some quick ways to instantly unwind and beat stress:

Count backwards- When you feel a little wound up, just try to count back from 10 to 1. This helps to slowly sedate the body and mind, making you feel calmer.

Do something you are passionate about- Love to strum the guitar or paint? Studies have shown that people who indulged regularly in their hobbies were less likely to feel stressed. Creativity stimulates the brain and produces endorphins or the feel good hormones, which increase the level of serotonin in the body. In laymen terms, engaging in a creative hobby commands the brain to feel happy.

Talk to someone you love- Most people keep everything bottled up inside them, which adds to their worries. Talk about your problems with someone you trust and who can give you a sound advice. Even if you don’t want to share your problems, try to have a healthy conversation with someone whose company you enjoy. Pick up the phone and call a friend you haven’t spoken to in years, or have a mundane conversation with your grandmother.

Switch off and disconnect- Technology has become a huge part of all our live even at the cost of our health. It is okay to disconnect from the virtual world once in a while and just concentrate on your actual surrounding.

Laugh a lot- Forcing yourself to laugh in the face of stress is the basis of laughter therapy. Beginners find it difficult to get used to voluntarily invoking laughter, try watching a comedy movie or a play. Also, there are a number of outrageously hilarious videos on the internet that will make you howl with laughter

Cook something- In a survey, one out of 5 people said that their favorite ways to beat stress is by walking straight into the kitchen. If you angry or stressed just chop some food as that takes your mind off of things and also the aroma of herbs and spices has a therapeutic effect on the body and mind.
Oh and while you are in the kitchen, pop in a piece of dark chocolate as cocoa is rich in anti oxidants and has calming effect.

Go for a run- Exercising will charge your mind and body and direct the brain to release endorphins. Next time you feel a little frazzled, go for a run, sprint on the treadmill, talk a brisk walk, go swimming or just challenge yourself to a rigorous sport.

Daydream- This technique might be a tad bit difficult at first, but with meditation you will learn how to envision a pleasant picture when you feel a bit wired. To make it more effective, see if you can get a pictorial representation of your daydream as that tends to strengthen your envisioning further.

The idea is to take your mind off of the reason for stress and engage in something else using the distraction method.

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