The more I learn about health in general, the more I see how interconnected every system of our bodies are. I think any health writer could publish an unending stream of content addressing stress. For this article I wanted to give you a back-up list of natural remedies that have been scientifically proven to provide immediate relief.

I was initially going to do one long article addressing every possible natural remedy I could find. In the end, I felt it would be overwhelming and I wanted to separate them out into different groups. This article will focus on natural remedies that will provide fast stress and anxiety relief.

Literally, some of these can provide relaxing and calming effects within seconds. My follow-up article will address lifestyle changes that can be implemented to lead to overall reduced stress and anxiety (again, all backed by science).

Some of the options I list below will be common knowledge, but I challenge you to revisit each of them and read the supporting science behind each.

7 Natural Remedies for Stress & Anxiety That Provide Immediate Relief

1. Natural stress relief – Accupressure Mat

Acupressure mats are flat mats with thousands of tiny prickly spikes that stimulate pressure points throughout the body. Unlike acupuncture, these tiny points do not actually penetrate the skin. Acupressure can lead to a range of calming benefits:

Pain Relief

• Studies show that acupressure mats lead to the release of endorphins throughout the body. Endorphins are commonly known as the body’s natural pain killer. Several studies have found that acupressure therapy is an effective method for pain relief.

Improved Sleep

• Research suggests that the combination of natural pain relief as well as the release of tension throughout the body leads to improved sleep. Researchers examined menopausal women and found that their sleep was dramatically improved following acupressure treatments.

Mental Health

• A study looked specifically at the effects of acupressure on patients with anxiety, stress and depression. Patients used acupressure mats for 15 minutes, three times a week for one month. After the month, patients using the acupressure mats (when compared to the control group), had significantly reduced depression, anxiety and stress measurements.

Headache & Migraine Relief

• Headaches often are a result of tension in the lower neck and shoulders. The muscle relaxing benefits of acupressure mats can help reduce the tension and ease headaches.
• Along with this, endorphins being released act as a natural pain killer. Studies have also found that regular acupressure treatment can actually be effective at reducing the number of migraines individuals may suffer from.

I use my acupressure mat almost nightly. I lay my mat in bed, set a timer for 20 minutes and by the time the timer goes off I am already asleep. Then I just pull it out from under me and pass out.

I also whip it out whenever I have a headache and lay my neck over the pillow and honestly within about 5 minutes the headache is significantly better if not gone. If you are considering getting one I would definitely recommend one with a pillow for this purpose!

3. Natural stress relief – Laughter

Now before you role your eyes, laughter is an underestimated yet powerful treatment for stress:

Stimulates Dopamine

• As our face shifts into a smile our brain releases the neurotransmitter dopamine. Dopamine is a powerful neurotransmitter responsible for happiness. Studies have shown that the brain cannot distinguish between genuine laughter and forced laughter suggesting that even without a funny stimuli we can laugh of our own accord and still receive all the benefits!

Anti-Inflammatory

• Laughter also stimulates the production and secretion of nitric oxide. This causes an anti-inflammatory effect throughout the body further aiding in the reduction of pain and boosting the immune system.

Pain Relief

• Dopamine also stimulates the secretion of endorphins, the body’s natural painkillers. A study in 2011 used extreme cold as a measure of pain tolerance. Half of the participants were exposed to laughter therapy while sitting in the extreme cold environment while the control group did not receive any kind of therapy.
• The group who laughed throughout the experience recorded higher levels of pain tolerance. More studies have shown that patients who watched comedy videos needed less pain medication than those who did not.

Lowers Blood Pressure

• Laughter increases oxygen intake providing more oxygen to the blood. High blood pressure is also closely linked to high stress levels. The natural anti-stress relief of laughter has been shown to significantly lower blood pressure levels.
• A six month study in 2011 by the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions studied the effects of music versus laughter on lowering blood pressure levels.
• By simply indulging in some laughter, studies have shown it can enhance oxygen- rich air intake, boost the circulatory system, stimulate heart and lungs, balance blood pressure, ease digestion, improve memory and alertness, improve sleep, reduce anxiety, and strengthen social bonds.

Reduce Stress & Anxiety

• Laughter can actually decrease levels of stress hormones like cortisol and epinephrine. These decreased stress hormones paired with the increased production of dopamine can lead to a significant reduction in overall stress.

Next time you find yourself overwhelmed, exhausted or on the verge of a panic attack jump on youtube and search for a clip of your favorite comedian. Or videos of people falling, or babies pooping or animals running into windows…whatever floats your boat…but get the laughter flowing and notice the immediate difference it makes. In fact, let’s pause for a moment and enjoy a laugh together…