Sex. Since I have to write at least 15 characters, I'll say it again: sex.

• Play.

Whatever that entails for you. for some of us its Sports, Ultimate Frisbee, Volleyball, Tennis, etc. for others its Video Games. for some its running thru the woods barefoot. for some its Grok Tag or Mountain Biking

• Enter another World

Read a book. A Fiction Book. Let your mind wander to a place where YOUR issues arent a concern. An exciting story told by a good author will relax you and let you forget your stresses.

• Create

Build something. A Backyard Garden. Dig a Koi Pond. Make a Birdhouse. Paint. Decorate. Design. Start a Blog! (mines @ http://www.thorsays.blogspot.com)

• Sleep/Nap

Honestly, one of the best ways to relax. Take a short nap during the day. Then get plenty of sleep at night.

• Time with Friends

Spend some time with positive upbeat people. Social entertainment with optimistic individuals is energizing.

• Exercise

Yoga, Sprinting, A long walk. Get your body moving, work up a sweat and get some wonderful Endorphins pumping. Endorphins are our bodies reward for keeping it healthy!

Edit:

• Massage

I just got an hour long massage, followed by incredible sleep, so worth it

Practice some active meditation. Either sit or go for a mindful walk. Clear your mind of everything but the task at hand - which is clearing your mind. Easiest way for me to do this is to focus on my breathing. If you are on a walk just notice all of the things you are too busy to when your mind is wandering (trees, grass, etc.).

Above all else abdominal breathing works wonders for me. Google it.

Cheers, Nick

A real barefoot walk, if possible in a natural environment. Real barefooting helps you to only focus on 'the now': where do I put my feet without hurting them.

If possible try to look out for some game or birds. This even more helps you to focus on 'the now'.

This works for me.

PS sex in not bad too...

(edit: and all the ones Thor Says mentiones)

One of my favorite ways to reduce stress is through neuro-linguistic programming (NLP). NLP was developed by Richard Bandler ( http://www.richardbandler.com/ ) and John Grinder ( http://www.johngrinder.com/ ) in the 1970s. NLP techniques are based on the premise that you can change your feelings (such as fears, phobias, anger and other stresses) and behaviors (including dieting and exercise) by changing the way you think. NLP techniques have helped me get through several stressful periods in my life. There are many NLP resources on the web, many of which are free. There's even NLP "for dummies"-- http://www.amazon.com/Neuro-Linguistic-Programming-Dummies-Romilla-Ready/dp/0764570285#noop .

i would have to say that Bikram Yoga does it for me, totally. Some call it "hot yoga." Whatever. The point is, you get into a seriously hot room and do a bunch of yoga. Amazingly detoxifying, quieting for the mind i find, and just a great thing to do. Also, i think youll find a much greater awareness of how to use/control the breath after practicing bikram yoga a couple times. Thats bout it for me anyhow.

Option 2) hit your local and get drunk?

I find half an hour playing with my kids, both of whom are toddlers, to be very stress relieving. Young children live completely for the moment, and society hasn't regimented them yet. In that sense they are sort of paleo! If you don't have children of your own, you probably have family or friends who do.

Spend time in the company of a dog, anyone's dog. There is something definitely primal about the relationship -- they probably shaped us, way back in the day, and we have obviously shaped them -- it's a long and ancient association. And if you need science to back it up, read any of the studies done on how having a pet lowers blood pressure and all that other good stuff.

1. Spending real time outdoors - barefoot, no shirt, absorbing the sun, the smells and the feel of nature.
2. Sex - Everyone needs plenty of this great primal activity!
3. Sleep - Getting the proper amount of sleep, not exposing yourself to too much unnatural light, etc. is probably the best way I know of the reduce stress.

I've found a great stress reducer is music. While listening to music helps a little, banging on my drum set gives me a great feeling and a decent workout all at once. Having a friend or two to jam out with helps even more.
In addition, nothing seems to turn on my GF more than when I rock out, which leads to my other favorite stress reducer, sex.

Crappy car stereo + iPod hookup + good playlist + me singing along = stress relief.

Definitely music for me (although I have to second the nomination for sex, as well). Both listening and actively making music are fabulous.

Paleo activities: Sex, walking in the woods or along the water, alternating sprinting and walking. Ancient activities that might or might not be "paleo": Meditation, cooking. Decidedly un-ancient-un-paleo activity: blasting my 400 hp sports car down some backroads at completely unreasonable speeds.

My favorite de-stresser (8 months out of the year anyway) is getting my daily dose of Vitamin D! I strip down to my shorts, and go lay outside on my grass and soak up some rays for about 15 minutes. I try to stretch out my spine a little bit by getting up on my elbows and keeping my hips stationary and pushing away from them. I then clear my mind and visualize all of that really good D3 getting produced!

If your location/time of year, etc... do not allow this then be sure to take plenty of Vitamin D3 and go be active, trying something new, or work harder at your workout.

Second favorite de-stresser...LAUGH! Watch a really funny movie, or something that makes you laugh like a little kid! My favorite is America's Funniest Home Videos, it seems to be constantly playing on a couple of different channels, or you tube, etc... but get yourself laughing, it really puts things into perspective and a good hard, long laugh a day keeps the stress away for me!

Walking my dog. Hiking. Fishing. Hunting. Shooting. Archery. Atlatlery. Axe throwing. Handloading my own ammo. Sex. Reading.