Natural ways to calm anxiety, reduce stress, and feel happier

With the barrage of stressors we’ve all faced in the past few years, most of us will try just about anything to feel a little better, and conventional talk therapy and medications can be lifesavers. But they’re not the only treatments that may help with depression, anxiety and trauma. Consider one of the five therapies here on top of what you’re already doing to take good care of your mental health. 

Flotation for anxiety

It may sound like a sci-fi experience, but lying down in a lightproof, soundproof pool filled with 1,000 pounds of Epsom salts dissolved in just a foot of water may reduce anxiety.

1. How it works 
You float effortlessly, thanks to very salty water, and likely slip into a meditative state because there are no outside stimuli such as noises or things to look at. “We harbor stress in our bodies, and within just 20 minutes of floating, there’s a large drop in blood pressure and muscle tension plus improvements in heart-rate variability,” says Justin Feinstein, Ph.D., a clinical neuropsychologist and founder of the Float Research Collective clinicalfloat.org.

2. What the research shows 
One of Feinstein’s published studies found significant reductions in anxiety from a one-hour float session among people with a range of anxiety and stress-related disorders, and the effects lasted more than 24 hours. “When you consider that some anxiety meds last only a few hours, it’s remarkable,” says Feinstein. “Research from other scientists backs up our findings.”

3. Need-to-know info
Floating isn’t a cure for anxiety, so it’s important to do it along with other therapies such as psychotherapy and mindfulness meditation. Since anxiety is lower for about a day post-float, that is an optimal time for a session of talk therapy. Flotation is not recommended for people with skin conditions or wounds, and those with inner ear issues like vertigo should be cautious (though earplugs may help). You can search for float centers at floatationlocations.com.

Soft sounds for relaxation

If you’re not familiar with the many ASMR videos on YouTube, the initials stand for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response and refer to the way gentle sounds or visuals can elicit a relaxing, tingly sensation that may reduce stress and insomnia. 

1. How it works 
ASMR is stimulated by one or more triggers, which can be auditory (such as hearing someone slowly crinkle paper), visual (like seeing someone gaze at you in a caring way) or tactile (someone lightly touching your hair, for example). What sets the stage for ASMR is a gentle, trusting moment between two people. “It’s likely that positive moments of personal attention stimulate the release of oxytocin to induce relaxation,” says Craig Richard, Ph.D., a professor of physiology at Shenandoah University and the founder of ASMR University, an online resource. “One of our studies showed that some areas of the brain that respond to oxytocin were active during ASMR. Another study found that heart rates were reduced during ASMR.”

2. What the research shows 
There is still a lack of large-scale clinical research, and most health care providers are not yet recommending it as an evidence based treatment. However, Richard’s team has data from more than 20,000 people who have experienced ASMR, and most of them describe it as relaxing, calming or soothing.

3. How to try it 
You can have a loved one play with your hair, make light sounds with an object or whisper to you. Paris ASMR and Whispers Red ASMR are two helpful YouTube channels, or you can check out Richard’s podcast, Sleep Whispers.

Tapping for trauma

Tapping, or Emotional Freedom Technique (also known as EFT), is a self-help therapy introduced in the 1990s to lower stress; it’s now being used to treat people with trauma. 

1. How it works 
Trauma arises from a fight-or-flight response to an extremely stressful event (such as a death or a divorce) that you’re unable to fully process and let go of. “Afterward, the same physiological effects may be triggered by specific stimuli, including scents or sounds associated with the event, and can interfere with daily functioning,” says Vivian Morgan, L.C.P.C., a clinical professional counselor and founder of True Balance Counseling Collective in Towson, MD. Tapping helps by sending a signal to the amygdala in the brain to let it know you’re safe, which calms your nervous system.
 
2. What happens in a session 
At the beginning, the client tells their therapist about the triggering event and pinpoints their level of stress (from 0 to 10). The therapist then guides the client to a summary statement that touches on how they would like to feel. “For example, a war veteran who is triggered by the sound of a car backfiring can say, ‘Even though I feel frightened at a level eight, I still deeply and completely accept myself,’ ” Morgan says. “The client will repeat this a few times while tapping the sides of the hand, then repeat shorter phrases, like ‘this fear,’ while tapping nine other acupressure points. Eventually they can learn to calm their nervous system by doing this whenever they are triggered,” without a therapist present.

3. What the research shows 
A 2019 study found that a tapping workshop lowered PTSD symptoms by 32% and blood levels of the stress hormone cortisol by 37%.

4. Need-to-know info
You can start looking for a trained therapist at the site of the Association for Comprehensive Energy Psychology (energypsych.org).

Narrative therapy for depression

This therapy provides a creative way to confront the issues that can contribute to a negative mind state.

1. What is it 
Narrative therapy is a type of talk therapy that starts with the assumption that people form stories about their lives. “Certain stories can be painful or problematic, and narrative therapy aims to help us create better, more productive stories,” says John Winslade, Ph.D., professor emeritus at California State University San Bernardino, who has taught narrative-therapy workshops around the world.

2. How it works
In narrative therapy, depression is thought of as “visiting” a client rather than defining who they are (as in, “I am depressed”). “This can help people see their circumstances with more clarity and self-compassion and less judgment,” says Winslade. It also helps clients look at their lives more objectively. For instance, a part of a person’s story may be that depression makes it impossible for them to get to work on time. “Usually I can unearth an example where this wasn’t true, and from that one difference, a series of differences emerges, and we have an empowering story rather than a defeating one,” says Winslade.

3. What the research shows 
While there isn’t yet a lot of research on this style of therapy, the idea of exploring your current beliefs and reframing what you’re experiencing in a more helpful way is common to many styles of talk therapy. 

4. Need-to-know Info 
There are professional groups that offer therapists training in narrative therapy, so ask any practitioner you’re considering whether they’re familiar with it, advises Winslade.
 
Binaural beats for anxiety

This form of sound-wave therapy helps some people combat anxiety.
 
1. What it is 
When you hear a sound in everyday life, your left and right ears receive slightly different frequencies, even as you hear it as a single noise. The difference between those two frequencies is the binaural beat—and it changes depending on what you’re listening to. So if your left ear receives a sound with a frequency of 100 Hz and your right ear receives a sound at 90 Hz, that means your brain perceives a binaural beat of 10 Hz. How might this relieve anxiety? Certain audio tracks are designed to create specific binaural beats that cause shifts in brain waves that affect mood and cognition. “You can choose an audio track that results in a frequency that produces an effect like less anxiety, better REM sleep, improved concentration, more creativity or greater alertness,” says Brian Wind, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist and the chief clinical officer at addiction treatment center JourneyPure.

2. What the research shows
“In one small study, people had a 26% drop in anxiety symptoms after listening to binaural beats for at least 20 minutes daily for two weeks in combination with therapy,” says Wind. “Other studies show that binaural beats may benefit patients experiencing anxiety before surgery. That said, research is inconclusive about the clinical benefits, so it’s not a replacement for typical anxiety treatments.” 

3. How to try it  
Audio tracks with binaural beats are easy to find online. “However, sometimes an audio file is compressed to the point that it loses its effect, so you may want to ask your therapist if they can recommend tracks that have worked for other patients,” says Wind. “Patients tend to listen to them with earphones in a place without distractions for at least 30 minutes.”

4. Need-to-know info
Keep in mind that with much still unknown about this therapy, binaural beats are not recommended for anyone who has suffered seizures or who has a pacemaker or heart problems, or for pregnant women, children or those operating heavy machinery.