| May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a good time to think about ways in which you can protect your mental health, including taking steps to manage stress. Long-term stress can contribute to or worsen many mental and physical health problems. But fortunately, there are ways to counteract its effects. We have access to a built-in stress reset button that acts as an antidote to stress. Its called the relaxation response. Its the opposite of your bodys response to stress. The relaxation response slows your heart rate, lowers your blood pressure, and decreases oxygen consumption and levels of stress hormones. By learning simple techniques that produce the relaxation responsesuch as progressive muscle relaxation, simple mindfulness exercises, and slow, deep breathingyou can help prevent stress from building up. Thats good for both your mind and your body. | 