It seems as if the Age of Anxiety has eclipsed the Age of Aquarius. In this time of COVID-19, quarantine, and social distancing, many people are feeling stressed, isolated, and anxious. Depression is on the rise. Uncertainty wreaks havoc on our mental well-being.
According to the CDC,
“Fear and anxiety about a new disease and what could happen can be overwhelming and cause strong emotions in adults and children.”
To stay busy and decompress, Coral Springs resident Lanie Hyman Shapiro, a market research consultant, takes an on-line exercise class twice a week.
“I look forward to it,” she says. “Even if I’m napping, I make sure to get up for the class.”
She finds cooking and meal planning help her to focus on something besides reality. She takes her dog for a walk and has completed five puzzles back-to-back.
“I find it very satisfying and relaxing,” she says.
Additionally, she binged Schitt’s Creek on Netflix and the Hulu Shows “Better Things” and “Little Fires Everywhere.”
To stay connected, she chats with friends regularly and keeps in touch on social media.
Here are some other possible methods for reducing stress and anxiety.
Scented massage oils
Try some aromatherapy skin products or scented massage oils in lemon, rosemary, or lavender.
Science has shown a pain-relieving mechanism from the nose to the brain. Exposing your senses to strong scents and smells helps alleviate stress and anxiety, and creates a sense of well-being in the body.
Olfactory receptors in the nose trigger a strong sense of smell, which then sends signals to the brain, reducing swelling to the nerves. Studies show that aromatherapy can improve brain chemistry, boost the production of dopamine, and fight stress.
Sharon Fried Buchalter, a Boca Raton psychologist and CEO of Products on the Go, which makes the lifestyle brands, Little Toes and Sunshine On The Go, recommends destressing with mindfulness meditation, a breathing technique that keeps your mind focused on the present.
Products On The Go’s natural massage oil is great to use individually, or as an aromatherapy relaxation massage oil for couples, says Dr. Buchalter. Made with natural oils that hydrate and moisturize your skin, they stimulate your senses with their nature-inspired scents, which can lower stress levels.
Visit products-onthego.com or sunshineonthego.com
Weighted blankets – (Gravity blankets)
Snuggling up with a weighted blanket can not only help you feel calmer and less anxious but can help you sleep better – no sleeping pills necessary.
Typically weighing between 5-30 lbs., experts say to choose one around 10 percent of your body weight (or 5 percent for children).
How does it work? Experts say the weight of the blanket mimics a therapeutic technique known as deep pressure stimulation which calms the nervous system.
It is believed that grounding your body while sleeping can lower cortisol levels, which helps improve blood pressure, heart rate, glucose levels, and even boosts the serotonin in your brain.
And all this while you’re sleeping – what more could you ask of your blanket?
Adult coloring books
One of the latest trends to emerge from our time at home is the popularity of adult coloring books as a way to relieve anxiety and boredom.
They help you relax by utilizing different areas of the brain to improve motor skills, senses, and creativity. Think of it as coloring meditation. Your focus is on the task at hand and not on your troubles.
For an extra bonus, try your coloring skills on geometric mandalas. A 2005 study by the American Art Therapy Association Inc. concluded that coloring complex geometric patterns induces a meditative state beneficial for reducing anxiety. Even psychologist Carl Jung had his patients color mandalas 100 years ago as a way to relax and learn more about themselves.
Magnetic Zen garden
If you can’t join a monastery in Bhutan, at least you can bring a Zen garden to your home. Ancient Buddhists used Zen gardens for meditation and you can, too.
These desk-top sized gardens come with magnetic sand, smooth stones, gravel, greenery, and figurines replicating the serene nature of a Japanese garden and promote a meditative state of mind.
The Japanese concepts of Kanso (simplicity) and Fukinsei (asymmetrical balance) contribute to the garden’s grace and appeal.
They can remind you to breathe and that perfection is unattainable, simplicity is beautiful and that attachment to materialism and desires are ephemeral.
Fidget spinner – Not just for kids anymore
Invented by chemical engineer Catherine Hettinger in the early ‘90s, these triangle-shaped gadgets have been all the rage with middle- schoolers.
But, for adults, fidget spinners, considered a rapid stress management technique (RSMT), can relieve stress and distract us from ruminating about our problems.
Proponents believe they can help with anxiety, ADHD, and even autism, although there is only anecdotal evidence to support this.
One of Amazon’s best selling toys, fidget spinners can put us in a state of mindfulness meditation, and through their nature to soothe, empty our minds and channel our nervous energy.
Portable Shiatsu massager
Japanese Shiatsu (finger pressure) massage can enrich your physical, emotional, and cognitive health and promote overall well-being, similar to acupuncture, but without the needles.
It allows the qi (pronounced chi) to flow freely, which contributes to keeping the body in balance.
In addition to relieving stress, Shiatsu helps relieve anxiety and depression, and can even boost your mood.
Practitioners believe the treatment calms the sympathetic nervous system and — in turn — stimulates circulation, reduces stress, and mitigates pain.
A portable massager lets you relax at a moment’s notice. Some units come with heat, vibration, different intensities, etc. Look for one that delivers a deep tissue massage and leaves you in a relaxed state of bliss.
By Jan Engoren