Feel your best effortlessly

It's the perfect time of year to embrace a slower pace and relax. That goes for your health too. Here, all the ways you'll improve body and mind as you unwind

- -BY GABRIELLE LICHTERMAN

Musical daydreams ward off sniffles

Listening to soothing melodies while imagining an uplifting scene (like a peaceful meadow) lowers your risk of catching a cold. In a Southern Methodist University study, volunteers who did this for 17 minutes every other day for six weeks experienced a significant rise in antibodies. Lulling tunes and daydreaming relax you, which helps the immune system function more robustly.

Sharpen your mind with lemonade

Nothing signals the sunny season like relaxing with a glass of lemonade and breathing in its zingy scent. Now, there’s another reason to slowly sip this sweet-tart treat: It instantly improves your working memory, helping you keep track of multiple pieces of information at once (like steps to a recipe). Research out of Japan shows that inhaling a lemon aroma activates key brain waves that enhance your ability to recall new information.

OR STRETCH Tilt your head to the left, then right, holding each pose for 15 seconds. Next, slowly roll your shoulders. Repeat twice more, and a Korean study shows you’ll experience faster mental speed and better concentration. Stretching your neck and shoulders increases blood flow to the brain.