Relieve Your Anxiety With These 8 Essential Items
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Yoga
According to preliminary research presented at an Anxiety and Depression Association of America Conference, women with mildly elevated anxiety who practiced hot yoga twice a week found a reduction weight, improved mood and lessened anxiety.
You don't have to try the most strenuous yoga class to reap the benefits. Practicing yoga at any level can help you feel more relaxed and less anxious.
Give yoga a try! Discover a yoga studio or class near you.
Groupon Prices vary
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Adult Coloring Books
Coloring as meditation? Yes, please. Like other mindfulness techniques, coloring helps you to employ the focused concentration of only the task at hand, which enables you to keep worries and stressors at bay, according to Yoga Journal.
Unleash your inner child and enjoy the stress relief that comes with coloring animals, mandalas, nature scenes and more in an adult coloring book.
Adult Coloring Book: Stress-Relieving Animal Designs Available at Amazon ($5.34)
Photo courtesy of Amazon.
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Books
Knowledge is power. The more you know about anxiety and what causes it, the easier it will be to understand what is going on in your mind and body. Ask your doctor, friends or family if they have any recommendations for literature to help you put your mind at ease.
Dare: The New Way to End Anxiety and Stop Panic Attacks Available at Amazon ($16.16)
Photo courtesy of Amazon.
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Lavender
The smell of lavender is soothing, and for good reason. According to one study, lavender oil was as effective at treating generalized anxiety disorder as lorazepam (a drug used to treat anxiety).
Luckily the scent of lavender isn't hard to come by. Found in a variety of items--from aromatherapy oils and teas to soaps and candles, you can find the soothing smell in just about any product that works for your lifestyle.
Indigo Wild Zum Mist Aromatherapy Spray Available at Amazon ($10.79)
Photo courtesy of Amazon.
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Stress Monitor
Sometimes it's difficult to know how stressful your day was until you find yourself road raging down the highway on the commute home. Wouldn't it be nice if you could get a reading of your stress levels in real time?
Sensors in stress-tracking devices can measure electrodermal activity
to determine if you're stressed out and your level of stress. Apps integrate with the trackers to record your stress levels so you can learn to intercept your stressors ahead of time or cope with them.
Pip Stress Management Biosensor Available at Amazon ($179)
Photo courtesy of Amazon.
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Wearable Oil Diffuser
Bring your favorite, calming scent with you wherever you go with a lava rock beaded bracelet. Porous lava stones are great for holding aromatherapy oils all day long. Plus, some people believe that the lava stones themselves can contain healing properties.
Mystiqs Lava Rock Beaded Bracelet Essential Oil Diffuser Available at Amazon ($7.85)
Photo courtesy of Amazon.
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Fidget Toys
While there's no definitive research about whether or not fidget spinners, cubes and other busy toys actually help anxiety, they can keep your mind occupied and your fingers busy, sometimes enough to distract you from your stressors or to help you concentrate on the task at hand, rather than leaving your mind to dwell on any unpleasant thoughts.
Tepoinn Fidget Attention Cube Available at Amazon ($7.99)
Photo courtesy of Amazon.
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Weighted Blanket
Sometimes all you need is a hug. Let the effects of gravity hold you in its warm embrace with a weighted blanket. "In psychiatric care, weighted blankets are one of our most powerful tools for helping people who are anxious, upset and possibly on the verge of losing control," says occupational therapist Karen Moore in PTSD Journal.
The even pressure exerted by a weighted blanket signals your body to produce serotonin, which acts as a natural mood lifter and helps relax the nervous system. Serotonin converts to melatonin, signaling your body to relax and rest.
Weighted Blanket by YnM Available at Amazon ($130)
Photo courtesy of Amazon.
See more wellness slideshows
Lessen Your Anxiety With These 8 Calming Products
By: Elizabeth Lowry
Anxiety takes many forms. Sometimes it comes as a panicky feeling when you have to give a big presentation at work and you worry that you aren't prepared or you won't know the answers to everyone's questions. Maybe the very thought of giving the presentation makes you feel like you're going to puke.
For some, it comes as an all-encompassing fear that something terrible is going to happen to you or someone you love, for no foreseeable reason.
If these examples sound familiar, or you fall somewhere in between, you're not alone. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, anxiety affects 18.1 percent of adults in the United States.
No matter what form your anxiety takes, there are many stress-reducing strategies and products available that can help ease your mind and get you through the day a bit calmer and more relaxed.
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Yoga
According to preliminary research presented at an Anxiety and Depression Association of America Conference, women with mildly elevated anxiety who practiced hot yoga twice a week found a reduction weight, improved mood and lessened anxiety.
You don't have to try the most strenuous yoga class to reap the benefits. Practicing yoga at any level can help you feel more relaxed and less anxious.
Give yoga a try! Discover a yoga studio or class near you.
Groupon Prices vary
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