DON'T MISS: How your favourite stars de-stress

From shopping to gymming and watching television, TV actors make the most of their precious time off from work.

Playing lead roles in television may seem like a glamorous job. But those doing it will tell you just how difficult it really is. Actors are often required to put in anywhere between 10 to 14 hours each day with just a day off a week.

In the pages to follow, top television stars tell us just how they unwind.

Disha Parmar

I usually shop to de-stress. Of course I only buy things I like, but I find shopping quite relaxing. After a long day's shoot, I end up sleeping off the exhaustion.

Unlike a lot of people, I am not a party person; I prefer watching movies to clubbing. In-between shots, I unwind by listening to music or taking power naps.

Disha Parmar plays Pankhuri in Pyaar Ka Dard Hai Meetha Meetha Pyaara Pyaara.

Ashish Sharma

Like many television actors, I to have to deal with the stress of everyday shoots. The best part of my day however is when I return home to my two pet dogs; they are my only stress-busters. As soon as I enter home, they jump on me and almost instantly, I am rejuvenated. Playing with them takes all my stress away.

Ashish Sharma plays Ranveer in Rab Se Sona Ishq.

Adaa Khan

Earlier I used to do power yoga which really helped me improve my health, plus it works as a stress buster. Lately I have not been able to do that because of my erratic schedules.

If I get a day off, I go for a massage or a long drive to Lonavala. Sometimes I just eat a lot, which occasionally helps a lot. As a kid, I would eat chips and to de-stress during exams.

Adaa Khan plays Amrit in Amrit Manthan.

Rithvik Dhanjani

Gymming and dancing are my best stress-busting activities. Occasionally, I like visiting a spa to get rid of the physical exhaustion. RASI spa is a place I frequent.

Rithvik Dhanjani plays Arjun in Pavitra Rishta.

Gautam Rode

When you have just one day off a week, you don't want to think about anything else other than sleeping. That's what I do in the first part of my day off. Then I usually end up speaking with a close friend or someone from the family over the phone; I find it hugely de-stressing.

Finally, I end up catching up on any good film that is playing in the theatres. If by chance I happen to get more than a day off then I head to Goa!

Gautam Rode plays Saras in Saraswatichandra.

Karan Mehra

When I am not shooting, you will see me watching films on my laptop. On my day off , I go for a long drives with my wife, have a quiet dinner, sometimes chill out with friends, go for a massage or just hit the gym.

Karan Mehra plays Naitik in Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai.

Tina Dutta

I love my work; it doesn't stress me out at all. During the shooting break I am either chatting or fooling around my colleagues. Being chirpy keeps my mind fresh. I think it's very important for every actor to get a weekly off to refresh oneself and stay calm through the week.

My weekly off is on Sunday when I mostly hang out with my friends or family. Also, I like to spend time with my pet. I play with my dog Lancy and like to take her for a walk when I am home after work.

Tina Dutta plays Meethi in Uttaran

Ankita Lokhande

I don't work for more than eight hours but when I want to relax, I just head to a spa for massages. Otherwise I like to spend time at home watching TV or use my iPad. Playing with my dog, Scotch, is another stress-busting activity. Occasionally, I play badminton or go swimming.

Ankita Lokhande plays Archana in Pavitra Rishta.

Shanshank Vyas

After a long day at work, I like to spend some time by myself. I like staying at home rather than partying. The way I relax is by catching up on sleep, listening to old songs -- Kishore Kumar is my favourite singer -- and drink lots of coffee!

Sometimes, I call my friends over and we unwind over films and dinner. I experiment with cooking -- that is another of my favourite pastimes -- or just go on my bike for a long ride; it really works as a good stress buster.

Shanshank Vyas plays Jagdish in Balika Vadhu.

Deepika Singh

I do yoga for an hour before I go off to work. If I get a short break in-between shots, I try to meditate or play some games on my iPad. On the day of my weekly off, I sleep, read books (magazines, short stories etc) or go to a spa for a good head massage and basically pamper myself.

Earlier, I used to go river rafting now I hardly get time. As I get to know about my day off only the previous night or on the morning of the same day it's difficult to plan activities like rafting at such a short notice.

Deepika Singh plays Sandhya in Diya Aur Baati Hum.