3. Tip 1: Breathe Deeply
0 Inhale deeply through your nose—feel the air completely
expand your lungs.
0 Exhale slowly through your mouth—expelling the stress
and tension.
0 Repeat 6 times (or for one minute).
Why it works…
One of best ways to lower stress in the body, breathing deeply sends a
message to your brain to calm down and relax. Your brain then sends this
message to your body. Increased heart rate, fast breathing, and high blood
pressure, all decrease as you breathe deeply to relax.
Murray MT, Pizzorno JE Jr (2006). Stress management. In JE Pizzorno Jr, MT Murray, eds., Textbook of Natural Medicine, 3rd
ed., vol. 1, pp. 701–708. St. Louis: Churchill Livingstone.

5. Tip 2: Journal
0 Don't think about what to write — just let it happen.
0 Write whatever comes to mind—don’t worry about
grammar—you’re your own audience.
0 Just let your thoughts flow on paper — or computer
screen.
0 Once you're done, you can toss out what you wrote or save
it to reflect on later.
Why it works…
Writing out thoughts and feelings can be a good release for
otherwise pent-up emotions. Writing is thinking, so it may
support you in processing through an issue that is causing
you tension or stress.
Mayo Clinic Staff, 2013

7. Tip 3: Look up
Stare up at the ceiling and count down from 60.
Why it works…
Gazing upward stimulates the parasympathetic nervous
system, which lowers blood pressure and slows the
pace of the breath. Slow, deliberate counting will also
help rid your mind of distractions.
http://www.health.com

9. Tip 4: Engage your Sense of Smell
0 Sniff citrus – the smell of citrus can help us relax by
increasing levels of the stress-related hormone
norepinephrine (www.health.com) .
0 Try aromatherapy—inhaling the smell of lavender oil
(or other essential oils) stimulates smell receptors in
the nose that connect to the part of the brain that
regulates emotions (Setzer, W.N. Department of Chemistry, University of Alabama in
Huntsville, Alabama. Natural Product Communications 2009;4(9):1305-16).

11. Tip 5: Run in Place
Run in place for one minute.
Why it works…
Even brief physical activity can activate your
endorphins and beat stress.

13. Tip 6: Reorganize your Work Space
0 Take one minute to reorganize your workspace
leaving only what you need to do on top.
Why it works…
Removing clutter eliminates distractions, decreases
anxiety caused by feeling overwhelmed by
piles, eliminates guilt about being unorganized, and
removes frustration at not finding what we need when
we need it—all of which contribute to feeling stressed.