Spiraling thoughts are easily identifiable as any obsessive, repeat, or circuitous thoughts that grip your attention in a negative way. You become obsessed, and can’t stop thinking about that thing. This is a thought spiral, and they usually weigh you down. Spiraling thoughts make it so that it’s hard to focus on anything else, and […]
Anxiety Hacks
The 9 Best Free Guided Meditation Videos for Stress
In need of a good guided meditation? It’s hard to find quality apps and videos that aren’t locked behind a paywall. Fortunately, however, these free guided meditation videos on YouTube come from trusted sources who can effectively lead experienced meditators (and anxious newcomers) to experience calmness and relaxation through meditation. Below, after watching hundreds of […]
The ‘Psychic Sponge’ Effect: How To Be Less Sensitive To Other Peoples’ Emotions
Empaths who are highly sensitive to other people’s emotions are often exhausted by the so-called “psychic sponge” effect. When you’re a very sympathetic person that’s acutely aware of other people’s emotions and “vibes”, moreover, they call that being a “psychic sponge.” For people who identify with this level of heightened emotional awareness, navigating life can […]
This is “The Most Calming Song in the World” According to Neuroscientists
Hunting for relaxation music and want to get really clinical about it? Marconi Union’s “Weightless” is literally the most calming song in the world– at least according to neuroscientists. Allow me to explain further. In 2011, British ambient band Marconi Union worked with sound therapists and researchers from Mindlab International to specifically design an 8-minute […]
4 Mental Health Bath Recipes (aka Hydrotherapy!) To Improve Wellbeing
Baths are an ancient healing practice in almost every culture around the world, from the hot houses of Scandanavia and banyas of Russia to mud baths in Ecuador, hot springs in New Zealand, and ancient Indigenous parajes of the American Southwest. The therapeutic use of water to soothe mental and physical ailments (also known as […]
The 11 Most Effective Herbal Remedies For Insomnia
“People say, ‘I’m going to sleep now,’ as if it were nothing,” George Carlin once said. “But it’s really a bizarre activity. ‘For the next several hours, while the sun is gone, I’m going to become unconscious, temporarily losing command over everything I know and understand. When the sun returns, I will resume my life.’” […]
The 6 Best Free Meditation Apps of 2021
Whether you meditate for stress, sleep, or anxiety, these excellent free meditation apps offer a wide variety of soothing recordings to keep you calm, centered, and focused. A good meditation sets the tone for everything from a productive, inspired workday to a restorative night’s sleep. It also increases feelings of social connectedness and increases grey […]
6 Foods That Help Seasonal Affective Disorder (+ Other Helpful Lifestyle Hacks)
Also known as the “Winter Blues,” Seasonal Affective Disorder is a feeling of mild depression or anxiety that manifests during the cold, grey winter months. (It’s also sometimes referred to as the very appropriate acronym, SAD.) SAD symptoms include everything from fatigue, lethargy, and difficulty waking up to extreme anxiety, lack of motivation, and decreased […]
Relaxing DIY Gua Sha Facial For Releasing Face Tension
I love doing a DIY gua sha facial whenever my skin/face/upper body is feeling stressed. It’s a lovely relaxing ritual that eases facial tension and restores a beautiful glow to tired, over-worked skin. Plus, the slow, methodical movements require you to slow down, which produces a sort of meditative healing effect. Gua sha is a […]
10 Anxiety Hacks Every Nervous Person Should Know
Whether you’re in need of some serious stress relief or you’re worried about the state of the world, the below anxiety hacks are not just helpful, but they’re also practical. For a longer, more detailed version of our favorite hacks for functional anxiety relief (including more extensive links to peer-reviewed scientific research,) please consult our […]