Tag Archives: anxiety

We really DO hate hot weather.

26 Monday Apr 2021

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Environmental experts at the Vancouver School of Economics analyzed a BILLION tweets, comparing temperatures, and the use of positive and negative words and emojis. The result: Going from a mild 70-degrees to hot 90-degrees causes the same happiness dip we experience going from a relaxing Sunday to back to work on Monday. And when the temperature tops 100 degrees, people are 3 TIMES unhappier than when the weather’s cold. So why are we more irritable when it’s hot out? First, because high temperatures increase our heart rate, testosterone, and other metabolic reactions that trigger our stress response. Also, psychologically, hot weather makes us feel out of control. Because if it’s cold you can wear more layers… but, when it’s hot, after a certain point, you can’t remove any more clothing to cool down. And when we feel we have no control, it makes us stressed out, anxious, and irritable. 

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Which vegetable can make you feel less anxious?

17 Wednesday Mar 2021

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A cucumber! That’s according to neurologist Dr. Alan Hirsch from the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation. In his studies, the scent of cucumber was so effective at relieving anxiety that it even helped people suffering from claustrophobia! In fact, when people with claustrophobia were put in a small elevator with the scent of cucumber, 75% felt calmer. Dr. Hirsch says the scent changes a person’s perception of space – making places feel more expansive. And it works so well, some hospitals use cucumber oil to calm patients before MRI scans! For the best results with a fresh cucumber – slice it before taking a whiff. That’ll release more odor molecules.

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Emotional infidelity is WORSE for you than physical infidelity.

12 Friday Feb 2021

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That doesn’t give you a license to cheat on your spouse, but know this: Besides hurting your partner, cheaters suffer depression, anxiety, shame, and guilt. And according to a study in the journal Personality and Social Psychology, emotional infidelity causes a level of distress one-third greater than physical infidelity. But an emotional AND physical affair was by far the most damaging.

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Flowers can make us happy!

01 Monday Feb 2021

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Next time you go to a grocery store or farmer’s market, buy flowers. Because just seeing cut flowers at home or work produces feel-good brain chemicals, and makes us less anxious and prone to depression. Plus, MRIs show looking at flowers increases blood flow to the brain area linked to feelings of empathy and altruism, and makes us friendlier. So we end up thinking fewer negative thoughts and thinking more about others, instead of ourselves. It’s the power of flowers!

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Feeling anxious, or unable to concentrate?

17 Tuesday Nov 2020

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Grab some lemon balm! The leafy plant from the mint family contains compounds that prevent the breakdown of a brain chemical linked to focus and memory. Lemon balm also contains brain-boosting quercetin and energizing caffeic acid… a combination proven to ease anxiety, and enhance problem-solving, focus, and recall. Your best bet: Place a drop of lemon balm essential oil on each palm, cup your hands over your face, and take 10 slow, deep breaths. And you’ll feel calmer, and more focused in no time!

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Here’s a new way to fight stress, tension and anxiety.

27 Tuesday Oct 2020

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Don’t ignore it – or try to suppress it. Instead, consider how you’re feeling and label it. As in, “I feel overwhelmed.” Or “I feel pressured,” or frustrated, or angry. Psychologist Hans Hagemann calls it cognitive jujitsu. It works because when we label our feelings, it activates our prefrontal cortex – the rational, analytical side of the brain, and switches off the limbic system, the area fueled by stress and emotion. So, during your next meltdown, try cognitive jujitsu. Analyze your feelings, and label them. By the time you’re done, you’ll feel more in control.

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Do you have dark thoughts?

25 Tuesday Aug 2020

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Like, if your teenager doesn’t answer their phone, they must have been abducted? Or if your husband is late coming home from work, he was probably in an accident?

Well, according to clinical psychologist Dr. Martin Seif, pretty much everybody has dark thoughts from time to time. And we humans are bad at assessing risk. So our fears are usually way out of proportion to the chances of actual danger. And worrying is part of human nature. When we have something valuable – like loved ones – it’s natural to worry about something bad happening. It only becomes a problem if those worries start controlling your life, or you try to control the lives of others because of your irrational fears. Also, Dr. Seif explains that scary thoughts you can’t shake can be a symptom of anxiety or depression. If that describes you, consider talking to a therapist.

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Clutter causes stress!

15 Monday Jun 2020

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Because piles of clothes and papers are reminders of things we aren’t getting done and can trigger anxiety, or feelings of failure. So, if your home is a giant, chaotic mess, and you don’t know where to start, try micro-decluttering. And instead of tackling the whole house, or even a whole room, start with a drawer. Or just your t‑shirts. Set your phone timer for 15 minutes and work on that one, small thing. And you’ll feel much calmer and more in-control, one t-shirt stack, or junk drawer, at a time.

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Friends help you sleep better!

31 Friday Jan 2020

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People who spend quality time with friends sleep better at night. But those who feel lonely have trouble dozing off, and feel less energetic and less focused the next day. Research at the University of Rochester found that strong friendships reduce stress and anxiety, and make us feel more secure and relaxed. And that reduces activity in the brain area that stays vigilant at night. Basically, if we’re lonely, we feel vulnerable, insecure, and unprotected, even while we sleep, and part of our brain stays on alert for self-protection. So hanging with your friends during the day is your brand new sleeping pill.

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Are your anxieties keeping you awake at night?

07 Thursday Nov 2019

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You might sleep better under a blanket with weights sewn inside it. Kind of like a comforter, but with weights and polyfill stuffing in every square. Several studies have shown that weighted blankets feel like you’re being hugged – which helps calm people with ADHD and autism. So, researchers at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst decided to try it on people with garden-variety anxieties. The result: When anxious people slept under weighted blankets, 75% of them fell asleep easily and stayed asleep.

Want to try it? Just Google the phrase “weighted blanket.” You’ll find a variety of fabrics and weights between 10 and 30 pounds. And they start at about $100 dollars.

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