Try these ideas for combating stress and finding more joy and happiness in your day.

Volunteer your time Researchers at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN, found that volunteering was good for mental and physical health. Volunteers were happier and experienced better physical health and less depression than people who did not volunteer. Volunteering may give people a sense of purpose or meaning, say researchers.

Take an adult-only vacation Send the kids to grandma’s and revel in some relaxation with your partner, even for a weekend. “It’s great for both the adult and the child,” says Beuermann-King. “When parents go away the child usually stays with a relative and that’s a real bonding experience for them. And the adults need that connection time where they’re not just talking about who’s going to take out the trash or pick up the kids.”

Create a joy list Look at the things that bring you joy—maybe it’s a steaming cup of tea while you read the morning paper or soaking in a hot tub after work. “Often when we’re so busy doing, doing, doing, we miss those things, says Martin. They may even be happening in our lives but we’re just not conscious of them—we don’t pay attention. Experience joy in the everyday by being joyful in those moments.”

Just say no ! Before you offer to host that dinner party at your house, consider that saying yes to everything, whether it’s to a social engagement or extra work project, does come with a price—and it may be your health. “Evaluate your choices,” says Beuermann-King. “We say ‘what’s one more thing?’ but that one extra thing to do can be too much.”

Plant a garden Aside from the benefit of burning calories, gardening can be a simple way to find serenity, says Dr. Julie Roth, medical director, clinical activities at Chicago’s Northwestern Memorial Wellness Institute. “Gardening is a distraction from the chaos of our everyday environment so it decreases stress levels.” Don’t like digging in the dirt? Any hobby or activity that allows you to escape the everyday and live in the moment is good for the soul.

Yuk it up! Catch a few minutes of a Seinfeld rerun or share a laugh with your spouse or a friend. Laughter is good for the spirit; it reduces stress levels and may produce feel-good endorphin hormones, says Dr. Roth. Got nothing to laugh about? Fake it; even a minute of forced laughter helps boost spirits, because the body doesn’t know you’re faking, according to researchers at Fairley Dickinsson University in Teaneck, NJ.

Check the latest entertainment reviews, plus remember some old favourites.