Calm Store stocks a wide range of products for adults & children, designed to relieve stress & promote calm. These include aromatherapy products, body care, books, calming hobby supplies, calming jewellery, meditation tools and sleep aids.
Acupressure mats work similarly to acupuncture, which is an ancient practice of inserting the end of a thin needle into your body to relieve pain, reduce stress and provide other health benefits. While there is mixed evidence on whether or not it works, many people report that they find relief from the practice, which dates back to ancient history with roots in traditional Chinese medicine.
An acupressure mat is an affordable solution if you can't make it to acupuncture right now or don't want to have actual needles inserted into your skin. This acupressure mat from ProsourceFit is designed so you can lie on it in a reclining chair, couch or bed. It also comes with a pillow which is ideal for helping with neck pain or tension. Some small studies have shown that it's effective for helping with chronic neck and lower back pain. Even if most of the evidence surrounding these mats is anecdotal, it may be worth a shot if nothing else has helped you with pain or tension.
Many people are getting back in touch with their creative side and spending extra downtime on crafty projects, art and DIY endeavors. But if you don't already have a creative hobby, it can be intimidating to start one, since many require a certain skillset (e.g., knitting, sewing, baking) that can take time to learn.
Coloring is one activity that requires practically no skill and it's inexpensive. Plus, coloring is strangely satisfying if you haven't done it since you were a kid. You may feel silly at first but once you start you will see just how relaxing it is to do something that requires your full attention and keeps your hands busy -- which is important if you're trying to block out work or technology distractions.
There's something about reading that helps me relax more than any other activity, even watching Netflix. When I read, it's one of the few times I'm detached from my phone or computer. And reading requires you to fully focus on the words on the page -- unlike watching TV where it's easy to multitask while a show is on.
Sometimes the sheer amount of books out there makes it hard to decide what you want to read next. I actually find a lot of great recommendations on book Instagram accounts, but if you are looking for someone to curate books for you every month, a book subscription service is great.
Book of the Month lets you choose from five books each month, usually the options are books that are currently popular, but you get diverse options. The price is $15, which is less than what you would pay for most new picks at sticker price. If you don't want a new book every month, you can skip months and the credits roll over, which is nice if you are a slow reader or don't like the options for that month.
The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.
Our advice is expert-vetted and based on independent research, analysis and hands-on testing from our team of Certified Sleep Coaches. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Reviews ethics statement
The Sona app provides music to reduce anxiety, which can help you get a good night's sleep. It worked for me.
Taylor Leamey writes about all things wellness, specializing in mental health, sleep and nutrition coverage. She has invested hundreds of hours into studying and researching sleep and holds a Certified Sleep Science Coach certification from the Spencer Institute. Not to mention the years she spent studying mental health fundamentals while earning her bachelor's degrees in both Psychology and Sociology. She is also a Certified Stress Management Coach.
I've always had difficulty turning off my brain at night. For instance, I've written this intro in my head at least a dozen times while staring at my ceiling before falling asleep. It's not a secret; I'm an anxious person.
Enter the concept of sleep apps. Most people have used at least one. They're handy tools that help you let go and focus on sleep. I've tried plenty, and most work well enough, but they're not something I keep using after the initial excitement wears off.
Over the last few weeks, I've been testing Sona, an app that uses music from Grammy-winning producers to help you manage stress and get some sleep. It won the CES Innovation Award in 2022. Follow me through a journey of what I liked, what I could do without and what I recommend.
Sona is based on the idea that music can help reduce anxiety and that it can improve your mental health. The app is designed to increase alpha and theta brain waves, which naturally occur when we're deeply relaxed or sleeping. Sona has in-house research in partnership with Nielsen Neuroscience to test the app's effectiveness in reducing stress. That research concluded that Sona's music has a restorative or meditative effect on participants.
Sounds great. But we need to dig deeper to be sure this research was actually backed by science, as the app claims.
The concept of music therapy isn't new. There's a vast catalog of research showing how music can help decrease anxiety. Independent studies demonstrate that music can increase alpha waves and reduce beta waves because it helps relax and distract from negative feelings. Music also decreases cortisol in the brain, which is the stress hormone. When we're feeling anxious, cortisol levels increase. Listening to music can help keep them in check.
Since music is a proven way to calm the nervous system, help you fall asleep faster and increase the quality of your sleep, the premise of this app holds water. Now let's talk about what it was like using the Sona app.
Overall, I liked how simple the app is. When you open it, you'll be prompted to take a short questionnaire that helps determine how often you should use the app to ease your anxiety or help you sleep. My "listening dosage" was 15 minutes, four times each week. Once you have that recommendation, the app automatically sets your sessions to that time. However, you can extend it if so desired.
Calming books for adultsSona has a free version and a premium subscription that costs $4.99 per month or $29.99 each year. That's quite low compared to Headspace at $12.99 per month and Calm at $14.99 per month, though it's worth noting that those meditation apps have more offerings than Sona.
I used Sona primarily when I was going to sleep, as well as while reading before bed and working. I let the songs play the first few nights, listening to whatever was next in the queue. All of them are low-tempo, acoustic and piano compositions. All the components, from the melody to the rhythm, are meant to help you relax.
The songs were all nice to listen to, though I quickly found that I had a preference for certain types of relaxing music and that some types were a little distracting. Thankfully, you have the option to skip, pause and repeat songs. To that end, one of the best features is the favorite button. The app was the most relaxing when I could play the songs I enjoyed.
One of the strongest aspects of this app is how everything is designed to help ease anxiety. It felt like a seamless experience. When you open the app and start the music, you'll get an inhale-exhale prompt that sets the tone. The background of the music screen is calm water waves.
What's more, the songs flow continuously, so you won't have the jarring element of your playlist jumping from one extreme to another. With Sona, each song fades in and out, which I found perfect for drifting off to sleep.
I was pleasantly surprised by Sona's ability to help me relax and sleep. It's a basic app with a large music catalog that allows you to favorite, skip and loop. The music was impressive and pleasant. There were a few instances of the music randomly pausing in the middle of my sessions, but it wasn't a regular problem.
Sona is less robust than other apps, especially if you want a meditation-heavy experience. Sona offers breathing prompts, but it's not focused on guiding breathing. It's primarily a music app for decreasing anxiety and increasing sleep.
Sona is less robust than other apps, especially if you want a meditation-heavy experience. Sona offers breathing prompts, but it's not focused on guiding breathing. It's primarily a music app for decreasing anxiety and increasing sleep.
While you don't need headphones to listen, using them while trying to sleep did help me focus only on the music.
Back when things were normal (remember those days?) if you were feeling particularly stressed, you might grab cocktails with a friend, or dine solo at your favorite restaurant bar, or go see a movie at your neighborhood theater, or head to an extra-sweaty spin class. But since you can’t do any of those things right now, we decided to find you some at-home alternatives. We combed through the Strategist archives for the most zen-leaning items and asked professional destressers (including a yoga teacher, cannabis entrepreneur, and natural healer) for what they suggest for instant relief in these trying times.
Strategist editor Alexis Swerdloff describes this Tata Harper potion as “an aromatic stress-treatment oil that’s like Klonopin in scent form” — and if there’s ever been a time for Klonopin in scent form, well, that time is now.
While we’re talking anxiety-medication dupes, how about a lavender stick that Strategist contributor (and formerly sleep-deprived new mom) Sara Gaynes Levy dubbed “Ambien without the side effects”? You don’t even have to check with your doctor before combining the two.
If you need something stronger, Kirsty Godso, a Nike Master Trainer, applies Mineral Health Maison Recovery Salve every single night, “and wow does it work,” she says. “I do A LOT to my body during the day and this balm is a life saver. It focuses on reducing inflammation and repairing the skin.” She likes the combination of CBD and CBG (cannabigerol) in this formula. (If sweat is still your go-to stress reliever, Godso is currently offering yoga and fitness instruction on her Instagram. Nike also announced that its premium fitness content is now free for anyone who downloads the app.)
If you’re CBD-curious but don’t want to spend so much cash, Verena Von Pfetten, co-founder of cannabis magazine Gossamer, swears by Ananda Hemp’s Spectrum Salve for her “morning dose of mobility.” “I’ve been waking up every morning with the distinct and painful inability to move my neck or shoulders,” she says. “A small scoop goes a long way.” (Ananda Hemp is also where Von Pfetten’s company sources cannabinoids for their sleep tincture Dusk.)
An acupressure mat is no substitute for the real thing, but if you can’t visit your acupuncturist for the foreseeable future, it will help bridge the gap. This mat can provide a sense of calm and relaxation after a long day spent working from your couch, and writer Lori Keong also found it to be effective for her more intense back and neck aches, should you find yourself dealing with stress knots.
According to Yana Shept, one of the most popular photos she’s ever posted on @gelcream, her Instagram account dedicated to non-sponsored beauty reviews, “is a picture of my hand with coiled metal rings on three of my fingers.” Beyond being photogenic, though, these acupressure rings really work. Shept says they’ve helped her through some health and mental problems, and she turns “to the rings whenever I’m feeling blah or just want a little me-time moment on the go.”
If that doesn’t take care of your fidgety extremities, try these mashable magnets. They come recommended by Strategist editor Katy Schneider, who describes her fingers as “tiny, incorrigible beasts that cause actual, real-life damage: pick[ing] scabs until they bleed, unravel[ing] the sleeves of expensive sweaters.” She likes them because they’re “satisfyingly moldable” and “they’re not particularly noticeable, the way a fidget spinner is — you can hide them in your palm easily while using them.” She played with them through a dinner party undetected, but we think they’d be ideal for Zoom calls and FaceTime chats, too.
Your posts are always so thought-provoking. I look forward to reading more!
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