How can we unwind our stress “spring”?

For most of us, the tried and true method of unwinding is to take vacations (however, sadly, as many as one-third of U.S. workers aren't using their vacation time for a variety of reasons) and research has indicated that a simple annual vacation can cut the risk of heart attacks in men by 30 percent and in women by up to 50 percent! Those figures, alone, suggest that a vacation may be the biggest and best defense in our stress arsenals. But a vacation should only be one prong of that defense plan. Depending on a two week vacation to undo 50 weeks of stress is akin to thinking that you can take a "magical pill" to become... younger, slimmer, richer, happier, etc. (you name the malady.) Researchers studying stress at the University of Tel Aviv have found that the sad truth is that, while a vacation makes us feel better immediately upon returning back to work, those good effects seem to vanish entirely three weeks later.

But, if stress is bad for us and our employer why, then, are we literally killing ourselves?

These INCREDIBLE Machines

Let’s say you're into the eighth hour of driving your car down the highway. You've been making good time, but the car is feeling a little sluggish. Suddenly, the overheated light comes on. What do you do? Well, if you want to save your engine, you immediately pull over and turn off the car. Unfortunately, our bodies don't come equipped with lights that tell us when we're tired or overheated but they are machines just the same. Only with the proper fuel, maintenance and rest periods can we get the most out of these incredible machines.

So, how can you improve your life, reduce your stress year-round and, in the process, increase your lifespan?