Stress is a killer. No really, too much stress can kill you. Your blood pressure goes up, your muscles are always tense, and lack of sleep can lower your immune system. We all know what it feels like to be stressed out. We learn as early as middle school when classes get hard, and teachers start stacking on the homework. And as adults, stress can come from almost any direction. Work, family disputes, financial troubles, the list goes on.

That's why it is so important to have a few good ways to relieve stress. Even when you're ready to scream or drive away into the night. One of the best places to handle your stress is in the privacy of your bedroom. And we don't just mean taking a nap. There are a surprising number of ways for relieving stress at home that will help you to feel refreshed and relaxed quickly. And they're a lot more entertaining than the few deep breaths you take at work to make it through a stressful day.

1. Beat Up Your Mattress

When you're mad or frustrated about something, your body wants to help. It gives you tons of energy to 'fight off' the problem. But chances are your stress-causing challenges aren't going to be solved by violence or hard physical labor. Unfortunately, all that pent-up physical energy is dangerous because it comes out as spontaneous angry action when.

If you find yourself saying mean things or accidentally breaking stuff with the sheer power of your stress, your mattress holds the perfect solution. Your body thinks beating something up is the answer. So beat up your mattress. Punch, kick, and knee your mattress to your heart's content. Bodyslam it. Pick a fight with it and call it names. Let your flurry of stressed outrage go on the biggest, softest thing in your house.

You might be surprised just how fun fighting your mattress is, and how relieved you'll feel with that energy out of your system.

2. Meditate in the Dark

If your stress has you mentally exhausted and craving a moment of peace, you can create this for yourself. Most people don't realize because they get stuck in their everyday rut, but you can redesign your bedroom to become a peaceful place for both deep sleep and private stress relief. Sometimes changing small things like furniture placement can also help you feel more open-minded. Making small changes can help you see new ways out of your stressful situation.

When you have time, think about changing where your bed is, redecorating, and buying all-new bedding to transform your bedroom. This can help free your mind from worries that keep you up at night because you will have changed the environment where that pattern of anxiety started.

But if you have a few moments, turn off all the lights instead and prepare to meditate. Try to block out all the light in the room so you can imagine yourself somewhere else—somewhere peaceful or nostalgic that makes you feel relaxed. Try lying on a soft blanket on the floor instead of in your bed and let your mind wander. This may give your thoughts space and peace they need to unravel the stress.

3. Scream Into a Pillow

Maybe your stress is based on wanting to say something you can't. Perhaps your boss is a jerk, your spouse is getting on your nerves, or you're struggling not to shout your problems. As adults, we need to be careful about what we say to people for the sake of careers and relationships. But it doesn't mean the stress goes away just because you bit back an angry remark.

Eventually, this can grow into the desire to scream your thoughts instead of just saying them even when you're alone. In the modern world, you can't just let out a primal scream to feel better unless you're way out in the woods. But you can scream into a pillow. Pillows are great for suppressing the sound that travels outward, but you can still feel and hear the scream in your head.

Scream a few times, taking deep breaths between each one. It's amazing how much better you can feel.

4. Dance Your Heart Out

If you're bound up with physical energy that's hard to express, but you don't feel like fighting your mattress, there's another way to deal with your stress. Crank up the jams! Put on your favorite dance music, the most energetic songs you can find, and bust a few moves. Don't worry about looking like a dork, because you're alone in the privacy of your bedroom.

Rock out. Use a hairbrush as your microphone and sing along if that's your style. Or let yourself get out of breath developing dance moves no one's ever heard of before. The more exhausted you can make yourself, the better you’ll feel. We strongly suggest you dance your feelings. Dance to sad songs if you're bummed, to breakup songs if you're angry, or just plain rock out.

5. Throw a Tantrum

Is frustration getting you down? There are many times when you want to do something (or not do something) but don't have a choice. Remembering your inner toddler can help you get through situations where there aren't any good choices, and the stress of it makes you want to break down.

If you have kids, you're familiar with the cathartic magic of a good tantrum. And if you aren't a parent, connect with your younger toddler self and remember how much fun it is to thrash, scream, and declare "I DON'T WANNA!" for the world to hear. Throwing a grown-up tantrum is a fantastic way to feel better because you're indulging in that unspoken emotional part of you that don't want to give into responsibility.

So throw yourself down on the bed and thrash to your heart's content. Kick your legs, flail your arms, cry if you feel like it. Yell, if it's safe. When you've exhausted yourself, that post-tantrum nap will be some of the best de-stressing sleep of your adult life.

6. Get Gussied Up

Finally, it's important to remember how stress can wear you down. Many people who are stressed out make it worse by not taking care of themselves. Meaning, they lose that self-care bonus of feeling fresh and looking snazzy every day.

This means getting gussied up is another surprisingly effective way to destress in the privacy of your bedroom. Yes, even for the guys, treating yourself to a luxurious bath (or shower) and taking care of your grooming can make you feel better than you did when walking around frazzled and stressed. Take the time to wash everything with your favorite soap. Get behind your ears and between your toes. Let the conditioner sit in your hair while you relax in hot water and use scented oils if you have any.

Then, take time to find an outfit that flatters you and makes you feel great. If you're staying in tonight, go wild and explore your closet. Even come up with costumes instead of outfits. If you're going out, wear something that makes you feel attractive. Feeling good and feeling good about yourself are both critical for handling stress, even if the stressors are still a part of your life. The reason? You'll be able to tackle your challenges with more confidence and calm when you feel ready.