Summer Stress Solutions: Get Out of the Blues and into the Sunshine

Summertime is the best time to get out of those bad weather blues. However, many women do go into a stress-induced slump.
*Get outside and bask in sunshine. Just ten minutes of glorious sunshine will tame tension and boost your mood. Try to tune out traffic sounds and focus on the sounds of nature such as birds and the breeze whispering through the trees.

*If you aren't one for sitting around, go for a walk. You don't need to work up a sweat, just stroll and enjoy the day. Look around and perhaps you'll see things you never did before. Take time to smell the roses... literally! Just be careful if they're in someone else's yard.

*Try some deep breathing exercises, indoors or out. Stand or sit, close your eyes, inhale deeply and focus on a meaningful word like "joy" as you exhale. Repeat this several times and you will feel your body begin to relax. This exercise will also increase activity in the area of the brain that controls positive emotions.

*Grab a piece of chocolate, even if it is just a small Hershey kiss. This is even alright if you are on a diet. But if you are shy of eating chocolate, simply looking or smelling chocolate will trigger natural tranquilizing hormones.

*Relax during a family meal and strengthen family bonds at the same time. As the conversation rolls between family members, your stress is reduced. Family time such as this also enhances your feeling of purpose.

*Cook in stainless steel pots. Heat and moisture cause the pots to release chromium into the food. This mineral aids in the production of serotonin and dopamine, the brain chemicals that ease stress and elevate mood. An added plus is that it also cubs appetite according to Malcolm Noell McCleod the author of "Lifting Depression".

*Good news for tea drinkers! According to the journal "Psychopharmacology" a recent study shows that simple black tea lowers levels of the stress hormone cortisol. So you don't have to purchase an expensive herbal tea, just grab a box of Lipton!

*Try to control an overly acidic stomach. Too much acid in your system can trigger stress by sending your blood sugar level out of control. Try to eat some of nature's most naturally alkaline foods such as avocados and watermelon. Keep in mind, the scent will also activate the part of the brain that stores happy memories.

*Whenever you are feeling really blue, the best pick-me-up is simply calling a friend. Just a five minute chat with someone you care about triggers a rise in oxytocin, the "bonding hormone". According to a Harvard Nurses' Health Study, the more friends a woman has the less likely she is to develop age-related diseases!

So quash your tension, get out of a slump and feel that summertime happiness!