“People who are engaged in multiple enjoyable activities are better off physically and psychologically,” said study co-author Karen A. Matthews, Ph.D. She is a professor of psychiatry, epidemiology and psychology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

The study appears online in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine: Journal of Biobehavioral Medicine.

For the study, 1,400 adults reported how often they participated in a variety of leisure activities, including spending time unwinding, visiting friends or family, going on vacation, going to clubs or religious activities or playing sports.

Adults with higher scores — indicating the most time spent in different leisure activities — had lower blood pressure, waist circumference, body mass index and cortisol measurements, all markers of good health.

“When one is under stress, the usual thing is to cut back on enjoyable activities because you’re feeling uncomfortable and you need more time to deal with the stress. But these data suggest that is the wrong thing to do and that continuing enjoyable activities you do can be helpful,” Matthews said.

People who spent more time doing diverse leisure activities also reported stronger and more diverse social networks, more feelings of satisfaction and engagement in their lives and lower levels of depression. Those who logged the most leisure time also slept better and exercised more consistently, the authors say.

Other studies have examined the link between specific activities, such as exercise, and improved physical and psychological health, but this is the first to show that the accumulation of multiple sources of enjoyable activity benefits health, Matthews said.

The study outcomes add to what we know about the connection between body and mind, said Kathy Richards, Ph.D., a registered nurse and professor of health promotion at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing in Philadelphia.

“Although the amount of leisure time each person needs is highly individual, we all need to monitor our own bodies and stress levels and participate in leisure activities to have happy, healthy and productive lives,” Richards said.

1. Practice Deep Breathing
Shift your body’s balance of oxygen versus carbon dioxide in favor of energizing, stress-squashing oxygen by doing slow, controlled breathing exercises. Here are three good ones.

How often? Aim for twice a day.

Why do it? When you focus on your breathing, you’re not focusing on anything else (your to-do list or the late babysitter). That mental shift helps remove stressors, bringing you to a deeper level of consciousness, a place where you can put things into perspective.

2. Get Active
Release the repressed anxiety trapped inside you by putting your body in motion for 30 minutes or more.

How often? Do something — anything — every day, because exercise only tames stress for a maximum of 24 hours. So to reap the most benefits, you need to do it daily. If you prefer, tuck 10-minute pockets of activity into your day — at lunch, after dinner, right after you get up and the house is still quiet. Find ways to sneak fitness into your schedule.

Why do it? Staying active boosts circulation, which delivers more nutrients to cells and skin. It also increases lung capacity, so you can take in more oxygen; lifts your spirits and sense of well-being; and fights age-related diseases. Plus, for many, it’s the ultimate stress reducer.

3. Beat the Foods That Beat You
Reduce the allure of sugary, fatty foods — which are as bad for your skin as they are for the rest of you — by eating more lean protein: fish, eggs, poultry, low-fat dairy foods, and even walnuts. Also, try to be more aware of what you reach for — and how much you consume — when you’re stressed. Get some pointers on mindful eating.

How often? All day, but especially early on — morning protein helps curb afternoon cravings.

Why do it? Protein is key to avoiding mood swings and energy dips. It helps you maintain a healthy blood sugar balance, which in turn keeps certain hormones (including insulin) in check. Bumping up your protein intake also gives you more energy and fights hunger pangs, which can play games with your moods.

4. Focus on the Good Things
Pick up a notebook you particularly like, and at the end of each day, make a list of things for which you are truly grateful. Or write down three things that went well, and why.

How often? Nightly, as part of your winding-down routine.

Why do it? Keeping a journal that records the good things in life helps shift your focus to what you’re doing right, and that can put a brake on the stressful, negative chatter that often goes on in your head.

5. Stretch Out Your Sleep
Make it a goal to sleep as many hours as you need to feel alive and productive the next day — all day.

How often? Every night.

Why do it? Sleep is free cosmetic medicine, pure and simple. When you ask Dr. Amy what single thing makes the biggest improvement in how a stressed-out person looks, she says, “Sleep.” Nothing exacerbates stress and etches in lines like exhaustion.

6. Take a Time-Out
For most of us, life is so hyperscheduled and speedy that we never do absolutely nothing. It’s rare to set aside time to simply be — no agenda, no demands, no plan. (Just like a real vacation. See if you’re due for one.) Find a comfortable, quiet spot to sit for 10 to 15 minutes every day, stop all your hustling and bustling . . . and simply, by yourself, be still.

How often? Try for once a day.

Why do it? Slowing down for a little while helps create a sense of spaciousness in your life, a break in the nonstop whirl that can open the door to new perceptions, new solutions, new possibilities. It gives your brain, your psyche, your whole being a break. Like one long, peaceful sigh.

7. Cuddle or Have Sex
Enjoy a little intimacy.

How often? At least once a week.

Why do it? All kinds of age-defying, beauty-promoting events happen during sex as three seductive hormones spill out of the brain: endorphin, a natural opiate, which contributes to that delicious high; prolactin, which gives you that relaxing, tension-zapping “ahhhhhhh”; and soothing oxytocin, which promotes feelings of affection and triggers a nurturing instinct.

1.Step outside and leave your stresses — and your iPod — behind.

2.Take in the details of your surroundings — the buzz of traffic, the chirp of a bird, the curvature of plants and trees, the precise color of the sky, the shape of moving clouds.

3.You will find yourself becoming hyperaware and in the moment. At this point, think about what you are thankful for in your life. It can be general or specific: your health, your family, your experiences at work, your life partner, your children, your last birthday party, and so on.

4.Let your mind and memory run free.
Becoming very present like this gets you thinking in a whole new light and connecting in ways you never imagined. You also get inspired by thinking more broadly rather than focusing on your own inner world and trivial frustrations. It’s a great way to beat down stress while at the same time appreciating where you are right now. Also, one of Dr. Amy Wechsler’s seven habits for healthy skin (number four, to be exact) entails focusing on the good things. When you’re done with your walk, take 5 minutes to write down some of your revelations in a journal.