Tips to tame your road rage
by Karen Hawthorne for SheKnows.com
You've been there (maybe on a daily basis): gripping the steering wheel with both hands and gritting your teeth. There's no accident or construction to jam up the road, but you're boxed in by cars and trucks at a standstill and it's all you can do to stop yourself from hollering obscenities and ditching your wheels to hoof it instead. Before you let your road rage take the wheel, try these healthier coping strategies to get you through the traffic and your commute.
1. VISUALIZE YOUR HAPPY PLACE
Take a few deep breaths to relax and close your eyes for just a moment. Then imagine yourself in a peaceful setting, such as a beautiful beach at sunset or a meadow filled with flowers. Visualization can be a powerful tool to reduce anxiety and turn off the body's "fight or flight" stress response.
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Drown out those honking horns and heighten the experience even more by engaging your senses. How does the sand feel beneath your feet, and how do the waves lapping the shore sound and smell? What else do you see and feel around you in this tranquil place? Banish any negative, disruptive thoughts and focus on feeling safe and serene.
2. SNIFF TO CALM YOUR MIND AND IMPROVE YOUR MOOD
Aromatherapy is an ancient practice that uses herbs and plants for healing. Tote your favorite essential oil in your handbag, so you can de-stress simply by taking an indulgent whiff or putting a few dabs under your nose, ears or on your wrists for a longer lasting scent.
Lavender with its soft, powdery floral is one of the most soothing of scents and is often found in scented heating pads, pillow sprays and eye masks. You can try growing your own lavender, too, then dry it and make scented sachets to pack in your purse for on-the-go relief.
Another stress-relieving option is lemon balm, commonly used to eliminate tension and anxiety. It also has energizing properties to boost your mood and cleanse the environment, so you can clear out all those negative vibes inside your car.
3. CRANK THE TUNES AND FEEL GOOD
Listening to your favorite music will take your mind off the traffic and give you a feel-good jolt. Belting out lyrics will also loosen your jaw that has inevitably become stiff from all that traffic-induced teeth-gnashing.
>> Music News @ SheKnows.com
Why not swap out Fergie for some orchestral classics? New research released in the medical journal, Circulation, found that the heart rate, blood pressure and blood flow of healthy adults changed in response to musical crescendos and decrescendos in classical music. Researchers found that the decrescendos - the gradual decrease in volume and intensity - caused blood pressure, heart rate and breathing rates to drop.
"The profile of music (crescendo or decrescendo) is continuously tracked by the cardiovascular and respiratory systems," lead researcher Dr. Luciano Bernardi, a professor of internal medicine at Pavia University, stated in a news release from the American Heart Association.
The findings demonstrate how operatic music could be used in rehabilitative medicine, as a form of therapy for high blood pressure and other cardiovascular ills.
So why not tame the spike in your heart and breathing rates during a stressful scenario behind the wheel with a good dose of Beethoven? Your heart and health will thank you.
4. GET PRODUCTIVE WITH YOUR TIME BEHIND THE WHEEL
Let's face it: Getting stuck in traffic can be a huge time-waster, so take advantage of it as an opportunity to be productive. Use your hands-free Bluetooth to call a friend, check in with a client or book an appointment. Try an audio book for a compelling drama or mystery novel, or follow audio lessons to learn a new language and impress your boss.
5. TRY HEALTHY SNACKS AND SIPS TO KEEP YOUR ENERGY UP
Everyone can get cranky when they haven't eaten, so keep some healthy portable snacks in your bag to refuel on the road. A small amount of walnuts, peanuts or sunflower seeds can go a long way when it comes to satisfying hunger. Energy bars that aren't high in sugar and additives are another option, as is a simple piece of fresh fruit, like an apple or banana, which is naturally sweet and fiber-rich.
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Don't let yourself get dehydrated in the car, especially in the hot weather. While you don't want to guzzle, since stopping for a bathroom break is near impossible in traffic, take soothing sips of water, flavored water, fruit juice, home-brewed iced tea with honey or lemon, or a travel mug with hot or iced chamomile tea, known for its calming properties to treat stress and insomnia.
Perception is truly reality; you can choose to let traffic unleash your anger and road rage or you can see it in a more positive light. With these five stress-reducing traffic tips, it won't be long before you can view that traffic jam as simply giving you more time to relax.
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