Sitting at a desk for hours on end, staring at your computer screen, and scrunching your shoulders as you type can create a stiff neck and tense shoulders, or even a headache. Take a break and do these four stretches at your desk to offer some stress relief. Behind the Back Neck Stretch: offers a deep stretch in the sides of your neck Sitting on the edge of a sturdy chair, reach both hands Read more

Sometimes a "case of the Mondays" can follow us well into the work week. Looming deadlines, pressure from the boss, and a hectic day of meetings are enough to frazzle the calmest individual. Before you let stress take control of an otherwise productive workday, follow these tips for stopping stress before it takes full hold. Eat yourself to calm: While fatty junk foods may seem like the cure Read more

FitSugar reader YogaGirlAli loves doing yoga for stress relief — find out why! She shared this post in the Tone It Up community group. Be healthy. Feel beautiful. Have a steady mind. Wouldn't it be nice feel that way all the time? The reality is that we are often too tired or too busy to take the steps to get anywhere near there. Yoga and meditation can help you get there and lead a longer, Read more

There's no such thing as a stress-free life, but it's important to minimize those levels of cortisol — the stress hormone — that exist in our bodies. Stress can lead to many unwanted consequences. Read on to find out just why you should relax. It makes you gain weight. Stress means increased levels of the hormone cortisol, which signals to your body that you need to replenish calories as a Read more

If you ever find yourself in the midst of a panic attack or stressful moment, try taking a deep breath — no, a really deep breath. All of the yogis out there will already know what I'm talking about since deep breathing is an integral part of yoga. When I say "deep" what I'm really referring to is your diaphragm (the large muscle right below your lungs) because rather than up and down Read more

The following post was written by Olympic athlete and mom Kerri Walsh, two-time gold medalist in pairs beach volleyball. Here are my fave active stress relievers: Turn on your iPod, tie up your sneakers and go, go, go!! Choose a workout that will allow you to get in a "zone," then jog, spin, sweat that stress away. Dance: Create your favorite dance music station on Pandora, crank up the volume, Read more

Listening to music may not feel the same as getting a massage, but it does have the same calming effect. A new study shows that massage therapy is just as effective in reducing anxiety as lying down and listening to music. Researchers from the Group Health Research Institute randomly assigned 68 participants with 10 one-hour treatments: a massage with music, breathing deeply while lying down and Read more