Stress is a part of life, but it seems like lately with the economy in the state it's in (and gas prices skyrocketing to record high after record high), it's getting to be more than just a part of life -- for some of us, stress has downright taken over our lives.

Stress is bad, there's no doubt about that. Sure, in the case of meeting a bear in the woods, stress might help you run faster (or are you supposed stand still?) but in a civilized society, stress doesn't do much more than make us sick. Chronic mental illnesses like depression and anxiety are often directly linked to stress, as are physical conditions like high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, insomnia, and obesity, to name just a few from an ever growing list.

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We're all stressed way too much -- I don't think anybody disputes that. Our schedules are too busy, our jobs too demanding, our family times too rushed. And although it seems like we're always talking about how we need to take it easy and relax,how often do we really make good on that? One bubble bath once every six months just isn't going to cut it!

The best stress relief happens when it's built right into your life, and the trick is to form a set of habits that you do on a regular basis without really thinking about it. You don't have to think "this action is meant to decrease my stress" in order to reap the relaxing and re-energizing benefits from it. Here are 5 ways to build stress-relief into your life:

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We live in a culture of self-created and self-perpetuated stress. We create it for ourselves and we create it for each other, and since there's no way to give society a complete overhaul and change the way things work it takes some strategy to deal with it. Stress comes from all different areas of our lives, but one of the most common and recognizable is job-related stress. Very few people have completely stress-free careers -- in fact right now I can't even come up with one single example (and it's stressing me out!) -- so how you deal with the stress, and what kind of stress you allow, is key.

Identifying job stress

So the first step in minimizing stress at work is identifying exactly where it's coming from and how it's manifesting itself.

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Are you somebody who looks forward to the holiday season, or dreads it? I think we all battle with the stresses of balancing family, friends, working, shopping, eating right, exercising, and (deep breath) traveling while also trying to keep some sense of sanity in our lives. And it is not easy. But paying attention to key things like what you're eating, how much physical exercise you're getting, and how well you're watching for warning signs that you're getting too run down is key. Try these ways to deal with your holiday stress and let us know in the comments if you have any other tricks that work for you!

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Ugh, holiday weight gain. Yes, it's mostly the treats and meals and festive decadence, but there's no doubt it also has something to do with the stressful and hectic nature of the season. It's just so hard to find time for working out and eating right when your regular routine is completely in shambles. There's shopping trips, cooking, traveling, and visiting with family that all make it near impossible to keep a healthy handle on things, and then throw in holiday parties and obscure relatives and friends coming out of the woodwork and you might as well kiss your healthy efforts goodbye -- and say hello to those extra holiday pounds.

Unless you can learn to just say 'no' nicely and manage your schedule a little better.

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Working women: do you feel like you're expected to do it all? I'm a big believer in setting yourself up for success in life, meaning making a point to work everyday towards having the life you really want. And for some women that life does in fact mean doing it all and having it all. But along with that dream comes a slew of stress, which means that learning how to manage and relieve that stress is paramount to success in both the big long-term pictures and the small short-term every day ones.

Here are some suggestions that may help if you find yourself struggling, and as always: feel free to share with us whatever works for you!

• Manage your finances and allow yourself a few treats Many women tend to feel guilty about spending any money on themselves, but by setting aside a little every week or month to use on treating yourself to something fun and relaxing you can not only help relieve some of the stress from piling up but you'll have more energy and a better attitude to put towards work, your family, and all your daily tasks.
  

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If you're having trouble staying on track with your workout it might have something to do with your stress level. It's hard to make time for working out if you're already feeling rushed with a mile-long 'to do" list, but if you can just get yourself started exercise can be a great outlet and a wonderful way to relax. But not all forms of exercise are created equal in this department -- some are much more relaxing than others.

The best workouts for relieving stress:

• Yoga and Pilates. The stretching and controlled breathing help to relax you and to relieve anxiety. It's important to make sure you're doing the moves correctly though, so if you're a beginner it would probably be a good idea to enroll in a class.
  
• The Batting Cage. This one sounds like FUN. Improve coordination and release stress by smacking some balls with everything you've got. It's surprisingly inexpensive and they can be found in most areas if you know where to look (usually private gyms or family-oriented amusement parks).

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• Figure out what is causing your stress
• Talk about it with somebody close to you
• Eat a healthy well-balanced diet
• Get enough sleep
• Exercise regularly
• Consume caffeine and alcohol in moderation while avoiding drugs and smoking altogether
• Try relaxing with meditation or yoga
• Spend time with people who make you happy
• Make time for fun activities

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If you've had a heart attack recently but think you're feeling well enough to go back to work, you may want to think again. According to a study conducted by researchers at the University of Laval in Quebec, for those who have suffered a heart attack, going back to work at a stressful job can lead to another heart episode.

Results of the study showed that both men and women who returned to a high stress work environment were at twice the risk of experiencing another heard attack irregardless of age, marital status and education. Unfortunately, it's isn't realistic for most people not to return their jobs after a significant heart event.

So what should you do if you've had a heart attack and have to go back to work? According to the article, you need to find ways to lessen mental and physical strain at your job. Suggestions include eating healthier lunches, going for walks during breaks, learning how to be assertive when dealing with colleagues and more.

Have you got any tips on how to make work a healthier, more relaxing place to be?

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The ancient Ayurvedic herb Holy basil is finding new friends here in the States. Its cortisol-reducing properties and stress-relieving effects are quite the hit with our ever-growing tense and obese population, and some even say it has other healing properties like helping manage diabetes and blood sugar levels.

So it seems Holy basil, or Ocimum sanctum, may be worth looking into. One suggestion, however, is that despite the name "basil" it's not something you probably want to sprinkle on your spaghetti or into any other cooking (it has a sharp clove-like flavor).

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For many people, flying can be really nerve-wracking. Getting to the airport on time, putting all liquids in clear, resealable bags, remembering important travel documents, the threat of lost luggage, making connections and much more, make airplane journey's stressful.

With all of these things to think about, you definitely don't want to also have to worry about getting sick or feeling ill on-board. In order to stay as healthy and happy as possible on your next flight, get prepared ahead of time with these 10 tips from AOL Body .

Suggestions include everything from making sure to get up and move around in order to prevent deep vein thrombosis (DVT) , washing hands or using antibacterial wipes to avoid picking up germs from your seatmates and swallowing, chewing gum and yawning to pop blocked ears. For more information on these as well as additional tips, such as staying hydrated and avoiding alcohol, check out the entire piece here on AOL Body.

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How often do you chew gum? Do you chew just to freshen your breath or as a way to relieve stress? I bet it does relax you at least a little, whether you realize it or not, because that's part of the appeal of gum versus breath mints. But chewing gum can cause problems if you overdo it (like anything) especially if you're feeling tense to begin with. According to the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, chewing gum when you're stressed can cause you to chew more vigorously, which can lead to any number of problems like a strained jaw, fatigue, soreness, and even a serious condition of the jaw joint called TMJ.

Huh, who knew?

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Nobody is surprised anymore to hear that stress is unhealthy for the human body in many many ways, including contributing to weight gain and heart disease. But stress is one of those things that no matter how bad we know it is for us it's still difficult to get rid of because it's embedded into our everyday lives. But over at The Diet Blog they came up with a great list of 17 ways to reduce stress, because you can never get too much help or hear too many ideas in that department. My favorites from their list? Listening to music and playing with my cats and dog.

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I love to exercise (most of the time) but it's not always easy to squeeze it into my busy schedule. Of course there's always time for work, and I've been jealous in the past of people who have jobs they love that keep them moving -- like fitness instructors at the gym and professional athletes. How great would it be to have physical exercise be a part of your everyday life without any real scheduling efforts on your part? I mean, I know regular exercise is a lifestyle choice for all of us (or should be) but it would be so much easier if it just came, whether you liked it or not, as part of how you make your living.

That's just my "I wish" spoiled side coming out, and in truth after reading this article I'm not so sure all the physical jobs out there are so great after all. Because although exercise and physical fitness have long been attributed with helping reduce the risk of cardiovascular and heart disease, it seems that if that exercise comes related to work the benefits might not be there. And not only do physically demanding jobs not necessarily reduce heart disease risk, but in many cases they actually make it worse!

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We always focus on making lists of things we need to do and inevitably end up feeling stressed out and overwhelmed by it all, when in reality a "not to do" list" may be much better for both our productivity and our health.

No, nobody is saying you should suddenly start shirking responsibilities. But by taking some time to realize what you waste time on every day you can make a list of things 'not to do' and you'll end up making room for all kinds of other things. By having more control over your time you'll naturally reduce stress and be productive. And that's good for all of us!

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