2Always stressed? Stay upbeat with a woodsy scent!

Are many of your days crowded with responsibilities, deadlines and errands? You can keep your tension low and your mood high by placing three drops each of pine and cypress essential oils on a cottonball, tucking it into a sealable plastic bag, then inhaling the woodsy aroma for one minute in the morning, afternoon and evening, reveals a study in the Korean Journal of Adult Nursing.

It works! Scent compounds in pine and cypress oils slow the release of the stress hormone cortisol and stop your blood pressure from spiking, making you more resilient even on hectic days! And have a cup of rich hot chocolate! Melt chopped dark chocolate with low-fat milk, honey and vanilla, and the flavonoids in the chocolate will rein in your stress response, reports the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Plus, milk contains a protein that helps lower blood pressure and potassium, which soothes tense muscles.