How do you de-stress?

Have you ever come dangerously close to being late for work because you “temporarily” unplugged your Blackberry to charge up your electric toothbrush the night before…and forgot to plug it back in?

I’d like to say “Me neither,” but that’s exactly what happened to me this morning.

Running late always does something to me: It stresses me out, no matter how clean my teeth are.

The same goes for traffic jams, looming deadlines and (I admit it!) catching up on old episodes of Dexter. It all sends my body into stress mode.

And, apparently, I’m not alone. According to a recent survey by the American Psychological Association, almost half of women in the United States reported feeling increased levels of stress in the past year.

That’s a staggering amount, especially considering the effect that stress can have on our bodies and health: Experts have linked it to everything from headaches, sleeping problems and reduced concentration to increased blood pressure and even belly fat (due to a spike in the hormone cortisol).

So, what are you doing to add more calm to your life?

I love to meet with a friend for a warm cup of tea, run a bubble bath on a Friday night or take in a really good read (Do you have any suggestions? I’m currently working through Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda). I also love to get outdoors. There’s a cute little park by a lake in my city, and when I take walks there, feeling the nice warm breeze against my face in the spring, I can feel the stress exiting my body, sort of like a wrinkle being ironed out of a shirt.

I’d love to hear your de-stressing techniques. Do you hit the gym? Listen to music? Relax with a copy of Oxygen? Let me know!

And if you’re looking for some expert tips, check out Oxygen’s Abs Special issue, on sale April 12. We’ve got a whole article devoted to cutting some of your most common stressors.