- Take 3 deep breaths - 5 seconds in, 5 seconds out - to slow your heart rate and the pace of your stress hormones.
- Copy a cat: Stretch and then shake it out.
- Sing a favorite song. You'll breathe more fully and the increased oxygen will do your body good.
- Hang your head forward as if it were a heavy ball, then move it slowly to the side, back, side and front. Repeat. Circle around twice in the opposite direction.
- Sit up straight. When your shoulders are back, you open up your chest and breathe more freely.
- Hold the hand of someone you love. Skin-to-skin touch is calming.
- Pop a piece of gum. Chewing loosens your jaw, where you often store stress.
- Take a mental break - focus on a photo of a loved one, a goal or a favorite place.
- At work, walk over to someone's desk to talk, go to the water cooler, force yourself to move. It will relieve physical tension.
- Smooth on hand lotion. The smell and feel is wonderfully distracting.
sep 20 2012 ∞
dec 28 2012 +