Schedule a pre-work massage

High-performance individuals often book morning massage sessions as a way to manage stress, says Liz Bartucci, a licensed massage therapist and spa coordinator for The Spa at Equinox Gramercy. Research supports their habit: Studies have found that two 25-minute Swedish massages per week can significantly reduce work-related stress.

“Massage has the ability to turn on all the systems that cortisol has turned off,” Bartucci says. She points to studies conducted at the University of Miami that found that the practice increases blood flow, lowers blood pressure, and helps rid the body of toxins.

Other research shows that Swedish massage can cause a decrease in cortisol in the body and an increase in oxytocin. Lowering cortisol levels is especially important for athletes, she says, since having too much of the hormone can suppress your immune system and slow testosterone production, which inhibits recovery.