Enjoying the scent of lemon, mango, lavender and other fragrant plants can reduce stress levels.
Scientists in Japan have reported the very first scientific evidence that inhaling certain fragrances can alter gene activity and blood chemistry, resulting in stress reduction. The study appears in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, a publication of the American Chemical Society.

The researchers noted that people have breathed in the scent of certain plants since ancient times to help reduce stress, conquer depression or induce sleep. Linalool is one of the most widely used substances to soothe away stress, but its effects on the body …read more

Earlier this week, WebMD reported the results of a Chinese study of the effect of meditation versus progressive relaxation on levels of stress hormones in participants’ saliva. I won’t keep you in suspense: The group of participants that learned meditation techniques showed dramatic stress reduction compared with the progressive relaxation group. And the really amazing thing is that the difference was noticeable in only 5 days. Yes, 5 days of meditation resulted in dramatically lower stress levels. How amazing is that?
Here are some handy online meditation resources if you want to give it a go:

Meditation Center
How to Meditate
Meditation Station
Meditation for …read more