You must do something about it.

If you don't take some time out for yourself and don't do anything to beat stress out of your system, all this will show up in symptoms, some of which were just mentioned in the first paragraph. You can start with some simple exercises that don't take much of your time and effort.

You have a valid excuse: 'But, what can I do, with so much demand on my time?'

There are so many things you can do which do not require too much of your time, but will definitely help you get relief from the stress that is consuming your physical and mental energy. You can devote some time to exercise, or yoga, or meditation, or just simple walking or running, or cycling even. Doing any of these things for 20 - 30 minutes a day will not only help relieve stress from your body, but will also give you a level of happiness, and peace.

Doing physical exercise helps you in getting relief from muscular pains, as exercise releases toxins accumulated in the body due to prolonged stress. It will also give you a feeling of 'high' which is experienced by those who practice physical activities. And on top of it all, it will make you physically strong, help you get better sleep, and make you more capable of meeting with the myriad demands of life.

5 Simple Exercises

Here I am listing five simple exercises that you can do anytime anywhere, and will prove beneficial in getting rid of the harmful effects of stress.

For the simple exercises described below, all you need are a couple of makeshift weights you can find around the house and the physical weight of your body.

When exercising, remember to get a good warm-up, and finish off with a slow cool-down. This is important to prevent injury and is easy to follow. Walking works well for both your warm-up and cool-down routine.

Here are 5 simple exercises you can do anywhere:

1. Triceps Dips: Sit on the edge of a chair or bench with your hands next to your thighs. Lift your body out just in front of the chair, with your feet flat on the floor and your knees bent. Lower yourself down so your elbows bend no more than 90 degrees and push yourself back up.Start off with a few small sets and build up from there. Straightening your legs increases the workout.

Avoid this exercise if you have wrist or shoulder problems.

2. Push-ups: You can practice with the standard pushup position, but you can make it slightly different, as follows.

- You can do push-ups with your hands wider than shoulder width to get more of a shoulder and chest workout.

- If you bring your hands together into a diamond shape near the center of your chest you will work more of the triceps and shoulders.

- Working half push-ups - either going only half way down and then back up, or starting from the floor and only pushing up half way and then going back down - will intensify your push-up workout.

3. Crunches: Crunches are great for your abs if you do them correctly. Done incorrectly, they can put undue stress on your neck and back. Use the correct techniques to avoid injury.

- The biggest risk is if you jerk your neck to give you the force to crunch. While doing crunches, keep your hands behind your head and your elbows back while using your stomach muscles to lift your head and chin towards the ceiling.

- Once you've mastered this technique, try lifting your legs off the ground or assuming a bicycle position with one leg bent and the other straight off of the ground.

4. Squats: Body weight squats are a great exercise you can do anywhere and a fantastic way to learn proper technique. Start off your squat workouts by lowering yourself only a foot or so. Then work up to deeper squats as your muscles become accustomed to the exercise.

- If you're feeling a bit advanced and in need of a more intense workout, grab two 2-liter bottles filled with sand and try performing squats while holding one in each hand.

5. Calf Raises: Calf raises can be done wherever there is a raised surface, such as a stairway. If you need balance, hold onto the railing. Facing the stairs, stand with only your toes on the stair and your feet extending out past it. Standing straight up, lower your body down below the level of the stair and then back up onto your toes.

- Even though it seems as if this is an ankle exercise, it also works out your calf muscles.

- The biggest emphasis on this exercise is the ability to go from an extreme negative position with ankle below toes to an extreme positive position, ankle fully raised.

With these five simple exercises, you have a full body workout. Remember to pay attention to your body and take it easy at first. Soreness is a good thing, but pain means you need to stop.

When you exercise with full awareness to your body and with complete concentration, the exercise can take you to a state of mind that is akin to meditation. This calmness will stay with you for a long time, and you will feel more competent and confident in other areas of your life as well.

Feeling the acquired strength of your muscles and suppleness in the body is in itself a source of deep satisfaction.