Worrying is a common problem. It can make you miserable and can actually take a toll on your health. Some research has suggested that chronic elevation of stress hormones prompted by worry can damage areas of the brain and that worrying may reduce immunity, making you more susceptible to infection.

I don't mean to give you more to worry about. Not all worrying is bad – it can motivate you to plan ahead or take action when you're up against a real problem.

But non-productive worrying can become chronic and escalate into generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), which is characterized by physical symptoms including muscle tension, headaches, trembling, restlessness, sweating, abdominal upsets, dizziness and irritability.

My first recommendation to address a worrying habit is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), a form of psychotherapy that can help you recognize the distorted thinking patterns that can lead to worry and teach you to address them with healthy coping skills.

CBT works quickly - a great advantage. According to the National Association of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapists, the average number of sessions for all types of problems is only 16. To find a CBT therapist in your area, go to www.nacbt.org and click on "referrals."

You can also try these approaches, all of which can help you break the worrying habit and relieve the tension that accompanies worrying: