Here are 10 things everybody should know. [But usually don't.]
-If your hand falls asleep while you're driving or sitting in an odd position, rock your head from side to side. It'll painlessly banish your pins and needles in less than a minute. A tingly hand or arm is often the result of compression in the bundle of nerves in your neck; loosening your neck muscles releases the pressure.
-If your throat tickles, scratch your ear! When the nerves in the ear are stimulated, it creates a reflex in the throat that can cause a muscle spasm.
-Need to pee? Fantasize about having sex with someone hott. Thinking about sex preoccupies your brain, so you won't feel as much discomfort. Also try running in place.
-Getting a shot? Coughing during an injection can lessen the pain of the needle stick. Also ask the doctor to dry the alcohol of the area before you get the shot.
- Clear your stuffed nose! Thrust your tongue against the roof of your mouth, then pressing between your eyebrows with one finger. This causes the vomer bone, which runs through the nasal passages to the mouth, to rock back and forth. The motion loosens congestion; after 20 seconds, you'll feel your sinuses start to drain.
-Drunk? Always put your hand on something sturdy to keep from falling.
-When you run, you exhale as your right foot hits the ground. This puts downward pressure on your liver and creates a side stitch, the fix: Exhale as your left foot strikes the ground.
-Nervous? Blow on your thumb. The vagus nerve, which governs heart rate, can be controlled through breathing. It'll get your heart rate back to normal.
-Brain Freeze? Press your tongue flat against the roof of your mouth. Ta da.
-Breathe underwater! Take several short breaths first. When you're underwater, it's not a lack of oxygen that makes you desperate for a breath; it's the buildup of carbon dioxide, which makes your blood acidic, which signals your brain that something isn't right. This tricks your brain into thinking it has more oxygen. It'll buy you up to 10 seconds.