Commuter relief

3. Turn confinement into contentment
Change your thinking. Instead of feeling trapped in the car, use the time to unwind and indulge yourself!
• To make your trip more pleasant, pack your favourite beverage — be it a thermos of soothing herbal tea or a caffeine-packed bottle of Bawls.
• Check out the amazing selection of audio books available. Escape into a fictional world or put your time to good use learning Mandarin.
• How about an aromatherapy car diffuser? Scents widely considered to be relaxing include peppermint, vanilla, lavender and patchouli.

4. Soothe the savage beast
"Research has proven that music can calm people down," notes Dr. Peszat. Charmain Dennison, whose daily commute between Brampton and Scarborough, ON can take from anywhere from 1.5 to 4 hours, says "I swear by Lenny Kravitz — he makes the drive bearable!" Choose the tunes that soothe YOU…
• Many people find that classical music decreases feelings of stress— a little Mozart could be relaxing and perhaps make your mind sharper at the end of the ride!
• For nature lovers, the sound of the pounding surf, the wind in the trees or the chirping of frogs creates a sense of tranquility.
• Try out the New Age sounds of the synthesizer and pan flute to create an oasis of calm in the middle of rush hour.

5. When you lose your cool
Dr. Peszat recommends trying to diffuse explosive situations before they get out of control, "Getting angry won't help you, and provoking someone while in a fit of fury could have serious consequences." She suggests the following steps if you feel yourself teetering on the verge of road rage:
• Take a few deep breaths and calm yourself down
• Analyze the situation — is it that you were cut off or the fact that you're going to be late for an important meeting the real issue?
• Address the problem, if possible.
• Accept the things about the situation you can't change — like a long line of cars between you and the nearest highway exit!
And if you fear you're about to succumb to a fiery moment of road rage, Dr. Peszat has one final piece of advice on how to blow off a little steam — roll up the window and scream!