ISL 10

STRESS RELIEF
PUBLISHED: AUGUST 13, 2013 | BY JENNY EVERETT
Retrieved from http://www.womenshealthmag.com/life/reduce-stress?fullpage=1

Summer used to signal a time for a well-deserved reprieve from life's rigors. Par for the
season: lazy afternoons at the beach, abbreviated workdays, and long breaks away from the
daily grind. This year, though, you might be working extra hours and staying closer to home
to save some cash. But there are still plenty ways to relax and rejuvenate.

The key is to learn how to "disengage" from daily stress. "When you're taking fewer
days off, it's especially important to find ways to unwind during the downtime you do have,"
says Katherine Muller, Psy. D., director of the cognitive behavior therapy program at
Montefiore Medical Center in New York City.

Squashing stress isn't just good for your sanityit's good for your physical health. Stress
has been linked to every major illness in the U. S., including heart disease, cancer, and
depression.

Going nonstop day in and day out takes a toll on the entire body, says Dov Eden, Ph.
D., one of the world's leading vacation researchers and a professor at Tel Aviv University.
But, Eden says, learning to apply a vacation mentality to your daily life can put you back on
your game.

These tips will help you reach a state of blissful detachment, no matter where you are
or how many days off you can swing. Squashing stress isn't just good for your sanityit's
good for your physical health. Stress has been linked to every major illness in the U. S.,
including heart disease, cancer, and depression.

Going nonstop day in and day out takes a toll on the entire body, says Dov Eden, Ph.
D., one of the world's leading vacation researchers and a professor at Tel Aviv University.
But, Eden says, learning to apply a vacation mentality to your daily life can put you back on
your game.

These tips will help you reach a state of blissful detachment, no matter where you are
or how many days off you can swing.


Unplug Yourself from the Office
Experts say we've become so obsessed with always being on that we've lost the
ability to turn ourselves off. And that can pile on stress. More than a third of the participants
in a recent study, published in the journal Heart, felt frazzled by a sense of obligation to
respond immediately to their constant barrage of e-mails. Women also feel more pressure to
hit REPLY. But "just because you own a PDA doesn't mean it has to be on all the time,"
Muller says. "Each night, block 30 minutes for e-mail. When the time's up, turn off the device
and put it out of sight." Just don't schedule your catch-up session right before bed. "Hitting
the sack with work on your brain makes it tough to transition into sleep mode, so put the
kibosh on all business-related correspondence at least an hour before turning in," she says.

Create a Chill-Out Routine
In the same way a pre-bedtime ritual puts you in the mood for sleep, a pre-downtime
routine helps you get in the mood for relaxation. As soon as you arrive home, shed whatever
reminds you of work: stash your bag out of sight and kick off your heels. "Changing your
outfit can change your mindset instantly," Muller says. Next, do something that offers a
change of pace, recommends Susan J. Nathan, Ph. D., a health psychologist in Laguna Hills,
California. "If you're a desk drone, head outside for a run or a swim; if you're on your feet all
day, ease into a warm bath. Soon you'll feel yourself mentally drifting away from what
stresses you out."

Find a Balance Between Rest and Activity
When the weekend finally arrives, sometimes you're so determined to have fun that
you try to cram in 147 things before Monday. But a jam-packed weekend can actually leave
you more exhausted and stressed. "Even enjoyable activities can wear you out if you
shoehorn too many into one weekend," Muller says. She recommends carving out a half-
hour each day just to chill. Try using the time to read (a study from England's University of
Sussex found that reading can slash stress by 68 percent), listen to music (61 percent), or
sip a cup of tea (54 percent).

Don't flip on the tube unless there's a show you really want to see. "Even though
watching TV seems like a great way to zone out, mindless surfing actually stimulates your
nervous system and thwarts your ability to relax," Nathan says.

Get a Hobby
Keeping your hands busy settles your mind. Just ask any knitter. Summertime
activities that require repetitive motion, such as barbecuing (place burger on grill, flip, serve,
repeat) or gardening (dig, plant, water, repeat), can lower blood pressure and heart rate.
"Repetitive motion works like a meditation mantra: It shuts down the body's fight-or-flight
response," Reiner says. You zero in on the task in front of you, taking your mind off looming
deadlines and other upcoming events. For optimal chill-out effect, keep your sessions brief;
Reiner advises 20-minute spurts. "The mind-soothing benefits of repetition dwindle the
longer you participate in the activity," he says.

Stop Tension In Its Tracks
"Once stress escalates, it becomes tougher to let it go," says anxiety expert and
clinical psychologist Tamar Chansky, Ph. D. "The secret is to counteract it as soon as it hits."
Luckily, it doesn't take long to feel zen again. Next time you feel overwhelmed, try one of
these 60-second tension busters:

1. Go on a tear. Ripping paper to shreds offers serious relief. "Hearing a satisfying rip gives
you something to focus on, and the physical act of shredding something without causing real
harm releases tension," Chansky says.

2. Share a joke. Cracking up increases feel-good endorphins and decreases stress
hormones such as cortisol and epinephrine, say researchers at the University of California,
Irvine.

3. Just breathe. Achieve inner peace with this quick breathing exercise from Judith Orloff, M.
D., assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at UCLA. First, conjure up an image that makes
you feel tranquil, then close your eyes and take eight deep breaths, paying attention to the
air filling your chest. Exhale with a sigh, imagining all the tension in your body evaporating.
"Slow breaths help reduce stress hormones in the body," Orloff says. And a calmer you is a
happier you.