Your Personal Rx for Stress

You feel a reverent connection to the universe. Whether or not you participate in any organized religion, you believe that there is a higher power that gives you direction in your life and protects you.

You Know You're One If . . . Repeating a prayer or a spiritual mantra during anxious times calms and comforts you.

You feel a deep sense of the sacredness of all things, like the splendor of a spring day or the divinity of a sunset.

You wouldn't hurt a fly. Literally.

StressRx: Repeating a short spiritual concentration phrase such as "the Lord is my shepherd," or "God is with me" is probably your best antidote for stress. (Secular mantras such as "be calm," or "relaxed mind, calm body" do nothing for you.) But again, be picky. "Choose a phrase that resonates with you," says Seskevich.

Other Options: Listening to spiritually themed yoga and meditation tapes that use outdoor imagery, or carrying something with you that evokes a feeling of solace and protection, such as the rosary or even a photo of a nature scene. But don't try to force it, cautions Dr. McWhorter. "Spirituality is highly individual. You need to find something simple that connects you." Repeat your mantra to yourself a few times or pull out the photo and look at it just as your stress level begins to build—say, when your boss calls you on the carpet or the basement floods.