Zap Stress and Grow Younger with a Sniff of This

Feeling overwhelmed? A quick liaison with lavender may help keep things under control.

Seems a scant 5 minutes of exposure to mild lavender aromas helps curb the release of cortisol -- a key stress hormone that can prematurely age you by triggering inflammation.

Bonus Scents
In a recent study of Japanese co-eds, sniffing lavender not only lowered cortisol levels but also may have enhanced antioxidant activity in their bodies -- a double blow to the aging process.

5 More Ways to Relax and Live Longer
Every little bit of stress busting helps your health. So in addition to lavender baths and aromatherapy kits, help kiss your stress goodbye with these tips:

• Think it away. This in-the-moment technique will do it.
• Set your iPod to your "slow tunes" playlist. Here's what it will do to your breathing and heart rate.
• Try these calm-you-down-quick foods.
• Set aside some time to get your worrying done. Here's why.

Smelling lavender and rosemary increases free radical scavenging activity and decreases cortisol level in saliva. Atsumi, T., Tonosaki, K., Psychiatry Research 2007 Feb 28;150(1):89-96.