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Nature Improves Positivity in 6 Ways

September 24, 2023 by Lakeisha Ethans

Positivity, optimistic thinking, and mindfulness are all the rage in wellness communities and circles. Yet, simultaneously, we’ve grown farther and farther away from the natural world, becoming increasingly cooped up in concrete jungles or indoors, within the creature comforts of our homes and electronic devices.

Ironically, these two trends may be entirely at odds. The secret to positivity doesn’t lie in another wellness course or instructional videos on living your best life – though they can help, too! Instead, the secret may have been right before us the whole time, something we’ve drifted away from despite its benefits: nature.

Nature has a reputation for being one of the best healers known to the world. This isn’t an undeserved reputation. On the contrary, spending time in nature will likely make you happier and healthier overall. Here’s how nature improves positivity in six ways.

1. Nature Makes You Feel Awe and Positivity

When was the last time you truly felt awed by something? While it sounds simple, few positive emotions are more powerful than the incredible experience of awe. Though it seems relatively unimportant, it significantly affects positivity and can improve your mental health and well-being.

Studies show that looking at nature, specifically tall trees in a forested area, can produce incredibly optimistic emotions. Awe then improves positivity by:

Providing energy and motivation
Attuning you to the world around you
Granting understanding into the vastness of the world
Increasing desire for healthy social interaction
Improving prosocial behavior and relationships
Boosting physical health by reducing inflammation
Providing a sense of purpose
Encouraging better goal-making and direction
Promoting generosity and altruism
Reducing entitled or selfish traits

Few can deny that awe is a trait of positivity, emotion, and experience only brought on by feeling good things. The fact that just being in nature can inspire such feelings

2. It Lowers Stress

Stress is a common part of life, and it’s impossible to avoid it completely. That’s why stress-management techniques are so necessary to ensure continual positivity. You cannot stay optimistic if you’re focused on how stressed out you feel.

There are, of course, plenty of ways to find positive thinking and manage stress. But one great way to do this is by spending some time in nature. A study has shown that individuals who are in a natural environment experience benefits to their stress levels, such as:

Reduced heart rates
More balanced pulse speeds
Lowered stress scores on tests
Improved positivity and frequency of positive thoughts
Faster recovery from various stressful events and circumstances
Generally improved mental health and wellbeing

An additional factor here is that those struggling with mental health often sink into negative thoughts and play into a strong inner critic. This can contribute to rumination, a big symptom of anxiety and depression. Essentially, it means getting stuck in your thoughts unproductively. According to research, spending just about one and a half hours taking a nice walk in nature can reduce the chances of you ruminating later in the day.

3. It Improves Sleep

Sleep is essential to your overall well-being from a mental and physical perspective. For example, have you ever noticed how grumpy and irritable you get when you don’t sleep enough? It makes sense that positivity often relies on getting the right amount of sleep.

But plenty of people have problems falling and staying asleep. Insomnia, anxiety, and stress can influence your ability to drift off each night. There are plenty of ways to manage those things, but that’s not what we’re here to talk about. Instead, we’re here to discuss nature, which research says is incredibly beneficial to sleep quality.

This is because you expend energy when you spend time in nature while also reducing stress, which helps you get better rest. Nature also has properties that allow you to enjoy the best of sleep’s naturally healing effects. Besides, studies show that a lack of sleep – or abnormal sleep patterns in general – is the first sign of a mental health disorder, especially mood disorders like depression.

4. It Makes You Become Optimistic About Exercise

It’s tough to get the motivation to work out or get moving if it’s not something you naturally enjoy. But being out in nature can be an incredible way to gain the drive to move around a little. Unfortunately, people often think that the only good way to exercise is through a rigorous, strict regimen at the gym. Still, a little physical activity can do wonders for your mental health, improving your positivity significantly.

You’ll feel encouraged to move around and study when you’re in nature. This is because:

Nature allows for more interesting forms of physical activity that are more enjoyable and interesting
It provides more opportunities for positive socialization, as you’re able to form groups with those who also enjoy exercising in nature
Nature offers a nice break from stuffy gyms that can feel oppressive or overwhelming
Exercise in nature is often less severely strenuous, which in turn encourages you to work out with heightened intensity without as much exertion

But what, exactly, are the links between exercise and positivity and exercise. You’ve probably heard repeatedly that you can overcome even the worst moods by working out, but how much of that is scientifically backed? As it turns out, the answer is a little more complex. Here’s what we know for sure about these links:

When you exercise, the hormones in your body change – more feel-good hormones are released, and stress hormones are either decreased or balanced out by the aforementioned feel-good ones.
Exercise can release tension, other stressors, and negative emotions, allowing you to expend the worst of the heat of the moment through movement.
Exercise can also distract from the subjects of the aforementioned stressors and emotions.
As a coping mechanism, exercise is one of the best options, boosting your sense of control, improving resilience, and even increasing your self-esteem to better cope with problems without exercise’s aid later on.
Exercise can be inspiring. When you complete an exercise session, you learn how amazing it feels to accomplish something, and you’ll feel more encouraged to set and achieve goals.
Regular exercise is a fantastic sleep aid; we already know that better sleep improves an optimistic outlook.
Exercise helps to relax you on both a physical and psychological level.
When you have trauma, exercise can slowly teach your mind and body to become “unstuck” from typical post-traumatic stress, especially when used in conjunction with other forms of professional treatment.
Exercise can also sharpen your mind, which helps you to think and see more clearly, so you aren’t bogged down by anxiety and illogical worries.

5. It Can Enhance You Spiritually by Boosting Positivity

You may roll your eyes at being spiritually enhanced, but this is surprisingly more feasible than you think. Spirituality doesn’t have to be tied to religion, astrology, or stereotypical spiritual practices. It just means that your spirit and soul are in tune with your mind and body, allowing you to make decisions that serve the deepest parts of yourself.

Studies state that when you spend time in nature, you better appreciate the world around you. This means you:

Become more connected to your senses and mindfully exist more closely with the world
Feel inspired to impact the world in more notable and purposeful ways
Realize you are part of a bigger picture and that it’s not all about you
Better understand your place in the universe or what you want that place to be
Realize your problems are minor in the grand scheme of things, which gives you an optimistic view of them
Gain hope for the future
Are more social, grateful, optimistic, and altruistic

Many negative people are not in touch with their spiritual sides. They may even see being spiritually connected to themselves as embarrassing or silly. But by embracing nature, you may realize just how important spirituality is to your positivity and happiness.

6. It Helps You Breathe

People often fear the air pollution that exists in the world outside, but did you know that the concentrations of air pollution indoors are often much worse than they are outside? Specifically, this can happen between two and five times worse, which is even more extreme when comparing your city home indoors to relaxing natural outdoor spaces.

According to studies, individuals who spend more time outside, specifically in their local green areas, are less likely to experience severe or fatal respiratory conditions in their old age. This shows how good outdoor activity can be for your lungs and breathing, especially in nature.

Choosing places with high air circulation and minimal pollution is crucial, but for the most part, you can expect to reap these benefits anywhere in nature. Deep breathing and even more precise, healthier breathing can reduce stress and increase positivity throughout the day.

Research indicates that the human brain associates different breathing patterns with different emotions. You experience steady, deep, and regular breathing when feeling positive. When you’re feeling negative, from anxiety, stress, anger, or anything else, you experience shallower and quicker breaths. By relaxing your breathing through the wonders of nature, your brain calms down, sending optimistic signals to the rest of your body.

You can further encourage the benefits of breathing for positivity by doing breathing exercises when you’re out in nature. Of course, there are plenty of breathing activities that you can follow through videos online, but even just mindfully slowing down your breathing by counting your breaths in and out can work wonders.

Final Thoughts On Some Ways Nature Improves Positivity

Nature is powerful, and it’s unwise to forget about the lush greenery and the natural world that humans once intrinsically interlinked with. You can increase positivity in your life and mind by spending more time in natural spaces, whether parks, forest reserves, or greenhouses and gardens.

6 Stretches to Help Improve Brain Health

September 23, 2023 by Chris Butler

Being concerned about your brain health is essential at any age but can be even more critical as you age. Factors like stress, aging, and health conditions can affect your mind. Fortunately, physical exercises that include stretching may benefit your brain more than you realize, and it may be just what you need to keep cognitive decline at bay.

It’s fascinating that many cultures in the ancient world understood the intimate connection between body, mind, and spirit. Ancient practices like yoga and Tai Chi blend stretching, poses, and mindful breathing for total well-being. Thankfully, these stretches can be altered to your abilities so that you can enjoy the benefits without pain.

How Yoga Can Help with Brain Health

Yoga is a practice that goes back thousands of years to Ancient India. Today, medical experts acknowledge its health benefits, such as improving oxygen flow and increasing circulation. Researchers are also discovering that yoga poses and stretches may benefit your brain health.

If you’ve studied the central nervous system, you know that your brain’s gray matter contains all the neurons. It is responsible for learning, memory, senses, self-awareness, and muscle control. When you practice yoga, it may increase your gray matter and expand your mind’s memory centers.

When you’re feeling depressed, anxious, or irritable, it’s often difficult to think clearly. Plus, chronic stress can lead to several severe physical and mental disorders. Numerous studies confirm that yoga can decrease cortisol, relieve stress, and improve moods.

Tai Chi’s Benefits for Better Cognition

Tai Chi is also an ancient practice of movement and breathing. It was developed as a martial art in Ancient China. People of all ages and walks use Tai Chi for fitness, strength, and mental clarity.

You don’t need fancy exercise equipment or a gym membership to practice Tai Chi. All you need is a safe and comfortable space or room at home. Did you know that your brain shrinks as you age? The good news is that practicing Tai Chi may help. Indeed, it might even increase your brain volume and improve your cognition. It also has promising benefits in boosting memory in seniors.

Another brain-boosting trait Tai Chi shares with yoga is its combination of meditations. Adding to the physical elements may help increase your ability to focus. It can train your brain to be more mindful and not rush into decisions.

6 Stretches for Optimal Brain Health

If you are concerned about your mind’s health, try these six stretches taken from the two practices. Having an exercise routine is imperative as you age. Perhaps more surprisingly, these moves may help you avoid declines that come with an aging mind. All you need is a few minutes a day to devote to stretching.

Yoga Poses and Tai Chi Stretches for Brain Health

The beauty of yoga is that it combines stretching, poses, and mindful breathing. Using these three components benefits your brain health and your body and spirit. You can practice yoga exclusively or incorporate it into your daily exercise routine.

Inverted or upside-down yoga poses and stretches are beneficial. They stimulate blood flow to your brain, which nourishes your brain cells. Here are easy yoga stretches to try if you want to boost your brain health.

1. Mountain Pose

Let’s face it: your brain doesn’t function at peak levels when you’re sleep-deprived. This gentle stretch helps you focus on breathing and allows you to relax. If you do it in the evenings, you may sleep better and improve your brain health. Here’s how:

•Stand up straight with your feet on your mat, and your arms outstretched.

•Open your hand with your palms facing forward. Your pelvis should be neutral while your ab muscles are engaged.

•Now, pull your shoulders back and broaden your chest muscles.

•While facing forward, gently stretch your head and neck toward the ceiling.

•Inhale through your nose and exhale slowly through your mouth.

2. Lotus Pose

This is a classic yogic pose that even most people who don’t practice yoga recognize. You’ll feel the tension drain from your muscles and joints. Such relaxation helps rejuvenate your tired body and mind. Here’s how:

•Sit comfortably on your mat with your legs outstretched and your back as straight as possible. Place a small cushion against your back for extra support and comfort.

•Bend your right leg, gently grasp your right foot, and place it on your left thigh.

•Bring your heel as close to your tummy as possible without causing pain.

•Next, bend your left leg, grasp your left foot, and place it onto your right thigh similarly.

•Join each hand’s index finger and thumb into a circle. Or you can cross your hands over your chest or bring them together as in prayer.

•While stretching is important, don’t forget to breathe deeply during this pose.

•You can stay in this position for fifteen to twenty minutes and clear your thoughts. Remember–relaxation is ideal for brain health.

3. Shoulder Stand

This yoga pose stretches your entire body while getting the kinks out of your spine. It’s also an inverted stance that increases blood flow to your brain. You can use a pillow to support your back if it helps. Here’s how:

•Lie comfortably with your back on your mat and your arms at your side.

•Now, raise your legs slowly upward as far as possible without pain.

•Place your hands flat on your lower back.

•Slowly raise your bottom and lower back while using your hands for support, elbows bent against the mat.

•As you mindfully breathe, raise your body until your chin touches your chest or as high as you can without hurting.

•Hold this position for a few breaths, then slowly lower your body back to the starting position.

4. Tai Chi Shoulder Stretching

Like most people, you probably carry a lot of tension. Not only can this stress cause physical pain, but it’s also detrimental to brain health. Try this gentle shoulder stretch to ease the tension. Here’s how:

•First, stand naturally with your legs shoulder-width apart and focus straight ahead.

•Hold your hands out in front of you with your palms facing down toward the mat.

•Now, raise your hands slowly until they parallel your shoulders.

•Turn your wrists until your palms are facing toward you.

•Bring your hands toward your face and gently push your chin back. You’ll feel a little stretch that shouldn’t be painful.

•Extend your palms in front of you.

•In the same fluid motion, lower your arms slowly to your sides while gently bending down your neck.

•Hold for two to three breaths and return to the starting position.

5. Tai Chi Neck Stretch

Do you often have pain in the back of your neck because of stress and overstraining? You may also battle headaches and problems with your concentration. This neck stretch can work to alleviate neck, head, and shoulder aches. Thankfully, you can do this at the office when sitting on the computer for hours is causing you strain. Here’s how:

•Stand neutrally with your back straight and your legs shoulder-length apart.

•Look straight ahead and relax.

•Extend both arms and hands at your sides with your palms facing upward.

•Next, slowly raise your arms toward your head.

•When they are parallel with your shoulders, turn your palms and slowly lower your arms.

•Do this movement as if you were pushing something toward the ground.

•Return to the starting position. Try to do at least 4-5 repetitions.

6. Tai Chi Back Stretch

Perhaps nothing is worse than an achy back due to injury, stress, and strain. Your spine protects your spinal cord, your brain’s primary connection with the rest of your body. Caring for your spine with stretches like this is essential to good physical and brain health. Here’s how:

•Stand comfortably on your mat with your legs shoulder-width apart.

•Hold your hands in front of you as if you were holding a basketball. Your right hand is on top of the ball, while your left hand has the ball from below.

•Stretch your left hand as if lifting the basketball toward the ceiling and hold for a few breaths.

•Gently return to the starting position, switch hands, and repeat these steps.

Final Thoughts on Stretches for Brain Health

Although these yoga and Tai Chi stretches aren’t too tricky, you should stop immediately if you feel pain. Some may have to be modified if you have a medical condition. Talk to a certified fitness instructor before you begin this or any other exercise routine.

You’re never too young to take your brain health seriously. Consider adding these stretches to your daily exercise workout. They can be part of a plan that keeps your entire body healthy and happy for years.

4 Red Flags a Pet Owner Has Become an Animal Hoarder

September 23, 2023 by Lakeisha Ethans

Animal hoarding, also known as Noah syndrome, involves the accumulation of many pets to the point where an animal hoarder cannot care for them. This is accompanied by an inability to comprehend or perceive the damage and harm caused by their behavior. This is occasionally considered a symptom of mental illness, but “Hoarding Disorder” is also diagnosable.

There is a broad, complex range of factors that can be involved in the existence of animal hoarding behavior:

Addiction or dementia.
Compulsion, low self-esteem, or unhealthy attachment to animals.
Delusion can be a defense mechanism. It can also stem from more sinister disorders involving zoophilia.

But just because someone has many pets doesn’t mean they are an animal hoarder. Some people can healthily care for many pets. So, how can you differentiate pet ownership from hoarding, and at what point does it become a problem? Here are four red flags that a pet owner has become an animal hoarder.

1 – An Animal Hoarder Exhibits Highly Secretive Behavior

Many psychiatric and psychological issues worsen because of the emotions of shame and guilt that the sufferer of these problems feels. As a result, they don’t want to talk to others about their issues for fear of judgment. This forms a downward spiral that leads to steadily worsening conditions and, further, continued isolation. This same pattern occurs with animal hoarders.

How Someone Starts Hoarding Pets

There are three common pathways into animal hoarding, namely:

A typical, loving pet owner who becomes overwhelmed by a changing life circumstance can no longer keep up with their pets’ needs.
A person who wants to help and rescue animals feels it is their mission to do so, even when they can no longer feasibly take on additional pets.
An individual who cruelly seeks to exploit animals for their gain and therefore does not care about the welfare of each animal.

The first two of the pathways mentioned above start with good intentions. However, these individuals, especially those following the first pathway, will feel embarrassed when their situation spirals out of control. This causes them to become very secretive. They believe they’ll be able to get things back in hand with enough time and don’t want anyone to see their home until they’ve fixed the problem.

Someone Hoarding Pets Will Keep It A Secret

Unfortunately, for most people who have fallen into hoarding this way, the longer they refuse to ask for help, the worse things get; ultimately, nothing ever gets fixed. If a pet owner has grown secretive about their homes, pets, and situation, it could be a red flag that they’ve become an animal hoarder. Typical forms of secretive behavior include:

Closing the curtains or blinds at all times
Refusing to allow anyone into their home
Being cautious about opening the door too wide when leaving or entering the house
Glancing around worriedly before opening the doors
Being mean or cruel to drive away concerned individuals who want to come in

2 – An Animal Hoarder Has A Home In Disrepair

Animal hoarders have little time and energy to care for the increasing number of pets in their homes. As a result, what starts as a mildly messy space soon devolves into a constant buildup of dirt, grime, animal waste, and other issues. This ultimately causes a house to deteriorate. This may be because of any or all of the following reasons.

Pets may become anxious and stressed or lack training in their poor home environments. These can all lead to destructive behavior. Animals might destroy furniture, tear fabrics like curtains, and chew on wall skirtings and furniture.
Animal waste is left to stink up the home, uncleaned, leading to the discoloration and deterioration of the items it touches. This also attracts bugs, such as flies and other pests.
A lack of willingness to let people into the home means that professionals can’t come in to fix things in or around the house.
A lack of funds, time, and energy means the house never gets cleaned, and problems are never fixed. This eventually leads to an overwhelming to-do list, and an animal hoarder will be unable to attend to the ever-growing chores.

Red Flags That Give Away The Home Of An Animal Hoarder

The problem is that it’s hard to spot these red flags when an animal hoarder is unlikely to let you view the inside of their home. Still, there are some common signs that you can look out for. Some of these are as follows.

You may see torn curtains in the windows.
The house’s interior can be messy or dirty.
Lights are rarely on due to an inability to pay utility bills.
The exterior of the house used to be clean but now appears unmaintained.
Metal fixtures on the house are rusting.
The house’s garden or yard has become increasingly unkempt.
There is an unpleasant smell coming from the house.
You haven’t seen the house owner take out the trash in a long time.
You have noticed no plumbers, electricians, or other similar professionals enter the house.

3 – An Animal Hoarder Smells Of Ammonia, And It May Be Making Them Sick

Hoarding households are known for their deplorable sanitation and hygiene practices. With animal hoarders, this means that animal waste builds up on various spots, like beds, cupboards, countertops, floors, and other interior surfaces, sometimes with layers up to six inches, according to research.

As you can likely guess, this comes with its fair share of grave health-related risks, breeding parasites, and pests. Even without seeing the inside of the house, one standard red flag is the stench of ammonia that permeates the area around the home. This can get so bad that the house is filled with toxic fumes that are nearly life-threatening.

Ammonia can make both animals and humans very sick, and you may notice symptoms of ammonia exposure in an animal hoarder, though it may be tough to spot if they’re good at hiding it. The worst exposure to ammonia occurs via either ingestion or direct contact with the skin or eyes, but inhalation and breathing can also cause ammonia to enter the body.

Ammonia is a corrosive gas that causes a sharp, suffocating sensation when inhaled. On contact, it damages the body’s cells. Short exposure may not have any lingering or even noticeable effects. Still, long-term, continual exposure – such as that which is experienced by an animal hoarder living in that environment – will have effects such as:

Throat and nose irritation
Burning of the throat, nose, eyes, and respiratory tract
Coughing
Visual impairment
Lung damage, especially alveolar and bronchiolar edema

You can watch for these symptoms if you suspect a pet owner has become an animal hoarder. However, be cautious so you don’t get exposed to harmful gas during your careful perusal.

Do note that one of the more insidious effects of ammonia is that it eventually leads to olfactory fatigue, which means someone continuously exposed to it may lose awareness of its presence. As a result, animal hoarders may not be aware of the fumes they are exposed to.

4 – The Beliefs Of An Animal Hoarder Are Out Of Touch With Reality

Hoarding disorder is a diagnosable mental condition that can come with disordered forms of thought and perspective. Delusions are a relatively standard part of hoarding disorders, developing as a protective form of denial. These thoughts empower the hoarder to continue believing everything is okay. Common signs of this lack of touch with reality are as follows:

They Don’t Think Their Environment And Condition Is That Bad

A vast majority of hoarders are deluded about the conditions of their environment. As a result, many don’t think their homes are as bad a state as they are, and some may even see their hoarding home as entirely acceptable.

They Think Their Pets Are In Perfect Health

Despite the apparent adverse effects of animal hoarding on its pet victims, animal hoarders delude themselves into severe denial. They believe that their pets are lovely, according to research. As a result, they lack insight into reality and ultimately overlook the true extent of harm they are doing to their victims.

They Believe Only They Can Properly Care For Their Pets

Some people are more equipped to rescue and care for pets than others. But ultimately, multiple people can provide equally good homes for animals who need even the most particular care. But animal hoarders fail to see this. Instead, they often think that it has to be them who adopt more and more pets in need of help. Unfortunately, this is a widespread belief among those who followed the rescue mission pathway into animal hoarding. Their rescue efforts eventually become overwhelming, but they cannot say “no” to taking on new animals because they believe only they can care for them properly.

They Believe They Have A Special Ability To Communicate With Their Animals

A study on animal hoarders revealed that a whopping 29% of those with hoarding disorder think they can speak with their pets on a deeper level. They believe they have an extra-special connection with their animals. While genuine bonds with deep connections form between pets and their owners, those with hoarding disorder take this further and think that what they have is unique and unique. This delusion is likely from the animal hoarded relying on their pets for feel-good hormones, social connection, and self-esteem.

Final Thoughts On Some Signs A Pet Owner Has Become An Animal Hoarder

Animal hoarders are characterized by the accumulation of an overwhelming number of animals they cannot care for, even to meet the bare minimum standards. They fail to recognize their behavior as harmful to their pets and may not notice or acknowledge their home’s slow and steady deterioration. Spotting the red flags can save the lives of the animal victims of this behavior.

4 Natural Anti-Anxiety Tricks Most People Forget

September 22, 2023 by Chris Butler

Are you seeking holistic anti-anxiety treatments without all the risky implications of pharmaceuticals? If you’ve seen any doctor for your anxiety, they’ve likely offered a chemical cocktail to help ease the angst you feel. Sadly, taking pharmaceuticals will only mask those anxious feelings. Your underlying cause remains inside, untreated, and unresolved if this solution is all your physician provides.

Anxiety is one of the most horrific conditions you will ever experience. It makes you feel and think things that aren’t true. It can make you a prisoner in your home, take you away from your friends and loved ones, and make things like eating out impossible.

There are many ways that anxiety creeps into your life. Some people have genetic ties from a family history of mental illness. Maybe your parents were constantly overthinking, and your nervous habits have been taught. Others find that they never battled such worry until they suffered from trauma.

Four Natural Anti-Anxiety Tricks

There are many ways you can combat the angst you feel. Using these anti-anxiety tricks can change your entire life. Four hacks many forget can be influential in managing anxiety disorders.

1. Hug Someone for an Instant Anti-Anxiety Boost

When you’re anxious and overthinking, physical touch may be just what you need to soothe those fears. There’s lots of scientific research that shows that hugs can be healing. Researchers wanted to see how physical touch impacted depressed and anxious people. The goal was to give daily hugs to people to help improve their symptoms. The results were remarkable, as they discovered that with just eight hugs per day, a person who was once struggling with depression could achieve mental stability.

Even more astounding was that the person could obtain psychological growth when they upped the number to twelve hugs. If you’re a parent, you know children run to you when they’re afraid. The child wants you to pick them up, hold them, and soothe their fears.

Adults are much like that child, but the approach is different. Studies prove there are excellent resolutions to anxiety when you engage in things like hugging or touching. Did you know an anti-anxiety hack can be as simple as putting your hand on your chest during an attack? It helps to fix the imbalance of stress chemicals inside the body.

Having your partner hold you when you’re scared can produce a powerful chemical reaction in the body that can stop panic in its tracks. Some of the best anti-anxiety tricks involve the power of touch.

2. Exercise Releases Anti-Anxiety Hormones

When you feel anxious, a chemical reaction occurs inside your body that causes these sensations. Humans have an internal fight-or-flight response, which helps to keep you safe from harm. When an external trigger brings worry, this system kicks into high gear to keep you from danger.

It’s called a stress cycle, which occurs in your nervous system. However, you must complete the cycle to bring resolve. Ironically, your panic has a start, middle, and ending point, and many times, it’s easy to get stuck in the center and not complete the cycle. This is where learning anti-anxiety tricks can be beneficial.

During the Stone Age, people had threats from wildlife. A neighbor sees a person in peril, they open their door to let them in, then close it to keep them safe. Closing the door symbolizes the end of the danger.

Psychologically, the person felt better because they ended the threat, but there’s a bit more to what’s happening. Could it be the exercise that caused things to deescalate? When they took off running to their neighbor’s house, they moved their body, which is a powerful anti-anxiety cure.

According to the National Library of Medicine, exercise increases the endorphins in your brain, which helps to make you feel calm. Thus, by running, you’re completing the cycle. Today’s society is unlikely to be chased by a bear.

You can have anxiety creep in while driving to work in the morning. You need to find a way to complete the cycle. So the next time you start overthinking and your anxiety hits its peak level, try moving your body.

Maybe all you need to do to stop the worry in its tracks is dance, do some jumping jacks, or take a walk around the block. Since you’re countering the chemical process by releasing endorphins to help combat the stress hormones, movement may be all you need.

3. Feel Your Anxious Thoughts Instead of Denying Them

If a doctor told you to feel your anxiety, you would probably think there’s nothing in this world you would rather avoid. You’re looking for anti-anxiety tips and not to be stuck in it. No one wants to face their fears, as it’s uncomfortable.

Is it possible to detach yourself from the thoughts and feelings driving your body into this state? What if you called it out rather than running from it? For instance, why not identify what it’s doing to you during the next panic attack? Try saying things like:

“I’m overthinking, causing my chest to feel tight.”
“I feel numb due to my anxious state.”
“I feel like I can’t breathe from my worry, and it’s choking me.”

So you’re calling out the things this anxious state is causing you, and you’re detonating a bomb. You take power from this condition when you realize these temporary feelings will pass. Once you’ve identified your physical symptoms, it’s time to start the positive reinforcements. Try telling yourself these statements:

“This anxious state is temporary and shouldn’t last but a few more minutes.”
“I feel like I am dying, but I will not perish, as anxiety is something many people face.”
“Anxiety is commonplace, and my overthinking and worry have caused this heightened state.”

A couple of powerful anti-anxiety tricks are taking place. First, you’re telling your psyche that this has occurred before and nothing terrible happened to you, so you’re shutting down the fear. Second, you’re not running from the attack; you identify what it’s doing and face it head-on.

These are essential things to do when you’re detached from your body and feeling overwhelmed by panic. When you identify it’s just anxiety working, you’ll react differently.

4. Taking Away the Fear of the Unknown

Consider this example. Linda was tired of feeling horrible. Each day, she awakened feeling worse than before. She was sure she had cancer or some other ailment and was dying. Her mind would race, and overthinking caused her to head down dark pathways.

Linda visited many doctors who would run a battery of blood tests. Sadly, everything was normal, and the findings didn’t help her sickness. She was frustrated because no one could diagnose what she felt. Linda felt super anxious in this vulnerable state and always awaited impending doom.

However, one day, a doctor listened to her and ran some tests that other physicians avoided. It turns out she had systemic lupus. Once she could identify her issue, she researched how to combat common problems with this auto-immune condition and was empowered.

Why was it so important to put a name to her disease? It’s a common anti-anxiety trick because knowing the crux of the issue stops your mind from racing. She ran through scenarios like cancer, blood clots, heart disease, and everything that would take her out because she feared the unknown.

The same happens when you try this anti-anxiety solution for your chronic worry. You need to call it out rather than giving in to those fears and making things worse. Tell yourself this is your anxiety.

When you put your feelings into words, you’re taking away the power from the attack. Studies posted by The National Library of Medicine show there’s a reason why you can regulate your emotions and stress by simply identifying the root cause. It all takes place in the amygdala part of the brain.

Putting your feelings into words disrupts amygdala activity, which helps your body regulate your stress levels and emotions. So when Linda finally got the diagnosis she sought for years, she could take control of the situation by identifying it was lupus, not cancer or another ailment.

Final Thoughts on Natural Anti-Anxiety Tricks

The Anxiety and Depression Association of America states that more than forty million people in the United States suffer from anxiety. While many reach for pharmaceuticals to dull the pain and ease their worry, there are many holistic approaches that people forget.

Dealing with anxiety is a mind-over-matter thing. Learning to put these thoughts and feelings into proper perspective is the key to getting relief from chronic overthinking.

3 Habits That Raise Resilience

September 22, 2023 by Lakeisha Ethans

To both manage and process these things while also bouncing back from them, you need to have a healthy amount of the trait known as psychological resilience. The weight of problems, the world, other people’s expectations, and demanding situations can slowly drag you down over time. So, how do you become more resilient?

Most people don’t start their lives with a lot of resilience. It’s a skill that has to be sharpened and honed over time. It’s also a self-fulfilling cycle; whether that cycle goes up or spirals down is up to you. Never building your resilience means that you remain weak. Continually gunning for resilience means you get better each time!

So, how can you hone your mental strength and fortitude to withstand even the most powerful storms? Here are three habits to increase psychological resilience.

1. Have Healthy Morning Routines to Increase Resilience

How you start your day surprisingly significantly affects your psychological resilience. Studies show that routines benefit resilient people’s productivity, well-being, and other common factors. This is because of a daily routine:

Begins your day with productivity, which you can maintain throughout the day
Boosts your confidence by starting you off on the right foot, so you have more strength and trust in yourself through the day
Reduces the stress that comes with doing things randomly and trying to stay on top of that randomness
Helps you to follow healthy habits in an adaptable routine
Helps you to gain energy to face the rest of the day
Prevents forgetfulness, giving you the mental space to adapt to things throughout the day

This is also partially why so many successful people have good morning routines. Their healthy habits have allowed them to thrive and overcome obstacles to rise to the top. Some good habits to add to a healthy morning routine include:

· Get Moving to Be More Resilient

Morning exercise can sound unappealing to those not used to it, but it has many benefits. It can help to energize you and make you feel ready to face the day, boosting your confidence and sharpening your mind. It doesn’t have to be rigorous, either – you’re welcome to hit the gym, but you’re also welcome to simply If you really can’t fit some movement into your morning routine, do try to include it elsewhere in the day; studies show that it can improve your psychological resilience regardless, as well as your mental and physical health!

· Wake Up With Your First Alarm

Do you fall into the habit of slapping the “snooze” button as often as possible before finally, grudgingly getting up half an hour or an hour later? It’s relatable, but it is likely affecting your headstart to the day. When alarm clocks ring, they jolt you awake and inflict grogginess by causing sleep inertia. This is when you face damage to your motor and cognitive abilities as you are rudely awakened from your Circadian rhythm. When you hit snooze, you repeatedly subject yourself to that. These effects may continue to affect you throughout the day, dropping your resilience on both a physical and psychological scale.

· Wake Up At The Same Time Daily

Research shows that irregular sleep patterns can lead to decreased performance and well-being. The human body prefers to run on a regular rhythm, so it will naturally benefit from rising at the same time every morning – even on days off and when you have nothing to wake up that early for! When you don’t allow your body to run on a rhythm that works for it, you set yourself up for a rough and challenging day where your desire to be resilient decreases from the get-go.

· Do Something You Enjoy

While focusing on productivity and getting things done is an excellent way to start a morning, don’t forget that it’s also a great opportunity for me-time. Listen to music you like, read a book you enjoy, or eat a meal you love to start the day feeling positive. As you do these things, mindfully appreciate and immerse yourself in these things, and appreciate them, so your gratitude also powers your psychological resilience!

2. Always Keep Learning to Gain Resilience

It’s a crime that so many people think that learning stops after graduation. In reality, we never stop learning – we only start to reject new lessons. One of the most crucial habits for psychological resilience is to keep on learning and growing. You become stronger by overcoming hurdles and learning new things about yourself. This means you must actively do what you can to continue learning. Here are some tips in this regard:

· Use Past Experiences As Lessons to Become Resilient

Many people would rather forget the negative or cringy things they’ve done in the past. But what’s more important than being free from past pain is learning how to use that pain to inform your present and future. Each mistake you have made, and each situation you have been through has the potential to teach you amazing things. By continually utilizing past knowledge, you never stop leveling up.

· Embrace Challenges to Increase Resilience

Failing to grow your comfort zone is tempting, but learning anything notable without doing so it is sometimes tricky. Embrace challenges and take calculated risks. Even if you fail, you’ll gain something from these so-called failures – more lessons to use in your life as you move on! You’ll also learn new things about your capabilities, bolster your self-esteem, and encourage you to take on more challenges.

· Welcome Change to Be More Resilient

Change is inevitable, and it’s not something that you can fight. Many fear change, preferring the safety and comfort of a predictable life. But holding onto the status quo will likely leave you stagnant or eventually blow over and force you to move forward. Those with high psychological resilience are excellent at adapting to new situations and embracing change, according to studies. So why not practice this habit to ensure continual growth?

3. Do Visualization Exercises to Increase Resilience

Visualization is a powerful process. At its core, this is a relaxation technique where you use your imagination to create tranquil, relaxed, and happy feelings. It’s a common technique for:

Keeping sight of goals
Maintaining motivations
Managing stress and anxiety
Calming fight-or-flight responses
Bringing you out of survival mode
Distractions from distressing events
General daily serenity

Visualization is powerful because the human brain believes what it “sees,” even if those things aren’t necessarily real. While this can harm forms of cognitive dissonance like confirmation bias and self-fulfilling prophecies, it has positive effects that you can harness for psychological resilience.

6-Steps to Be More Resilient:

While you can do visualization anywhere if you need to calm your nerves quickly, when you’re performing a habit of resilience, you should dedicate a particular time to it. Try setting aside anywhere from ten to thirty minutes daily for visualization exercises. Some people find ten minutes to be sufficient, but if you enjoy doing it for longer, allow that time to relax! Here’s how to perform visualization to increase psychological resilience:

· Step 1

Set up a peaceful environment. Find somewhere with a friendly, low amount of lighting. If it helps, you can also be entirely in the dark. Eliminate distractions by locking the door, leaving your electronic devices outside, and turning off noise-making items.

· Step 2

Get yourself comfortable. Take off heavy jewelry and loosen any overly tight clothing, including scarves, neckties, and belts. You can wear something very comfortable, such as what you’d use to sleep, or you can even choose to be nude if you prefer. Then, choose a place to lie or sit in a comfortable position.

· Step 3

Use deep breathing to slow your breathing down. Close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Take note of how your body, including your chest and stomach, rises and falls in response to your inhalations and exhalations. It can be helpful to count as you go, inhaling for four seconds, holding your breath for seven seconds, and then exhaling for eight seconds. Research shows that your brain responds to your breathing patterns and associates them with different emotions when you slow your breathing. Therefore, when you have slow, even breaths, you naturally relax.

· Step 4

Now, choose the type of visualization you’d like to perform. For example, you can opt for generally pleasant imagery to manage stress and anxiety, or you can use this to manifest the achievement of your goals. You can even choose to use visualization as a form of personal affirmation–and to become resilient.

· Step 5

For imagery-type visualization, think of a place that makes you feel happy and calm. For example, imagine yourself in a wooded forest near a river. Now, engage your senses in this imaginary landscape. See the swaying of the trees. Hear the gurgling of the river and the rustling of the leaves in the wind. Smell the relaxing scents of nature and the woody scent of grass. Feel the soft ground beneath your feet and the gentle breeze on your face. Before long, you’ll be completely absorbed in this imaginary place and will feel calm and relaxed.

· Step 6

For manifestation-type visualization, you’ll need to imagine yourself achieving a difficult goal that you’ve been struggling with or that may be difficult. For example, you might imagine your strong confidence on the day of a big presentation. Or you may picture yourself in your dream job or home. Or perhaps you imagine positive social interactions at a daunting party that you’re frightened of because of social anxiety. It sounds far-fetched, but this works. Studies state that when you visualize good things, you reduce stress, boost resilience, and gain a better self-image.

Final Thoughts On Some Habits To Increase Psychological Resilience

Psychological resilience is crucial to a healthy, happy life with good mental well-being. It allows you to learn, grow, adapt, and be better while strengthening your relationships with others and yourself. If you struggle with being resilient, don’t worry! Incorporate these three habits into your life, and you’ll be able to sharpen the skill.

Scientists Explain 4 Sustainability Steps for Fashion

September 21, 2023 by Sarah Barkley

When people think of an eco-friendly lifestyle, they don’t often consider the fashion industry. You might think of minimizing plastic waste as not using straws, investing in a reusable water bottle, or opting for paper grocery bags to make a more sustainable environment. While these actions are beneficial, the fashion industry is one of the largest sources of plastic waste.

The fast fashion industry and online influencers often promote having a new outfit for every life experience. This situation leads to throwing away clothes and filling the landfill with items that won’t decompose into the soil.

Sustainable fashion involves an environmentally friendly design, creation, and distribution. Ethical fashion is a similar concept that relates to the treatment and rights of workers. For vegans, it also relates to avoiding using parts of animals, including fibers. Many satchel bags are now made from eco-friendly materials, aligning with both sustainable and ethical fashion principles.

Why Most of the Fashion Industry Is Not Sustainable

Sustainability in the fashion industry must involve methods that will continue to be effective long-term. However, the fast fashion industry is widespread and involves clothes purchased at low prices. When this occurs, people often wear the pieces only a few times before throwing them away.

The fast fashion industry isn’t sustainable because it uses natural resources at high rates. It also exploits workers and produces lots of waste. These brands can market at least one new clothing collection weekly, while sustainable brands might have one per season.

Fast fashion and new trends increase product demand, leading to mass production at the lowest possible cost. Brands want to give consumers what they desire and cultivate a culture of replacing clothing too quickly.

Experts indicate that over thirteen million tons of clothing and footwear waste occurred within one year. Of the thirteen million tons, more than half ended up in landfills.

Polyester and Other Plastics

The fashion industry uses many resources to produce clothing, including fossil fuels. Polyester is a petrochemical product that uses oil and gas to make the material. It has overtaken cotton as the leading material used in fashion.

The clothing industry can use polyester in many items, which holds up better than other options. It’s often marketed as a sustainable material because it doesn’t use water or land like cotton. However, it uses other natural resources and leads to further detrimental emissions.

Research shows that polyester also uses large amounts of energy during production. In one year, producing clothes emitted 282 billion tons of carbon dioxide. With that being the case, it radiated triple the amount of carbon dioxide as cotton production.

Other plastics used in fashion include nylon, acrylic, and elastane. The plastics used in clothes are hard to recycle, leading to increased waste.

Polyester and other plastics shed tiny plastics called microplastics that pollute oceans, freshwater, and land. It also can cause inhibited growth and reproduction in animals and deformities in marine life.

The Collapse of the Rana Plaza Factory

Producing cheap clothes might be inexpensive for the consumer, but it’s highly detrimental to others and our environment. One instance is the Rana Plaza factory collapse in Bangladesh, where more than 1,132 people lost their lives. This collapse isn’t the only tragic accident inside fast fashion factories.

Tragedies like these can show how costly seemingly cheap items are. Factories are not maintained appropriately, and they don’t prioritize employee well-being. Many factories contribute to building collapses and fire incidents without standards and proper maintenance.

In Bangladesh, factory workers earn some of the lowest wages in the world. Many employees are women and girls, and work-related accidents and death are common. The factories also pour toxins into the planet, potentially causing diseases.

There Is Hope for the Fashion Industry

While this information might feel overwhelming, there is hope for sustainability in the fashion industry. They can use organic materials, biodegradable dyes, and engineer products with zero waste. Some brands already utilize these techniques, and you can find many sustainable options.

Some of the Things to Look for When Investing in Sustainable Clothing

You can start making changes while the fashion industry and consumers are still learning. These changes help promote sustainability, and you’ll support brands who make an effort.

The things to look for include:

Low-impact organic materials: This type of material couple includes hemp, linen, silk, wool, cotton, cellulose fibers, and leather. These options are biodegradable and can compost into the soil rather than sitting in a landfill.
Pre-existing materials: Look for manufacturers that use recycled fibers, up-cycled materials, and deadstock fabric. Deadstock fabric is a material that was never used and would otherwise be thrown away.
Eco-friendly dyes: The dyes and textile treatment processes can be toxic. Look for eco-friendly options to do your part.
Low waste designs: Design often involves cutting out patterns and having leftover material. Low-waste designs find ways to reduce material waste, use less water, and decrease energy use during the manufacturing process.
Locally made: There’s less shipping involved when choosing clothes made close to home, reducing the carbon footprint.

4 Tips to Help Fashionistas Make Sustainable Choices

Sustainability in the fashion industry isn’t only about one concept. It includes multiple ways to achieve the goal of sustainability. Understanding the sustainability steps for fashion can help you make beneficial changes in your life.

1 – Do Your Part to Eliminate Purchases of New Clothes

Avoiding purchases of new clothes doesn’t only apply to what you purchase. It also applies to what you do with your unwanted garments.

Donating or reselling your used clothes eases the environmental burden of producing new garments. Right now, less than 15% of clothing gets donated or recycled.

Additionally, doing your part means avoiding buying new clothes. Instead, shopping secondhand can offer styles you love while easing the environmental burden.

One idea is to search for a used option online when you see something you love that’s brand new. You can get the same item for a lower cost while promoting sustainability. If you don’t love online shopping, you can browse resale shops for pieces you love.

You can also find used sustainable clothing that is durable and long-lasting. When you shop this way, you’ll have pieces that last for years before becoming worn out.

2 – Find Brands that Use Sustainable Fashion

Some companies are working toward using more recycled and eco-friendly materials to promote sustainability. Experts indicate that making one pair of jeans takes 1,800 gallons of water. Producing clothes leaves a carbon footprint, but some brands have turned toward sustainability.

Changing how you shop and opting for sustainable brands can make a difference. In the past, sustainable clothing was unaffordable or unattractive to some consumers. But that is slowly beginning to change. Some brands make attractive pieces sustainably, allowing you the best of both worlds.

However, you must be careful of greenwashing, which occurs when a brand says they’re sustainable when they’re not. Some brands will claim to make sustainable changes to increase sales.

Commonly, you’ll see brands using green graphics to imply sustainability. They’ll also ask you to donate your old clothes and offer rewards if you do. These greenwashing brands still encourage you to buy new items and don’t change the unsustainable production methods.

Do research before changing your shopping habits by buying sustainable items. Researching sustainable brands can help you determine the ones that align with your values.

3 – Focus on Choosing Timeless and Evergreen Trends

Fashion repeats itself, and pieces in style decades ago are becoming popular again. Choose high-quality items that won’t quickly go out of style so you can reuse them long-term.

Choosing clothing that isn’t seasonal can help, too. You won’t have to buy so much if you have pieces that will work in your wardrobe all year. Your clothes likely have more ways to style them so you can use them throughout the year.

4 – Learn to Repair or Repurpose Your Clothes

Making clothes allows you to make ethical choices and create pieces you love. Learning how to sew can help, allowing you to fix holes or breakage instead of throwing things out.

You can also learn to make new fashion pieces by upcycling what you already have. It allows you to have something new and unique without giving into the fast fashion industry. You don’t have to know how to cut, stitch, or re-stitch (although it could be a handy skill) because there are other options.

Consider bleaching jeans, repainting old clothing or shoes, adding a design, or using tie-dye. Once you become comfortable upcycling your clothes, you can practice new methods or ask someone to help you with your idea.

Final Thoughts on Making More Sustainable Fashion Choices

The fashion industry is detrimental to our climate as it uses high amounts of fossil fuels. It can also be dangerous to employees and people near factories. However, you can help make a change by implementing these sustainability steps for fashion.

Sustainable fashion, including design, manufacturing, usefulness, and distribution methods, is environmentally friendly. You can make changes in your life to do your part in sustainability and give your money to brands that make positive changes.

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