Anxiety is normal, we all worry and feel the tension. What isn’t normal is extreme anxiety, and feeling that way until it becomes debilitating. This condition is called clinical anxiety, and a third of Americans are showing signs of it. A comprehensive survey back in May revealed that 30% of over 42,000 respondents showed symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder, while another 24% showed clinically significant symptoms of a major depressive disorder. And, worryingly, these figures actually reflect a troubling trend: America is getting more anxious.
But there’s a silver lining: anxiety can be addressed long before it progresses into something so crippling that it requires the intervention of mental health professionals. There are the usual counters to anxiety, like meditating, exercising, connecting with others, and being one with nature, as well as long-term fixes, such as avoiding anxiety triggers, adopting a healthy diet, and taking medicines or supplements. There are also some offbeat ways to deal with anxiety, one of which is using electronics to help you get over your anxious moments.
Sun lamp
Natural outdoor light, aka sunlight, is known for boosting a person’s mood, as it helps increase the body’s serotonin production. So, it goes without saying that having it indoors will help improve your mental health. Fortunately, that’s possible nowadays due to lamps that mimic natural outdoor light. The Sun lamps featured on Women’s Health Mag include the Verilux HappyLight Touch which has been championed for not only how it improves a person’s mood, but also increase energy levels and enhance productivity. Needless to say, it’s perfect for mood-booster this pandemic, when everyone needs to stay home more.
Smartwatch
The article ‘4 Ways to Use a Smartwatch to Manage General Anxiety’ outlines how the latest tech can help you combat anxiety. This is because it lets you know more about your body through your heart rate, sleep quality, and stress monitoring. It can also keep you away from your phone, which can actually be a big source of stress. Thankfully, more and more smartwatches from different brands are entering the market depending on your budget and needs. Adorama’s collection of home electronics shows how the Lifesense Band 2 Fitness Tracker is available for $59.99, while at the other end of the price spectrum is the Garmin Tactix Delta Solar at $1,399.99. The higher the price the more features you will be able to use to improve your physical and mental health. Yet, most of today’s smartwatches have heart rate and vital signs monitoring — exactly the features you need to better understand your body in order to help deal with anxiety.
Electronic Shiatsu massager
A massage is a great pain and anxiety reliever, and one of the best in this case is the Shiatsu massage. Shiatsu literally translates to “finger pressure” and works similarly to acupuncture: pushing the body’s pressure points to rejuvenate the mind and body. That said, getting frequent Shiatsu massages isn’t exactly sustainable and can be costly and time-consuming. Enter the electronic Shiatsu massager — a portable, efficient, and cost-effective way to get a Shiatsu massage whenever you need one and wherever you are.
While the above-listed electronics can help you deal with anxiety, it’s best that you don’t over-rely on them. Instead, use them in conjunction with behavioral modification as discussed in a previous post on ‘How to Overcome Generalized Anxiety Disorder’. So while you get electronic massages and keep track of your heart rate and sleep patterns, make sure you exercise regularly, eat healthily, and get plenty of rest too. In this way, you’ll have a better shot at beating anxiety.
