7 Quick Stress Busters

Hey! Somedays things just never seem to go as you hoped. Your heart races, you start getting a headache and you wish the day would just end. Next time stress takes its toll on you try these calming sanity tricks.

1) Laughter is the best medicine! Think back and try to remember a time you laughed so hard you cried. If you can't remember anything than try some funnier websites like www.TheOnion.com or www.rednecks.biz. Even YouTube.com has some pretty funny videos.

2) Tune it out! Listen to your favorite music or go look at some of your favorite photos. Self thought has been known to be effective so just repeating a phrase like, "I love my life" over and over may help positive things to come your way. The power of smells can make your body relax also. Try a little lavender essential oils on your wrists.

3) Stay in touch with your friends. We tend to get so busy with our day to day routines that many times we forget to take time to talk with friends. Schedule a few minutes to email someone and update them on the latest. Just the act of getting connected with someone that knows you will tend to calm you when things get crazy.

4) Jou
aling. Writing things down is a great way to get those negative emotions out.

5) Take a nap. Research shows that napping may reduce your risk of death from heart attack and increase productivity and concentration. Some smart offices even have 'napping rooms'. 5 to 10 minutes of napping can make a huge difference on how you handle the rest of the day. Long naps can have the opposite effect however.

6) Take a mental break. Get out that crossword puzzle book or Sudoku. Pull out a deck of cards for a quick game of solitaire. It will take your mind off of your work or problems.

7) Tea time! Forget that coffee break. Have a cup of tea when you find yourself in the mid-afte
oon slump. Black, white or green teas have been known to be good for your heart as well as giving your metabolism a boost.