Really Fast Stress Relief

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Really Fast Stress Relief

Losing your job, or not being able to find one, or having a serious illness, or getting a divorce ... any one of these is a Kilimanjaro of stress. But you have to deal. So you do: You muster your emotional resources, rally your support systems and get through it. But what if life's little molehills of stress -- your horrific commute, that bounced check, losing at ping-pong yet again, a crushing work deadline -- add up to a mountain of trouble for you? Cumulative stresses age your arteries, damage your immune system, increase your risk of accidents and make your body (your RealAge) years older. Next time a driver cuts you off or the ATM sucks up your card, try one of these stress-busters. Make a face only your mother would love. Scrunch up every facial muscle tightly for 15 seconds, then release. (Don't worry. It won't get stuck.) Repeat several times. The contraction and relaxation eases tension. Take a cool breather. Inhale deeply, lick your lips, then blow out slowly through your mouth. Repeat. The cool breeze blowing over your lips helps you refocus. Uncork it. If you're a jaw-clencher, keep a wine cork in your desk drawer, your car's cup-holder, wherever you tense up. When you do, hold the cork vertically between your teeth and gently bite on it for 30 seconds or so. This forces your jaws -- a major tension depot -- to relax. (Don't fight stress by emptying the bottle of wine into your body first.)