Stressed?

Now that the holidays are a fond memory, the long weeks of winter seem even longer.  Perhaps it is because of the shortened daylight hours, but the days seem to go on for forever.  Each day seems bleaker than the one before, making people testier than usual.  Add to that a long day at work and it is the perfect recipe for stress.

Many suggestions by noteworthy sources tell us how to cope with “cabin fever”, as it is often called.  Taking walks, getting exercise, and changes in diets are touted on being the cure.  Honestly now, who wants to take a walk when it is ten degrees outside and there is a wind whipping frozen rain in your face?

The thing that seems to help to relax me the most is listening to music for half an hour before dinner.  Any music will do, from Bach to the Beatles.  The thought of small respite at the end of the day starts to relax me even before I have left the office.  It has also become a wonderful time to talk and to reconnect with my husband.  No chatter about what went on at work, no complaining about the traffic, just quiet chitchat about what to plant in the garden come spring and where to go for summer vacation.

Sometimes, of course, schedules and deadlines rob me of this precious chill-down time, and that is when I have a restless night followed by a miserable day due to lack of sleep.  When that happens, I spend a little extra time with my music and everything is once again all right with the world.

How do you, gentle readers, relax after a long stressful day?  Inquiring minds want to know.

Stressed? Eat Chocolate!

Image via Wikipedia

As we prepare for Hurricane Irene’s arrival in New Jersey, I find myself delving into the Oreo cookies to keep my stress level at a minimum.

According to Science Daily, it is common to reach for comfort foods – chocolate, salty, or greasy food – during times of stress.  They cited a lot of highly technical explanations for this, but it came down a chemical in fatty foods that reduces the amount of adrenaline in your system and calms you down.

Now, that sounds all scientific and factual, and I’m sure a lot of research went into it, but I really don’t care.  I just know that when I bite into the crisp chocolate cookie and taste the creamy vanilla filling swirl around my tongue, all is right with the world.

What’s your favorite comfort food to help you deal with stress?