4 stories that will warm your heart

Having one of those days? Experts assure that inner peace is well within reach. Here, how to get centered—fast

Racing heart. Tight chest. Pounding head. If you’re noticing more “tells” of tension in your life, you’re not alone: A recent survey by the American Psychological Association found an uptick in side effects of stress like anxiety, anger and exhaustion, with women feeling it worse than men.

“Stress is telling you that your life is out of alignment,” says John Forsyth, Ph.D., coauthor of Anxiety Happens. “It can be a wake-up call that you’re filling your days with things that don’t really matter to you and a reminder to treat yourself with kindness and love.”

But when you’re white-knuckling it, self-care is likely the farthest thing from your mind: “Stress stimulates the release of cortisol, which helps you prepare for action,” explains Forsyth. “With chronic stress, cortisol keeps being released, which has negative effects on memory, mood and health.” Plus, Forsyth says the mind is constantly making connections and relating new events to old stuff in your personal history, so one fraught moment (losing your keys) can trigger a cascade of negative thoughts and feelings (Why am I so disorganized? I’m always late! Nothing ever goes my way).

The good news: “It just takes a moment to interrupt that snowball effect,” assures Forsyth. And soothing stress on the spot prevents unpleasant symptoms from spiraling any further. Simply identify the way tension tends to manifest in your life and read on for the steps to take you from keyed up to calm—in no time!