According to a recent Rachel Ray article, here are 10 of the most effective ways to relax!

1.  Listen to slow tunes.  Slower-paced music can lower your heart rate and blood pressure.  So pick u some soothing CDs or make a "relax" play list for your Ipod.

2.  Give yourself a time out.  Set the alarm on your phone for 5 minutes, find a quiet place (even if it's a bathroom stall) and just sit and breath deeply.

3.  Burn a scented candle.  Choose lavender, lemon or mango, because they contain lanolil, a naturally occurring fragrance that reduces the activity of genes normally elevated in stressful situations.

4.  Laugh, it really is the best medicine.  It temporarily increases your heart rate and blood pressure, and then when they drop, you feel relaxed.  Watch your favorite sitcom or funny movie, or check out a few short hilarious clips on YouTube.

5.  Lend a hand.  You don't need to join the Peace Corps to get a "helper's high".  Little things, like carrying groceries for a neighbor, work too.

6.  Grab a friend and get walking.  It's a stress-fighting double whammy.  Exercise improves your mood, and working out with a buddy leads to a greater production of endorphins.

7.  Listen up.  When people give emotional support to others, they feel less stressed themselves.  Call a friend who's having a rough time and let her/him vent.

8.  Chew a piece of sugarless gum.   It may help lower levels of cortisol, a stress hormone.

9.  Distract yourself.  Games reduce stress by diverting attention away from what's bugging you.

10.  Loosen up, literally.  restrictive clothes---especially if they put pressure on your stomach---cause your muscles to tighten, which in turn makes you tense.  So lose the skinny jeans!

Your contact for all your real estate needs in Waukesha County, WI,                  

Kristin Johnston

PLEASE ASK ME ABOUT MY GIVE BACK PROGRAM, WHERE I MAKE A CONTRIBUTION TO AN ANIMAL SHELTER IN YOUR NAME UPON CLOSING!!! 

HSUS MySpace Page | Stop Puppy Mills Website

HSUS MySpace Page | Stop Puppy Mills Website

HSUS MySpace Page | Stop Puppy Mills Website

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