Remember those advertisements of a harried woman trying to control her screaming children or appeasing a demanding boss. Suddenly, the woman is transformed into a warm, peaceful bubble bath with not a care in the world. If only it could be that easy to escape from life’s daily stresses and just relax.

Well, it can be. It just requires setting aside some time—even a minute or two—just for you.

Keep in mind that too much stress can negatively affect your health. It raises the levels of stress hormones, such as adrenaline, within your body; it can cause your blood pressure to rise; it can affect how your brain deals with memory and healing.

Numerous studies and research from such institutions as the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research and the National Institutes of Health have shown, though, that using relaxation techniques on a regular basis can help:

• Decrease the likelihood of a heart attack and stroke

• Protect you from mental health problems

• Improve your immune system function

• Aid memory and learning

• Improve your coping skills and make you feel better.

So are you ready to relax? Try one or more of these techniques.

1. Imagery. Imagine a scene that’s warm, comfortable and safe. Bring all of your senses into the image. For example, imagine lying on a beach: you may “see” cliffs, you may “hear” waves crashing, you may “smell” salt in the air. Your body will react to this peaceful scene almost as if it was real.

2. Progressive muscular relaxation (PMR). Tense up a group of your muscles, for example, your shoulders. Hold tight for a few seconds. Then relax them. Finally, consciously relax the muscles just one step further. By tensing first, you may find that it helps you relax more than would be the case if you tried to relax your muscles directly.

3. From top to bottom. Sit quietly and comfortably. Close your eyes. Start by relaxing the muscles of your feet and work up your body relaxing muscles. Focus on your breathing. Breathe in deeply and then let your breath out. Count your breaths and say the number of the breath as you let it out—this gives you something to do with your mind. Try and do this for 5 to 10 minutes.

4. Meditation. The idea behind meditation is to consciously relax your body and focus your thoughts on one thing for a sustained period. This occupies your mind, diverting it from the problems that are causing you stress. It also gives your body time to clear away stress hormones that may have built up.

5. Music. If you have an MP3 or an iPod, download some music that you find calming. Find a quiet place, sit down, place your feet up and turn your tunes on. You can also download pre-prepared relaxation music mixes or hypnosis programs from websites such as Mind Tools.

So give yourself a Calgon moment for a few minutes each day and you’ll soon notice how much better you feel.

Rebecca Heaton is a sports and fitness writer and editor of the Rocky Mountain Sports magazine based in Colorado. She also contributes to a number of regional sports and fitness publications around the country.