Rather than fuming as you inhale traffic fumes, cope with the gridlock by practicing the calming, balancing breathing techniques you do in yoga class, says Cyndi Lee, founder of OM Yoga in New York City.

Focus on your breath coming in and going out, and make each inhalation and exhalation the same length. As you breathe in, count silently to 5, for example, then exhale for 5 seconds. Think of the inhalation as energizing, whereas the exhalation should be more relaxing. (You can even say to yourself: energy in, stress out.)  “Balancing those two energies—active and energizing versus tranquil and calming—will make you feel more balanced, especially when you are over-stimulated,” says Lee. “Plus, it gives you something to concentrate on instead of the bumper in front of you, and you can do it with your eyes open!”

Okay, so you’ve accepted the traffic. What about the rage you feel when that selfish creep drives past you on the shoulder? Keep calm by changing the ratio of your breathing: Make the exhalation twice as long as the inhalation. For example, inhale for a silent count of 4 and exhale for 8, breathing in and out through your nose. “Make the exhales letting-go breaths, surrendering to what is, to tip the balance in that direction,” says Lee.

Other scenarios in which these yogic breathing exercises work: waiting in a long line or riding through turbulence on a plane.