Bounce back from holiday burnout

As jazzed as we were when holiday invites arrived, by now we may feel a little more meh than merry. Turns out there’s a scientific reason for that: Socializing depletes your brain’s stores of a chemical called GABA that helps you feel calm, content and focused. To correct the shortfall and banish the blahs…

Turn off the noise

Your brain makes GABA when everything is calm, then uses this chemical to help you cope when life gets hectic. No wonder University of Connecticut researchers say 12 minutes of blissful silence daily can boost your GABA stores by 30%. Adds neurologist David Perlmutter, M.D., don’t worry if your brain seems to be chattering away nonstop— that’s just the busyness in your head that’s normally drowned out by our noisy world.

Peel a sweet clementine

Slice a grapefruit, squeeze a lime… citrus is at its peak of deliciousness right now, and taking a one-minute break to inhale its sweet, tart scent could help you feel 45% calmer and happier for up to three hours— even if you don’t eat the fruit, suggests research in the journal Nutrients. Turns out, citrus’ aromatic oils instantly energize the brain nerves that produce calming GABA.

Brew a cup of green tea

Despite the fact that most brands of green tea contain some caffeine, it’s become the go-to brew for people trying to soothe stress. That’s because green tea is brimming with one of the key building blocks that your brain needs to make GABA— an amino acid called L-theanine. No wonder Asian researchers say drinking three cups of green tea daily can lead to a 53% drop in all-day stress, anxiety and burnout in just two days!

Sprinkle on nutmeg

Love nutmeg? So does your brain! A study in the journal Biomedical Research suggests adding a pinch of this sweet spice can kickstart GABA production in as little as 20 minutes. Explains study co-author Steffen Hering, PH.D., thanks goes to two nutmeg compounds (myristicin and alpha-terpineol), which switch on Gaba-producing enzymes in your brain.