Number of doctor's office visits that may be related to stress, according to some physicians: 9 out of 10
WAIT TO EXHALE
While the idea of relaxing in a hurry might seem counterproductive, one stress specialist says his method takes just 10 to 20 seconds. Allen Elkin, PhD, a practicing psychologist and program director at the Stress Management and Counseling Center in New York City, describes "rapid relaxation" thusly:
"You take a deep breath, deeper than normal, and hold it in until you notice a little discomfort. At the same time, squeeze your thumb and first finger together (as if you were making the okay sign) for six or seven seconds. Then exhale slowly through your mouth, release the pressure in your fingers, and allow all your tension to drain out. Repeat these deep breaths three times to extend the relaxation. With each breath, allow your shoulders to droop, your jaw to drop and your body to relax."
OIL YOUR DASHBOARD
If you had a nickel for every time you've tensed up behind the wheel, well ... let's just say you'd have more than enough for that sawed-off shotgun you've been eyeing for so long. But before things become that desperate, why not try an oil change? Not the sweet-crude variety, but the sweet-smellin' kind. Aromatherapist Victoria Edwards, of Fair Oaks, CA, recommends clary sage and lavender to dissipate traffic jam-caliber stress. "If you have a long commute, put a drop or two of the oil on a tissue or napkin and let it heat up in the sun on your dashboard," she advises. "The heat diffuses the fragrance and helps you unwind. It's like the old after-work martini, but without the alcohol."
SOUND ADVICE
Since so many sounds can be stressful -- the 3 a.m. wail of your baby, the 6 a.m. screech of your alarm clock, the 6:10 a.m. screech of your alarm clock, the 6:20 a.m. screech of your alarm clock -- it's only fitting that other sounds should serve to soothe. In fact, Steven Halpern, PhD, a composer, researcher and author, suggests taking a 20-minute "sound bath" anytime your knickers are in a twist. Put some relaxing music on your stereo, then lie down near the speakers with knees slightly bent and allow the music to wash over you. The washing imagery is important, Dr. Halpern says -- you should feel the music "rinsing" the day's stress from your tired body.
PICTURE THIS:
You walked into work -- 15 minutes late -- with gum on your shoe, strained peas in your briefcase and a throbbing headache between your ears. And eight hours of phone calls and "urgent" assignments didn't help matters much. So what can you do at 5 p.m. to leave your workaday stress at work? Try imagery, suggests Dennis Gersten, MD, a psychiatrist and publisher of Atlantis, a bi-monthly imagery newsletter. At the end of the workday, imagine your stress liquefying and running out of your body so that with each step, you leave a colored footprint that represents your stress. Then, Dr. Gersten says, notice that the farther you walk from work, the fainter the footprints become -- until they, and your stress, disappear.
YUK IT UP
Didja hear the one about the stressed-out comedian? Neither did we -- probably because laughter is such an effective stress-buster. When we let out a belly laugh, our bodies let out endorphins, those pain-killing darlings of the exercise set. Related to morphine, endorphins make us feel good, which in turn makes us more resistant to stress. But it's not enough to sit back and wait for a coworker to fall face-first into a custard pie, says Steve Allen Jr., MD, a laughter therapy specialist and son of comedian Steve Allen; humor must be actively sought out. One easy way to do this, Dr. Allen suggests, is to imagine how the writers for a TV sitcom might handle your most stressful "snags." For example, instead of stewing in a traffic jam, think to yourself, "Where's a monster truck when you need one?"
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