1. Unwind with a shower! – Just 10 minutes under a hot steamy spray is enough to rev productions of the calming hormone oxytocin and slash levels of the stress hormone cortisol, studies found. It’s so effective, researchers say, it can hold your tension at bay for as long as 12 hours!
2. 
Chill out with chocolate! – Cocoa is loaded with phenylethylamine, a compound that amps up productions of the happy hormones serotonin and dopamine, say University of Arizona researchers. What’s more, simply sniffing the scent of chocolate brings on tranquilizing alpha brain waves!
3. Nix your angst with handiwork! – A mere 20 minutes of manual activity that requires fine motor control, such as knitting, crocheting or scrapbooking, can reduce your flow of stress hormones by as much as 45% and ease muscle tension up to 25%, resulting in a near-meditative state!
4. Nosh on pumpkin seeds! – This tasty fall snack is a terrific tension buster! Credit goes to its rich stores of the mineral magnesium – just 1/4 cup has 185 mg.! – which acts as your body’s natural muscle relaxant.
5. Breathe your way to Zen! – Take just 10 deep breaths or fewer per minute for a total of seven minutes a day, recommend researchers from the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. They found that this exercise is enough to slow your heart rate and lower your blood pressure, significantly zapping tension!
~Smart Ideas from Woman’s World Magazine
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