Mental Wellness: Managing Stress and Anxiety Naturally
When it comes to managing stress and anxiety, sometimes it feels like all the answers point us back to the same place: medications, endless work-life balance tips, or perhaps a standard meditation app. But what if there were more inventive ways to handle stress and anxiety? Today, let’s explore various natural and lesser-known approaches, each designed to help you manage mental wellness in your way.
Understanding Stress and Anxiety: The “Check Engine” Light
Think of stress and anxiety as the mind’s “check engine” light—a signal that there’s something beneath the surface that needs attention. Ignoring it might be tempting, but as anyone who’s driven too long with that light on knows, it’ll only lead to bigger problems down the road.
Let’s take a look at some unique and natural strategies to help turn that “check engine” light off, all while creating daily habits that add up to a strong, balanced mental wellness routine.
1. Art Therapy: Unlock Creativity as a Form of Healing
No, you don’t have to be a “good artist” for art therapy to work its magic. Whether it’s painting, doodling, or sculpting clay, art therapy provides a physical and expressive outlet for your emotions. Often, emotions that feel overwhelming in words can find their way out through colors, shapes, and strokes on a page.
How to Start:
- Try spending 10 minutes each day with whatever materials you have on hand—crayons, markers, clay, or even old magazines for a collage.
- Don’t aim for perfection; just let your hands move. Draw out your stress by scribbling or doodling whatever feels right. It’s not about creating something “good” but rather letting emotions flow naturally.
Example in Practice: For Julia, a stressed-out accountant, art therapy started as a simple sketch of her to-do list spiraling out of control. Over time, she found it helped her identify her stressors visually and left her with a sense of release she couldn’t get from any words.
2. Sound Baths and Vibrational Healing
Sound baths and vibrational healing use gongs, singing bowls, and other instruments that emit calming, low-frequency sounds. These sounds are thought to help shift your brain into a deeply relaxed state, making sound baths a relaxing option for reducing anxiety. Some wellness centers offer group sound baths, but you can try this at home too with an online playlist or a portable sound bowl.
How to Start:
- Find a comfortable spot, ideally lying down, with your eyes closed.
- Put on a sound bath recording (try YouTube or a sound meditation app).
- Let the sounds guide you, focusing on how each note makes you feel and where it resonates in your body.
Example in Practice: Mark, a high school teacher, discovered sound baths after a hectic semester. Just 15 minutes of this meditative experience felt like a mental massage, helping him de-stress before heading into his weekend.
3. Nature as Your Therapist: The “Earthing” Practice
Connecting with the Earth directly—also known as “earthing” or “grounding”—is a calming practice that involves physical contact with the ground. Studies have shown that direct contact with the earth, like standing barefoot on grass or sand, can reduce inflammation, improve sleep, and decrease anxiety by realigning the body’s natural rhythms with the planet’s energy.
How to Start:
- Try spending at least 10 minutes a day barefoot on a natural surface—grass, sand, soil, or even river rocks.
- Sit, lie down, or stand in one place, feeling the ground beneath your feet, and breathe deeply.
- Focus on how the natural surface feels against your skin and notice any immediate sensations of calmness or peace.
Example in Practice: Rosa, a digital marketer, has made “earthing” part of her daily routine after work, finding it helps her mentally disconnect from work. A simple 10 minutes in her backyard each day is now her reset button.
4. The Power of Aromatherapy and “Scent Anchoring”
Aromatherapy goes beyond nice-smelling candles. Certain scents, like lavender, bergamot, and chamomile, have been shown to ease anxiety and stress by triggering specific responses in the brain. Scent anchoring, meanwhile, uses these aromas as “anchors” to create calm in the moment and in stressful situations.
How to Start:
- Choose a scent you find calming and use it consistently in moments of relaxation. For example, inhale lavender oil during deep breathing exercises or apply it before bed.
- Create a “scent anchor” by associating this aroma with relaxation over time. After repeated use, just a whiff of your chosen scent can trigger relaxation, even in tense situations.
Example in Practice: Anna started using scent anchoring during her nightly unwind. Now, when she smells lavender during her mid-day break, she feels a wave of calm, reminding her body and mind of her relaxing bedtime routine.
5. Bibliotherapy: Letting Books Guide You to Calm
Bibliotherapy, or therapeutic reading, is a wonderful way to reduce stress and gain insights into your feelings. By reading self-help books, inspiring stories, or even poetry, you can gain new perspectives, feel understood, and even find solutions to personal struggles. Bibliotherapy allows you to connect deeply with what you’re reading and can serve as a way to better understand yourself.
How to Start:
- Pick up a book that resonates with you emotionally, whether it’s fiction, a personal development book, or poetry.
- Make time to read a little every day, without any distractions, even if it’s just a few pages.
- Take time to reflect on what you read. Do certain characters remind you of your challenges? Are there any phrases that stick with you?
Example in Practice: Bibliotherapy became Natalie’s go-to after a tough breakup. She turned to novels where characters were overcoming their struggles and found it therapeutic to see her feelings echoed in stories.
6. Laughter Yoga: Combining Playfulness and Stress Relief
Laughter yoga might sound quirky, but it’s actually a brilliant tool for easing stress. It combines laughter exercises with yoga breathing techniques, creating a light-hearted and supportive environment to relieve tension. Laughter releases endorphins, the body’s natural “feel-good” chemicals, which can help you feel more positive and relaxed.
How to Start:
- Look up a laughter yoga class near you or watch a video online to get started.
- Even if it feels silly, try committing to at least 10 minutes. Just go with the flow and don’t worry about whether your laughter is “real” or forced. Your brain can’t tell the difference, so you’ll get the benefits either way!
Example in Practice: David, a normally reserved data analyst, discovered laughter yoga during a wellness retreat and now practices it every week. It reminds him not to take himself too seriously and always leaves him feeling lighter.
7. Intentional Social Breaks: Disconnect to Reconnect
Sometimes, managing stress and anxiety requires a mini-break from social pressures. Intentional social breaks mean permitting yourself to withdraw from certain social commitments or digital interactions without feeling guilty. It’s about balancing social connection and personal time, especially during high-stress periods.
How to Start:
- Identify times when social obligations feel overwhelming or when you need space. Take a “social Sabbath” once a week, even if it’s just for a few hours.
- Use this time to focus on activities that recharge you, like reading, being in nature, or journaling.
- Notice how stepping back helps you feel more centered and ready to return to social connections with renewed energy.
Example in Practice: Jasmine began a “No-Social Sunday” routine, where she logs off all social media platforms and spends the day completely tech-free. This intentional break has helped her reset her boundaries and decreased her social anxiety.
Embracing Your Unique Path to Natural Mental Wellness
Managing stress and anxiety doesn’t require a one-size-fits-all solution. Each person’s mental wellness journey is as unique as they are, and discovering what helps you most—whether that’s a daily barefoot walk, a laughter yoga session, or even a bibliotherapy session with your favorite book—creates a foundation of resilience.
In our next wellness journey post, we’ll look into how to create seasonal wellness routines to keep your mental health balanced year-round. Here’s to finding what works for you and savoring the process of building a strong, natural, and individualized approach to mental wellness.
This blog aims to provide an inviting and unique look at stress and anxiety management, incorporating accessible and varied ideas. Let me know if you’d like any more posts like this for your wellness blogging!