It’s hard to say, exactly, what the worst part about stress is. Is it the tightness that starts somewhere around your solar plexus, then extends out to your toenails, earlobes, and cerebellum? Is it randomly snapping at innocent—and, occasionally, quite guilty—coworkers and loved ones? Is it sobbing quietly behind the closed door of a men’s-room stall?
Uh, sorry, did we say that last one out loud?
The point is, stress attacks in all sorts of ways—which means that if you want to control it, contain it, conquer it, you need to fire back in kind. That’s why we’ve spent the past several months devouring studies and cross-examining experts to find the 100 best stress-busting tips of all time. We won’t lie—it was a bear of a job, and there were desperate moments when we thought we actually smelled smoke coming from the old cerebellum (see quiet sobbing in men’s room, above). But when we sat down and read the advice we’d compiled—and then started following it—we suddenly felt much, much better.
Soon you will, too.
1. Drink more OJ
Researchers at the University of Alabama fed rats 200 milligrams of vitamin C twice a day and found that it nearly stopped the secretion of stress hormones. If it relaxes a rat, why not you? Two 8-ounce glasses of orange juice daily gives you the vitamin C you need.
2. Put a green dot on your phone
This is your secret reminder to take one deep breath before you answer a call, says Susan Siegel, of the Program on Integrative Medicine at the University of North Carolina school of medicine. Not only will you feel better, but you’ll sound more confident. Read the rest of this entry »
