STRESS—THE PRICE WE PAY FOR RUNNING THE RAT RACE. And the cost can be high. Research shows that prolonged stress can increase your risk or worsen symptoms of hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, immune dysfunction, sleep disorders, and more.

“But there are ways to calm yourself and change the way your mind and body react to stress, reducing your risk of developing stress-related disorders,” says Diane Reibel, PhD, director of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. Reibel offers this 10-minute mindfulness practice called Awareness of Breath:

FIND A QUIET SPOT, where you won’t be interrupted. Stretch and get into a comfortable upright position in a chair or on a cushion on the floor, then close your eyes and notice your breathing. Feel the sensations of the air as it enters and leaves your body. Wherever you experience your breath most vividly, perhaps in your nostrils, or with the rising and falling of your chest or abdomen, place your attention there and follow the path of each breath. When you start to daydream, plan, analyze, or worry, simply bring your attention gently back to the sensations of the breath. Give yourself 10 minutes to simply be—sitting and breathing. Your mind and body can settle, allowing calm and clear thoughts to shine through.

IF YOU TRULY CANNOT TAKE 10 MINUTES, but need to grasp a moment of calm, try Relaxing Sighs: Slowly breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth with a gentle sigh. Do this three times, pause, and repeat three times.

The number of points higher blood pressure readings can be in lonely people than in people with strong social connections.

Source: Newswise.com

Number of people who have called in sick because of stress rather than a physical ailment.

Source: Samaritans Survey