7 Ways To Soothe Stress & Anxiety (That Have Nothing To Do With Food)

Answer this question: When you've had a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day, what's the first thing you do?

A) Call a friend to vent your frustration

B) Curl up in your bed, cocooned in a fuzzy blanket, and veg out with Netflix

C) Lace up your running shoes and turn up your iTunes to drown out your thoughts as you go for a long walk

D) Reach for the candy and say, “I NEED chocolate!”

For most of us, if we're being totally honest, the first impulse is Option D. Sugar and comfort foods are the quick and easy path to a moment of instant Zen.

If you comfort with food, don’t be too hard on yourself; a little bit is okay. It’s when eating is your primary way of coping that it becomes an issue — because, let’s face it: Life is stressful! And so we need to find other, better methods of stress management to have on hand when life gets hard.

As a psychologist at the Cleveland Clinic, I teach people to tap into healthy stress management strategies that help them unwind. My motto is “calm and comfort without calories.” And I tell my clients to look for comfort, not bliss. Think of it as the difference between your favorite pair of heels and your tennis shoes. One brings you pleasure, the other comfort. It's similar to the way chocolate brings sensory pleasure whereas a massage triggers real relaxation.

Fascinating research by Harvard professor Amy Cuddy shows that the concept of power posing — standing with force, courage, strength, and character — may produce immediate changes in your body’s chemistry. After just two minutes in a high-power pose, the hormone testosterone, a dominance hormone, increases 20 percent, while cortisol, the stress hormone, fades away.

You know how unproductive it is to tell yourself, “Stop thinking about X.” It never works!

A study out of Ohio State indicates that it’s more helpful to have specific things to think about. People in the study who were instructed on how to distract themselves, versus those who just dwelled on their thoughts, experienced a decrease in cortisol.

Lemon balm has historically been known as a calming herb — and recent research confirms that it can help relieve stress, boost your mood, and improve cognitive function.

A 2002 study found that reflexology and foot massage can both help reduce anxiety and depression in women. For a less expensive, on-demand version of a spa appointment, try a self-massage when you're feeling stressed.

Thalassotherapy refers to the Greek word for the therapeutic and medicinal effects of seawater. A 2008 study found that thalassotherapy can help reduce pain in women, and many people swear by the de-stressing effect of an Epsom salt bath.

In Japan and other Asian countries, forest bathing for relaxation is all the rage. And research backs up its benefits: A recent study compared participants who sat in an urban vs. green setting for 15 minutes. The researchers found that those around nature experienced less anxiety and tension and reported feeling calmer, more relaxed, and more rejuvenated than those sitting outside in an urban environment.

In pioneer medicine, lavender petals were put in pillowcases to help people sleep. The healing properties of lavender have now been well-established in studies. For example, the scent of lavender has been shown to be effective in reducing insomnia, anxiety, depression, and stress.