Tips to Handle Road Rage

Millions of commuters around the world start and end their workdays with 30 to 90 minutes of noise, exhaust fumes and slow-motion frustration, surrounded by others who are under just as much stress as they are.

Unfortunately, a grueling drive in traffic can have a huge negative impact on your well-being and raise your stress hormonesdefine sky-high long before you get to the office.

A few tips to ease the strain:

• Be prepared: Start by getting up at an hour that leaves you with plenty of time for your morning routines, including a nice, leisurely breakfast and some nice family interaction. Waking up late, jumping in and out of the shower and then dashing out the door with the travel mug of coffee and a slice of toast is no way to start a stress-free day.

• Relax behind the wheel: Before you turn on the ignition, take a few deep, slow breaths. Picture the tension flowing out of your body wit each exhalation. Repeat this whenever heavy traffic or some insensitive road hog starts getting over your head. If your neck and shoulders begin to tense, consciously contract those muscles, and then release them.

• Get comfortable: Sit close enough to the pedals to keep your lower legs bent at a 45 degree angle to your thighs and your elbows comfortably flexed.

o Set your seat as upright as it will go.

o Try a back support if your back gets tired.

• Keep a safe distance: Leave adequate space between your vehicle and the one in front of you. Tailgating is a sure prescription for accidents and it only adds to the stress of the drive. When you’re on someone’s bumper, you have to brake and speed up constantly to avoid a collision. When someone’s tailgating you, just move out of the way.

• Drive less or not at all: For some people, carpooling or taking a bus or train decreases the stress of commuting. The advantages are clear: less air and noise pollution, less traffic congestion, and in many cases a fester journey in rush hours.

• Distract yourself: If you absolutely must drive, try taking a new route along a side road that won’t clog as much as main thoroughfares. Bring along a tape or CD to help take the edge off the traffic jam.