How to reduce autumnal anxiety: 10 ways to relax
EVEN IF A LEARNER IS LONG BEHIND, THE END OF A VACATION SEASON and the beginning of the school year is associated with stress and increased workload. There is more work, more people are getting transported, the weather is getting worse - and it's time to hone the ability to relax, to calmly survive the autumn and winter. We have collected ten ways, the calming effect of which is confirmed by research and which will help to recover, even when it seems that everything collapses and goes out of control.
Drawing
Art therapy has already proven to be effective in treating depression, anxiety disorder, and other mental illnesses. After all, sometimes drawing what you feel is easier than telling. Forget about art lessons and harsh teacher: here you will not be required to clear lines, the "correct" composition or a certain combination of colors. Do what you want and how you want, the framework (they will be only on the canvas) and there are no estimates, the main thing is to approach this lesson consciously: take your mind off of your thoughts and focus on the process. According to the candidate of psychological sciences and assistant professor of Brooklyn College Jennifer Drake, only fifteen minutes of drawing noticeably uplifted.
Meditation
There are many myths around meditation - supposedly it is complex, incomprehensible, and generally only advanced yogas can do it. In fact, for successful meditation, it is not necessary to sit in the lotus position, learn mudras (special gestures and finger positions), or pronounce mantras. It is only important to choose a quiet place, concentrate on breathing and try to observe your thoughts. From the first time it is unlikely to succeed (from the second and third too), but the main thing here is regular practice. Start with short sessions: five to ten minutes a day is enough to form a habit. It is better to meditate in the morning or at bedtime, but even this is not considered a strict rule.
Meditation helps to reduce cortisol levels in the blood, reducing stress and increased anxiety, but this is not all. Last year, the Society for Integrative Oncology updated its guidelines - and now recommends using meditation as one of the ways to improve the physical and emotional state in breast cancer. Another study found that various mind and body practices, including meditation, alleviate the symptoms of menopause. And neuroscientist Sarah Lazar is convinced that eight weeks of regular meditation sessions can change the physical properties of the brain. During the experiments, Sarah and her colleagues discovered that the size of the amygdala (the area responsible for anxiety, fear, and stress) in people practicing meditation has decreased. This was followed by a reduction in stress levels.
Walking
Physical activity is useful in any form, and normal walks are also considered. With friends, a partner, a dog, or without anybody - it doesn't matter, just leave the house, when you want to relax or calm down, it really helps. Spending more time in the fresh air is also for those who are depressed. Walking an average of two hundred minutes a week, women noted that they had more energy, they felt better physically and emotionally, and it was easier for them to socialize. And if you increase the duration of walking up to seven hours a week, it will help reduce the risk of developing breast cancer after menopause - so say researchers from the American Cancer Society.
Sex
Hugging, kissing and having sex are very good for health - both physical and psychological. So, having sex reduces cortisol levels and relieves stress, so that a person feels more peaceful. According to the psychologist from the University of Paisley in the UK, Stuart Brodie, such a calming effect may occur due to the release of the hormone oxytocin, it is also called the hormone of love and affection. In addition, sex helps to better perceive and control their emotions, increase self-esteem and general well-being. And some studies do speak about the positive effect of sex on the memory of women.
Floating
Floating was invented and developed by neuropsychologist John Lilly. Translated from English, the term means "to float on the surface" - in fact, this happens during the procedure without any effort. The patient is immersed in water with a high concentration of salt rich in magnesium, so that the density of water is much higher than the density of the body - and it pushes a person to the surface (as in the Dead Sea in Israel). This happens in the chamber of sensory deprivation - it is clear from the name that a person in it is almost completely cut off from external stimuli, often in complete darkness.
Since the procedure has appeared recently, it is still poorly studied, so it is worthwhile to approach it carefully: it will be useful to consult with a psychotherapist if you observe him (after all, not everyone will be comfortable in a small closed space alone). Based on the studies already conducted, it can be said that floating (probably due to magnesium in salt) helps to relax muscles, speed up recovery after exercise, relieve stress, normalize the nervous system and even improve sleep. During the procedure, you should try to relax, although for the first time it will be difficult to do: the brain will not understand what the matter is, it will seem to you that you are drowning (in fact, this is impossible, do not be afraid).
Travels
It is not necessary to go to the other side of the world - it will be useful to leave just for or to another city, provided that you can feel like a tourist there. Studies show that holidays allow you to break away from routine, bad weather and problems at work, which helps a person to relieve stress, reduce anxiety and find peace of mind. Very short - four-day - trips have this effect. Even at the planning stage - drawing up a route, booking hotels, buying online tickets to museums - a person is in a good mood: a study conducted at Cornell University confirmed that waiting for a trip gives a person more pleasure than waiting for buying something tangible, such as a car. .
Pets
If you have long been thinking about having a pet, then this item is for you. In February of this year, Helen Brooks, a lecturer at the Institute of Psychology, Health and Society (University of Liverpool), and her colleagues published a systematic review of the effects of pets on people's emotional health. After analyzing more than eight thousand articles, they came to the conclusion that pets helped their owners better control their emotions and helped reduce the severity of symptoms of mental illness.
According to Brooks, this effect was achieved due to the fact that pets accept people as they are (and the person understands this), and give them unconditional support that research participants did not receive from their family or friends. According to experts of the Mental Health Foundation, games and walks with pets, especially with dogs, help to relax and calm the mind. And in moments of despair, caring for pets can be the only incentive to get out of bed - it helps a person to realize their value and need. The main thing is to approach the question responsibly: consider the option to take an animal from a shelter and do not forget that you need to systematically deal with any animal.
Autogenic training
Those who do not like to engage in fitness, can exhale: no physical exercises will not have to do. Autogenic training is a method of therapy aimed at relaxing the body, relieving tension and stress. At first, it is better to conduct auto-training sessions under the supervision of a specialist. It will help you learn to properly relax - so that it does not lead to a deterioration of the patient’s condition, anxiety or panic attacks (and this can happen).
Then you can bring yourself into emotional order at home. The main thing is not to make the basic mistake of all newcomers - do not force yourself to relax, everything should flow naturally. The indications of the application of auto-training include not only stress or fatigue, but also anxiety and depressive disorders, sleep disturbance, irritable bowel syndrome, high blood pressure caused by stress. The results of the research show that this method of therapy really suits some people.
Massage
What could be better and more pleasant than laying out on a massage table after a day at the office? Although the benefits of massage for health (for example, that it helps to level the posture or relieve back pain) is still debatable, there is almost no doubt that it helps to relax the body and mind. In one study, participants who received a massage experienced a decrease in anxiety level. There are many types of massage: hot stones (stone therapy), herbal bags, aromatic, honey, Thai, soapy - choose any, but again do not expect anything from them but relaxation.
Music
Music has existed for 250 thousand years, and maybe even more - psychologists, anthropologists, musicologists, and neuroscientists have long been studying its origin, properties, goals, and effects. Scientists have made significant progress in researching the effect of music on a person’s emotional and physical health: for example, they have found that music reduces the level of the stress hormone (cortisol) and even can alleviate pain. In a study in 2013, doctors found that listening to music reduces anxiety in people before surgery.
You yourself probably without any research noticed that after listening to your favorite album it becomes easier. In one study, scientists polled 834 people to find out what music gives them. It turned out that a lot: music helps people to think about feelings, to better understand others, to believe in their own strength, not to lose heart and find the meaning of life. By the way, we have already made a list of what is worth listening to this fall.
PHOTO: MoMA, CGiHeart - stock.adobe.com, amstockphoto - stock.adobe.com, H & M
