Healthy Living
Monday, March 16,
2009
5 instant soothers for high stress
times
Be a better breather. "When you make a
conscious effort to breathe deeper, it naturally brings your body
back to a more relaxed state," explains Frederic Luskin, Ph.D.,
author of Stress Free for Good (HarperOne). Place your
hand on your stomach and watch it rise as you inhale for a count of
3 or 4; hold your breath for the same count, and then exhale for as
long as comfortable and watch your belly fall.
Look forward to something. Each morning, think about one
little, enjoyable thing you plan to do that day (the crossword
puzzle) and one bigger pleasure on the horizon (your trip to the
mountains), suggests Allen Elkin, Ph.D., director of the Stress
Management and Counseling Center in New York City. This ritual
trains your brain to focus away from what can go wrong that day.
How to put an end to overnight
anxiety.
Make a small change to your routine.
"Unpredictable events can cause the most stress," Luskin explains.
"If you cultivate even a little bit of surprise in your life, it
helps keep your cognitive responses flexible and helps you handle
whatever life throws your way." Take a new cardio class or pick a
cuisine you've never tried. (Hallå, Scandinavian!)
Convert Monday into Funday. The flip side to TGIF
is OMGIM: Oh, my God, it's Monday! In fact, more heart attacks
occur on Mondays than on any other day. Schedule a weekly lunch
with a friend or take a class you love on Mondays so you'll look
forward to the start of the week, Dr. Wheeler advises.
More fun ways to let loose (and stop
stress!)
Come home 15 minutes late. After work, walk home or listen
to music at a pretty scenic spot before you burst through your
front door. "Don't look at it as a waste of time," Dr. Wheeler
says. "It's an important way of decompressing and transitioning
back to home life."