When was the last time you felt stressed? If you’re anything like me, probably like 10 seconds ago…maybe 20. Tons of studies have found constant stress is – you guessed it – not good for your body. Relying on loads of anti-stress medications is not much better. If you find yourself stressed basically all the time, you need to adopt some methods of sending the stress away so you can actually relax. Here are 27 of my favorite all-natural ways to COMPLETELY de-stress:

1. Visualize happiness. This one requires quiet, so send your barking dog out to the backyard for a few minutes. Sit in a comfortable spot and think about something that makes you happy. Maybe it’s what actually motivates you to do the tough things in life—the family you work hard for, the memories of trips you’ve taken to far-off places, the constancy of the sunrise you see upon waking. Once you’ve conjured up that image in your head, allow yourself to stay there for a couple minutes. Fresh out of ideas? Picture a little something from this spunky list.

2. Try dry skin brushing. This technique is supposed to feel like a massage…but you can do it yourself (and save lots of money—which probably lowers your stress too). All you need is a special brush. Start at your feet and move up towards your face. The idea is to follow the circulatory system. For a step-by-step guide to dry skin brushing, go here.

3. Take a bath. Seriously, when did you last spend uninterrupted time in the bath (without having to wrestle your toddlers into the tub)? Grab some bath bombs and a good book or podcast and let yourself fully relax. If you don’t have time for a bath and you want to invite calming brain waves, reach for Hapbee’s Relax signal. Get it now at https://hapbee.com/ (more info to come, so keep reading!)

4. Chew gum. If you’re in Singapore, skip this one (chewing gum is illegal there—and therefore stress-inducing). If you’re anywhere else, pick up a pack of gum on your next run to the store. According to one study, chewing gum can reduce stress by as much as 16%. This is the perfect solution for you if you don’t have any time to take a break from whatever is making you feel stressed. Just pop a piece of gum in your mouth, chew for a few minutes, and watch the stress begin to subside. Looking for the gum with the longest-lasting flavor? Get the facts here.

5. Learn acupressure. Not to be confused with acupuncture (needles!), acupressure is an ancient Chinese technique that emphasizes massaging pressure points to relieve stress and tension. Download the Acupressure: Heal Yourself app for easy instructions on how to do acupressure on yourself or a friend. It’s totally safe—just don’t press too hard if you’re sore.

6. Buy a plant. Not just for millennials and grandmas, okay? And no, it doesn’t have to be a succulent (though that would be perfect for your Instagram grid). Even if you live in a tiny studio apartment without a balcony, get yourself a plant. And if you want to kill twice as much stress with a single plant, buy one with a particularly soothing smell. These are the plants that relieve stress the most.

7. Count. You probably haven’t counted out loud since you were 5 years old, but counting can actually distract your mind and help you focus on your breathing. Don’t believe me? Test it out. And if you want to give yourself a bit of a challenge and exercise your mind while you de-stress, try counting in other languages. For a starter kit, go here. See how many languages you can get a taste of!

8. Hug or kiss someone. Maybe it sounds too good to be true, but getting a hug or a kiss can actually help you relax if you’re feeling anxious. Find a person you trust and hug it out. You’ll be surprised how much better you feel afterwards. To discover more unexpected benefits of frequent hugs, check out this research from Carnegie Mellon.

9. Get out of town. It’s not always possible to slip away when you’re stressed, but it does make a difference. Work some vacay time into your regular schedule so you always have a break to look forward to. Whether it’s simply driving to a sleepy nearby town and walking around for a couple hours or flying to Bali for a couple weeks, treat yourself—you deserve it. Take advantage of this list of the most peaceful travel destinations in the world.

10. Test out red light therapy. Picture yourself going into a lit-up chamber—and no, it’s not a time machine. That’s one of the ways you can experience red light therapy, which involves a panel of LED lights that emit red and infrared light. Alleged benefits include stress relief, pain alleviation, skin care, mental health improvement, tissue regeneration, autoimmune disease treatment, and more. Fortunately, red light therapy is becoming more affordable and available for you to do at home. Here are some of the best biohacking devices for red light therapy.

11. Unplug. Taking a wild guess here. Is your phone making you more stressed? Constant notifications, unanswered messages, missed calls…it’s no wonder that tiny companion you always carry around in your pocket amps up the stress level. Try to have at least one or two hours per day when you consistently and completely unplug. Maybe it’s when you wake up in the morning or right before you go to sleep. Take that time to meditate, read a book, spend quality time with your partner (or pet), or take a walk. For more tips on how to have a healthy relationship with your phone, click here.

12. Borrow a trick from naam yoga. You won’t believe how easy this is. Business psychologist and author Sharon Melnick shares her secret to quickly becoming utterly calm. Trace your middle finger with your thumb until you find an indented spot almost at the point where your finger meets your hand. Apply medium pressure to trigger a nerve that loosens up the area surrounding your heart. For further instructions and other naam yoga tricks, read this.

13. Clip on Spire. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could sense exactly when your body is starting to feel stressed so you can try to prevent it? That’s what Spire, a wearable that tracks your breathing patterns, purports to do. Clip it onto your belt or bra and get feedback from the Spire app, which tells you when you’re tense and offers breathing exercises. Get Spire here.

14. Practice gratitude. If you find your mind spiraling into anxiety about the future, this is the perfect way to chase it all away. Focus on what you’re grateful for in the present moment. Maybe it’s something as basic as your cozy bed or your good health, or perhaps it’s something as special as the drawing your child made for you or the encouraging words a friend gave you. Work some of these gratitude exercises into your daily routine and experience a shift to a more relaxed mental state.

15. Organize. If there’s one thing that makes you more stressed when you’re already overwhelmed, it’s not being able to find your wallet or your favorite interview shirt amidst the chaos. Take time to organize the clutter so you have the physical and emotional space to stay calm no matter what happens. Go here for some office organization inspiration.

Do you have trouble staying awake all day? Check out these innovative solutions.

16. Include margin in your calendar. While it seems almost impossible to do in our pedal-to-the-metal culture, it’s critical to build some margin into your calendar. Have a meeting at 3pm? Don’t schedule a dentist appointment at 4:30. Getting home from a business trip late Tuesday night? Don’t plan to meet an important client at 7am on Wednesday. You’ll be able to focus more on the present moment without constantly worrying about what’s coming next. Not sure it’s worth it? Read this.

17. Turn on classical music. Although it’s not everyone’s favorite, classical music is a great aid for reducing stress. Play it while you’re stuck in traffic or working on a difficult project. If you really can’t stand classical music, the good news is other soothing music can help with stress as well. Dive into this research for more astonishing benefits of music.

18. Try progressive muscle relaxation. The best part about this practice is you can do it anywhere, in your desk chair or waiting in line at the grocery store or lying awake in your bed, and no one will even know! Focus on attending to each of your muscles, starting with your feet and slowly working up to your face. Tighten each muscle and then relax it. Watch this short video for tips as you’re getting the hang of it.

Having trouble sleeping? You’re probably making one of these mistakes. 

19. Eat a banana. This nutritious snack does more than just give you an energy boost. The potassium in bananas is thought to regulate blood pressure, which increases when you’re stressed. Potatoes are high in potassium as well, though perhaps not as convenient as bananas tend to be. Don’t miss this list of other stress-relieving foods.

20. Download a meditation app. While meditation is certainly not a modern concept, technology makes it more convenient than ever before. Using a de stress app such as Headspace and Inscape allows you to feel your mind and body unwind in the midst of any difficult situation—or just at the end of a long day. Go here for the top meditation apps of 2020.

21. Use essential oils. Don’t let your skepticism of natural health trends get in the way of benefitting from the calmness invited by essential oils. Select a soothing essential oil of your choice and place some on your temples or behind your ears. If you have sensitive skin, be sure to dilute it with a carrier oil such as coconut oil or sunflower seed oil. You can also make use of a diffuser to experience essential oils aromatically. Click here for the best calming essential oils.

22. Invest in an emWave2. This fancy device is perfect for biohacking stress. Using a pulse sensor, it tracks your heartbeat and teaches you how to slow it down. It also includes some games that claim to slow your heart rate. You can use emWave2 while working or doing other tasks. Order it here.

23. Enjoy nature barefoot. Whether it’s a walk on the beach or through a grassy field, nature is soothing to the soul. When you feel anxious, get outside and taste the fresh air. Extra points for being barefoot. Here’s other important ways being in nature is exactly what your body needs.

24. Read. Did you know research has found that reading for only six minutes can reduce stress by as much as 68%? If you’re in the middle of a huge work project, chances are you’re not considering taking a reading break. But reading just a couple pages can ease your mind and help you increase productivity in a way you can’t if you’re too caught up in your own anxieties. Looking for a good read? Check out this list of the best books of the 21st century so far.

25. Treat yourself to a Brookstone massager. If a 90-minute massage isn’t in your budget, try out the Brookstone Max 2 Percussion Massager. This handheld massager is easy to use and relaxes your muscles in minutes. Another option is the Brookstone Cordless Shiatsu Massager with Heat, which is smaller and intended to target certain areas (neck, back, etc.) for stress relief.

26. Forgive yourself. Have you noticed the same debilitating thoughts churning around in your head? Regrets, mistakes, should-haves, guilt…it’s time to heal. For some of us, it’s easier to forgive others than to forgive ourselves. But that’s the only way to deal with the anxiety that comes from self-doubt and release your mind from the crippling cycle. For more ways to de-stress, go here. 

Insomnia remedies to help you fall asleep faster

If you struggle with insomnia, you may be tempted to start relying on sleeping pills to overrule your mind’s tendency towards nighttime wakefulness. Unfortunately, it’s easy to become addicted to sleeping pills, which makes you unable to fall asleep without them.

According to research, 80% of people who take sleeping pills report feeling negative side effects such as drowsiness, dizziness, and headaches the following day. Still, some people feel like sleeping pills are their only option for alleviating insomnia.

What if there was a safer, more effective way to get a good night’s sleep? Here are some natural remedies for insomnia that could make a difference for you. Remember, it’s wise to consult your doctor before trying any of these sleep remedies.

1. Valerian root

Valerian root has numerous healing properties, including relieving anxiety, depression, and insomnia. Studies show that valerian root can improve sleep quality without negative side effects.You can take valerian root as a supplement or brew it as a tea about an hour before bed.

2. Magnesium

Not having enough magnesium is linked to insomnia and other sleep problems. If you think you might have low magnesium levels, it might be worthwhile to add more magnesium-rich foods such as avocados, bananas, dark chocolate, and nuts to your diet or take a magnesium supplement. You can even put magnesium flakes in your bath and absorb the mineral through your skin.

3. Lavender

There’s nothing more soothing than the smell of lavender, in my opinion. Smelling lavender oil before bed has been shown to improve sleep quality and help you wake up feeling refreshed. You can diffuse lavender essential oil to get this effect or put a lavender sachet under your pillow.

4. Passionflower

This herbal sleep remedy is quite popular, and it’s said to have a nice mild taste. According to research, passionflower can improve your total sleep time and sleep efficiency (the percentage of time you spend asleep compared to your overall time spent in bed). You can take passionflower as a tea before you go to sleep. 

5. Glycine

Glycine is an amino acid that promotes good sleep by lowering your body temperature to signal that it’s time for bed. Studies show it can help you fall asleep faster and wake up well-rested and clear-headed. Glycine comes in a pill form or a powder to be mixed with water. It also occurs naturally in meat, eggs, fish, spinach, kale, beans, and kiwis.

6. Tryptophan

We’ve all heard about the effects of consuming too much tryptophan on Thanksgiving. Turkey isn’t the only food that’s high in tryptophan, though. Cheese, almonds, and bananas also have plenty of this essential amino acid. Tryptophan produces serotonin, which makes you feel relaxed and sleepy. It has been shown to improve sleep in adults who have trouble sleeping. 

7. Ginkgo biloba

The leaves of the ginkgo biloba tree are more of an indirect insomnia remedy. Research shows that ginkgo biloba extract can reduce anxiety, which can be a leading cause of insomnia. Take it 30 to 60 minutes before bed to relax your body and calm your mind.

8. L-theanine

This amino acid is found naturally in tea leaves. Rather than being a sedative, L-theanine has been found to improve sleep quality through relaxation. It’s best to take up to 400mg of L-theanine as a daily supplement.

9. Chamomile

Known for its calming properties, chamomile may promote healthy sleep as well. In one study, postnatal women with poor sleep quality who drank one cup of chamomile tea a day were much more likely than the control group to see an improvement in their sleep problems. Add a cup of chamomile tea to your evening routine and see if it helps you.

10. Magnolia

Although there haven’t been extensive studies on this yet, bark from the magnolia tree is thought to improve sleep and relieve anxiety. Magnolia bark has a history of being used in traditional Chinese medicine as a tincture. Nowadays, you can easily find it in pill form.

11. Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)

This is a natural compound in your brain that functions as a neurotransmitter to decrease activity in your nervous system. According to research, taking GABA supplements may help you fall asleep faster if you struggle with insomnia. 

12. Lemon balm

This herb looks similar to mint and has a lemon flavor. One study shows that taking a combination of lemon balm and valerian root can help treat restlessness and insomnia. Add both lemon balm and valerian root to your tea before bed in order to improve your sleep quality.

13. Tart cherry juice

Instead of drinking coffee or alcohol before bed (both of which can negatively impact your sleep), consider having a glass of tart cherry juice. Research shows that this juice can increase sleep quality and sleep efficiency. This is because tart cherry juice is naturally high in melatonin.

10 tips for getting a good night’s sleep

There’s nothing that can throw your day off more than not getting enough sleep. I mean, seriously nothing. You get groggy, disoriented, and might even find yourself snapping at a coworker for no reason. Okay, maybe he deserved it. But that’s not the point.

This all comes down to poor sleep hygiene. It might feel like you have no control over your ability to sleep, but actually you do. The decisions you make before you go to sleep (and throughout your entire day) have a huge impact on your sleep quality and your ability to sleep through the night.

Once you figure out what you’re doing to contribute to your own poor sleep hygiene (AKA self-sabotage), you can take steps to fix it. Before you know it, you’ll actually be getting the sleep you need…and you’ll become a much more functional human. I promise.

The symptoms of poor sleep hygiene

How do you know if you’re suffering from poor sleep hygiene or if you’ve just had a few rough nights? Check whether any of these symptoms sound familiar:

• Low energy
• Mood changes
• Lack of motivation
• Bad decision-making
• Memory and concentration problems
• Headaches
• Skin issues
• Taking more than 40 minutes to fall asleep
• Waking up more than once per night
• Lying awake often in the middle of the night

If you only have two or three of these symptoms, you might not need to worry about poor sleep hygiene. If you’re mentally ticking off most of the items on this list, on the other hand, you’re probably going to want to work on improving your sleep hygiene.

What to do about your poor sleep hygiene

Like other types of hygiene, proper sleep hygiene requires daily effort. Okay, I won’t judge you if you don’t take a shower every day (as long as you don’t forget to wear deodorant). But you’ll really need to put in the work every single day to improve your sleep hygiene, especially if you’ve developed some bad habits. Here are some important things to make part of your routine as you work towards better sleep.

1. Manage your blue light time

We’ve all heard about the terrible dangers of phones, blah blah blah. But there actually could be some truth in what your Aunt Marla always tells you. Okay, not about 5G causing Covid. I’m talking about the harmful effects of blue light, especially before bed.

According to research, the blue light that emanates from your phone and other devices disrupts your body’s production of melatonin, a natural hormone that makes you feel sleepy. That’s why it’s wise to step away from your devices at least an hour before your bedtime. Extra points if you sleep with your phone in another room so you’re not tempted to answer emails in the middle of the night.

2. Try some coffee alternatives

I wouldn’t be surprised if you’ve been relying on coffee to keep you awake throughout the day. Unfortunately, that coffee habit you’ve been nurturing is probably part of what’s keeping you in an unforgiving cycle of poor sleep hygiene. Drinking lots of caffeine, especially in the late afternoons and evenings, can prevent you from sleeping well at night. This makes you more tired during the day, which in turn drives you to drink more caffeine.

Thankfully, there are plenty of coffee alternatives that taste delicious and still give you that boost of energy you need. Even if you can’t imagine giving up coffee completely, you can at least substitute one of these drinks for your mid-afternoon cup of joe.

3. Relax before bed

You can’t go from cheering on your favorite football team on Sunday night to falling asleep within minutes. You need time to relax and slowly transition into the right mental state. Which activities should you choose to do before bed? That depends on what you find relaxing. The most important thing is to establish a nighttime routine so your body knows it’s bedtime.

You might want to try meditating, taking a bath, or listening to calming music. Reading a book is a great sleep trigger for many people, but you need to make sure you don’t pick up a page-turner. Otherwise, you might find yourself reading late into the night. 

4. Go dark

I’m not talking about making yourself unreachable, although that’s certainly helpful for falling asleep. Rather, I want you to go dark literally…as in making sure you don’t have any lights in your bedroom.

You might have a night light plugged in for when you need to get up at night, but even that small amount of light could be disturbing your sleep. Make sure you turn off the glowing light on your alarm clock and check to see whether your curtains block out the early morning light.

5. Embrace sunlight in the morning

Your body may need utter darkness at night, but it also needs sunlight exposure in the morning. This helps regulate your body clock so that you can be fully awake during the day and sleep well at night.

If your job doesn’t give you opportunities to get outside, make time every day before you leave for work. You can sit on the porch for a few minutes while you eat breakfast or take a quick mid-morning walk outside. If you live in a region that doesn’t get much sun during the winter, you might want to invest in a sun lamp to get you the sunlight you need.

6. Journal before climbing into bed

Sometimes you have trouble falling asleep because your mind won’t stop racing with the day’s events. A great way to prevent this from happening is to take a few minutes to journal about your day before you go to sleep. You can work this into your bedtime routine as a way of easing your mind before bed.

If you’ve tried journaling and it’s not really your thing, find another way to process the day. This could be a nightly conversation with your partner, a call with a friend, or a short meditation that helps you release the day. It’s best if you can do this outside your bedroom so you can reserve your bed as a place for rest.

7. Give aromatherapy a try

There’s nothing like aromatherapy to soothe you into a sleepy state. In fact, studies show that lavender essential oil in particular increases your deep sleep. And who doesn’t love the smell of lavender?

That being said, there are other essential oils that can also serve as natural sleep remedies. Consider investing in a diffuser so you can make aromatherapy part of your nighttime routine.

8. Don’t hit snooze

Doesn’t hitting the snooze button actually give you a few extra minutes of precious sleep? Not exactly. Instead, pressing snooze makes your body feel confused and groggy when you finally get out of bed. As far as your sleep cycle is concerned, it’s much better to simply wake up when your alarm goes off.

How can you break your bad habit of pressing snooze? Try putting your alarm clock in a place far from your bed so you have to actually get up in order to turn off your alarm. It might be hard at first, but you’ll eventually find yourself waking up more rested.

9. Take another look at your mattress

Okay, if we’re being honest, some of us still sleep on the mattress we bought (or found–yikes!) in college. If this sounds like you, it’s probably time to upgrade to a better mattress. That means finding one that’s big enough, soft enough, and springy enough for you to get the sleep you need.

Aside from buying a new mattress, you’ll want to consider whether you need a new pillow and sheets as well. This might seem like it’s adding up rather quickly, but good sleep is totally worth the investment. And if you buy good-quality things, they’ll last decades.

10. Get your Deep Sleep on

Still having trouble getting enough sleep? You need something that will actually work with your brain to help you fall asleep quickly and deeply. And no, I’m not talking about sleeping pills. Opt for a more natural approach and try out the Hapbee device, a wearable that uses safe, effective signals to help you sleep better, work better, and live better.

Hapbee has two signals that are designed for your nighttime routine: Bedtime and Deep Sleep. Bedtime is a sleep trigger that’s meant to make you start feeling sleepy about 30 minutes before you go to bed. Deep Sleep is a sleep regulator that actually increases your deep sleep and makes you feel more rested when you wake up. Most Hapbee users sleep with their Hapbee set on Deep Sleep underneath their pillow. What are you waiting for? Order Hapbee today–and start sleeping better than ever before.