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Quick Fix for the Stressed Out
This Week's Tips
Stressed out because you've got too much to do and too little time to do it? Dr. Amy Wechsler has a quick tip to help you make it through without getting fried.
Hum. Yep, literally. Humming has been scientifically proved to boost nitric oxide (NO), a nifty little body gas that, in small doses, has a stress-reducing effect.
Whistle -- Uh, Hum -- While You Work
All of us produce NO in our respiratory tract, according to Wechsler. But it's produced most notably in the sinuses. Humming affects the airflow between the sinuses and the nasal cavity in a way that creates more NO, a gas that promotes wound healing, new collagen formation, and better blood flow in the skin. Seems those seven dwarves were nearly onto something -- if they'd just tweaked their music-making advice a little. Get more feel-good, look-good tips from Dr. Wechsler's new book, The Mind-Beauty Connection.
Feeling Fine
Of course, for the severely stressed out, no amount of humming is likely to make a dent. So try our bag of tricks and tools for turning big stress into small stuff:
- Got way too much to do? Check this article and quiz for advice on handling nagging unfinished tasks.
- Stressed about money? Take this test to see whether it's undermining your health -- and how you can stop it.
- Need a quick way to bring it down a notch? Try this meditation exercise that works in 5 minutes flat.
RealAge Benefit:
Having a backup stress-reduction technique on hand when you can't otherwise destress can make your RealAge 6 years younger.
The Mind-Beauty Connection: 9 Days to Reverse Stress Aging and Reveal More Youthful, Beautiful Skin. Wechsler, A., New York: Simon & Schuster, 2008.
