Your stress may be bad for your child's lungs.

RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—Moms and dads under a lot of stress may be increasing their children’s risks of getting asthma, especially if they live near heavy sources of air pollution, finds a new study. The research, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, finds that the combination of stressed-out parents and traffic-related pollution could increase a child’s chances of getting the disease by 51 percent.

THE DETAILS: The authors followed 2,497 children who were living in southern California for three years. At the start of the study, the children, who were between 5 and 9 years old, had no history of asthma, and their parents filled out questionnaires about smoking during pregnancy, education levels (to determine socioeconomic status), and stress levels. Levels of traffic-related pollution were also measured at the homes over the three-year study. Only 120 children developed asthma over the course of the study, but among those that did, children who were exposed to high levels of traffic-related pollution and whose parents considered themselves overwhelmed with life had a 51 percent higher risk of developing asthma than kids with mellow moms and dads. Children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds had an increased asthma risk linked not only to traffic pollution, but also to tobacco smoke they were exposed to in the womb.

WHAT IT MEANS: It may be hard to avoid environmental asthma triggers, such as air pollution, but knowing that psychology plays a role in the disease can at least help you from exacerbating it in your children. The study’s authors note that just as air pollution can promote the inflammation in the lungs that’s characteristic of asthma, stress can trigger inflammatory reactions, as well, which might exacerbate the condition. And you’ll be doing yourself a favor by reducing stress; it’s been linked to a host of chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, and obesity, in addition to hindering your immune system.

However, it can be particularly difficult for parents to keep from feeling overwhelmed in the midst of a recession when finances, job situations, and the general obligations of parenthood can break the limits of sanity.

When life starts to get to you, here are a few ways to calm down:

• Take a micro moment. Being mindful of your present surroundings helps you ward off the stress of your day and to face what awaits you at home—hyper toddlers, homework, or angst-ridden teens. Take a moment to pay attention to everything around you and find one thing that you’re grateful for. These small moments of positivity help you deal with life’s stressors and curveballs.

• Take a walk with some nuts. Studies have found that being in nature and appreciating natural surroundings is a very effective stress buster, and other research has found that some foods are helpful at alleviating stress: almonds, pistachios, walnuts, and a cup of skim milk. Bring your kids along to give them a healthy way to expend some pent-up energy.

• Schedule some together time. Parents may feel guilty about taking time for themselves, but sex cuts down on both anxiety and stress. When you and your partner can’t break away, each other, and your kids, lots of hugs and kisses—no matter how difficult they’re being. Hugging and kissing can boost levels of oxytocin, a stress-reducing hormone.