Break it UpWhen it comes to work, more isn't always better: Researchers have discovered that powering through your endless tasks without taking a break is counterproductive to your productivity. One Cornell University study showed that workers who took short breaks produced more accurate work. How often should you give your brain a time out? Take a five-minute stretch, coffee or restroom break about once an hour.
Tune Out
In a 2007 study published in the "International Journal of Behavioral Medicine," researchers reported that watching just 15 minutes of television news can leave viewers with negative psychological feelings that can only be counteracted with an intervention such as a relaxation exercise. Your best bet for combating stress: Turn off the tube -- especially when, during difficult economic times, the news is often full of doom and gloom.
Pressure Relief
Acupressure -- an ailment-alleviating method that has been part of Chinese medicine for more than 5,000 years -- is one quick route to feeling better without the meds. To rid yourself of a tension headache, try opening the palm of your left hand and forming your forefinger and your thumb into a V shape. Apply 15 seconds of pressure to the area between your thumb and your index finger.
Heart Tune-Up
Feeling a tad stressed? Play a song -- but not just any song. Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore discovered that the emotions brought on by joyful music -- music that study participants chose because it made them feel good -- caused tissue in the inner lining of blood vessels to dilate for increased blood flow, thereby improving the heart's health. Conversely, when participants heard music they labeled as stressful, their blood vessels narrowed.
Energy Lift
Banish your post-lunch slump with a little scent therapy: Researchers have discovered that smelling peppermint or cinnamon bolster alertness and motivation and even decrease fatigue. Try sprinkling a touch of cinnamon atop your afternoon latte and sniff as you sip.
Phone a Friend
Not only might a mini-gabfest with a gal pal or a longtime buddy lift your serotonin levels, but nurturing relationships contributes to longevity. A 10-year study at the Centre for Ageing Studies in Australia, showed that when older people have a great network of friends, that bond is even more power than family relationships when it comes to longevity.
Drop That Remote
If you're feeling sleep-deprived or struggling with insomnia, consider moving the TV out of your bedroom. In fact, you should stop all major activity close to bedtime: The National Sleep Foundation notes that doing work, watching TV and using the computer -- especially in the bedroom -- hinders quality sleep. Make your bedroom a safe haven where only sleep and intimacy take place.
Source: AOL Health
Source: AOL Health
