6 Surprising stress fixes

1: Smooch spontaneously
A recent study of 2,000 couples showed that those who kiss only during lovemaking are eight times more likely to report suffering from stress and depression than those who frequently kiss on the spur of the moment. Kissing relieves stress by creating a sense of connectedness, which releases endorphins, the chemicals that counteract stress and depression.

2: Take the cuddle cure
Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill recently found that holding hands and hugging can measurably reduce stress. Other studies have found that a hug from a friend or a professional massage can also help banish tension.

3: Lash out less
When married couples argue, men are more likely than women to withdraw — and this frustrates their wives. The way a woman deals with frustration during hostile arguments can measurably affect her stress load, and thus her physical health. Women who responded to their husbands with verbal hostility showed elevated stress-hormone levels during arguments and for hours afterward.

4: Put the kettle on
In a recent study, scientists at University College London noted that people who drank black tea four times a day for six weeks had lower levels of cortisol after a stressful task than those who drank a caffeinated fruit beverage. Research also shows that a substance in green tea leaves, L-Theanine, may shift brain wave activity from the beta waves that accompany anxiety to the alpha waves associated with relaxation.

5: Loosen your electronic leash
A two-year study of 1,367 working men and women in New York State, two-thirds of them parents, found that all were overburdened by a blurring of the divide between the workplace and home.

6: Reflect on what you value
When your frazzle level is so high you feel yourself spiraling out of control, a quick way to re-center is to remind yourself of what's most important in your life.