Ranking the 5 Best Tools for Lowering Anxiety
"Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, but only empties today of its strength."
—Charles Spurgeon
It’s no secret that anxiety is something we all face, especially as the pace of life accelerates. Whether it’s work deadlines, family obligations, or the sheer noise of everyday life, managing anxiety has never been more essential. Fortunately, there are tools and practices that can help us lower anxiety, reset our minds, and restore our sense of calm.
Over the years, I’ve discovered that having the right tools in my anxiety-reducing toolkit has made a world of difference. These do not replace addressing anxiety with the basics like whole foods, clean light, water, and air, getting out in nature, socializing, and participating in CBT with a therapist. Rather, these are supplementary methods that complement those foundational practices and offer extra relief when needed.
Here are my top 10 tools, each of which has helped me manage anxiety effectively and maintain balance in my life.
Tools to Improve Your Anxiety
1. Moonbird
Moonbird is my new favorite tool for anxiety and relaxation. It uses gentle vibrations and a pump that inflates and deflates to guide your breath, helping you focus on slow, diaphragmatic breathing. This practice is scientifically shown to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which reduces stress and anxiety. A study published in Frontiers in Digital Health found that guided breathing exercises significantly improve various aspects of sleep and mental health, including 28% faster time to fall asleep, 37% improved sleep quality, 26% longer sleep duration, and 32% improved daytime functioning. Moonbird also tracks your heart rate, HRV, and coherence in real time, providing biofeedback that helps you monitor your progress. Once you hook it up to the app, you can choose from a variety of modules that guide you through your breathwork, or you can customize your own routine (my default is 8 minutes of 5-second inhales and 9-second exhales).
I’ve been using it on the car ride to/from work as well as while I’m in the sauna before bed as a way to help me wind down. I’ve also used it a few times when my kids were getting wild and I was having trouble regulating.
Use the link below or code BRIANCOMLY for 10% off.
2. Shakti Mat
The Shakti Mat is my frenemy. It’s an acupressure mat that features thousands of tiny spikes that stimulate pressure points across your body, similar to acupuncture but without the needles. When you lie on the mat, the pressure from the spikes promotes blood circulation, reduces muscle tension, and stimulates the production of endorphins, the body’s natural painkillers and mood boosters. In fact, a systematic review and meta-analysis on acupressure found that it significantly reduces anxiety levels.
Personally, I use the Shakti Mat most nights while reading before bed (when I don’t sauna). I have to gingerly lie back on it over some 30 seconds and then further ease into it. After about 5 minutes of lying on it, the pain and discomfort turn into a warm relaxation that runs through my body. Meanwhile, my wife can lie on it in 1 second and basically sleep on it without a problem. It’s awesome.
3. The Ice Pod
Cryotherapy, also known as cold baths, cold dunks, cold exposure, or simply "freezing your butt off," is a scientifically-backed method for improving mood, boosting metabolism, reducing the risk of cardiometabolic disease, lowering anxiety, and even strengthening the immune system. It works by triggering the body’s stress response in a controlled way and research shows that cold therapy can significantly improve symptoms of anxiety and depression. One study found that people with depression showed a marked reduction in symptoms after just ten cryotherapy sessions.
There are plenty of ways to get cold: showers, jump in a body of water, or even splashing some cold water on your face and the back of your neck can help. However, the Ice Pod 2.0 by The Pod Company is great because it’s affordable, portable, and easy to set up. The shock of cold water gives you an immediate sense of euphoria and staying in it is a pure test of will, making everything else you do for the rest of the day easy in comparison.
Use my link above to get $10 off.
4. Gardyn Studio
Yes, simply being near plants can lower your anxiety. I know, I know, this one sounds a bit woo-woo, but hear me out. A systematic review and meta-analysis found that indoor plants can significantly reduce anxiety, with participants experiencing a 2.53 mmHg decrease in diastolic blood pressure, which is associated with reduced stress and anxiety. Another study found that interacting with indoor plants significantly reduces stress by lowering diastolic blood pressure and calming the nervous system, making the participants feel more relaxed and at ease compared to mental tasks. Our brains are hardwired to feel calmer in natural environments, and plants help create that peaceful atmosphere.
If you’re looking for an easy way to bring nature into your home, I highly recommend the Gardyn Studio. It’s a “smart,” compact, and beautiful vertical garden that allows you to grow up to 16 plants in just 1.4 square feet of space. You can choose from over 100 plant varieties (all 100% pesticide-free and non-GMO), including leafy greens, herbs, and more. Plus, it’s self-watering, with an automatic lighting system to keep everything growing perfectly.
Since getting the Gardyn Studio, my home feels brighter, and the kids love watching the plants grow. It’s had a pretty incredible impact on the mood of the house, and I’ve even noticed that we tend to congregate around it more and more as it blooms. ]
5. Grounding
Grounding (a.k.a. earthing), involves connecting your body to the Earth's natural surface, and its been scientifically shown to significantly reduce anxiety by lowering stress markers such as blood pressure and heart rate. A small 2018 study found that after performing grounding for 10 hours a day over several months, 10 individuals with high blood pressure experienced a decrease in systolic blood pressure ranging from 8.6% to 22.7%, with an average reduction of 14.3%.. A review in the Journal of Environmental and Public Health found that grounding may be a highly effective strategy for combating chronic stress, inflammation, pain, poor sleep, autonomic nervous system dysfunction, and various health disorders, including cardiovascular disease.
The best way to be barefoot outside is by walking on natural surfaces like grass, sand, or dirt. I also use a grounding mat at my standing desk, and recently, I started sleeping on grounding sheets. This is last on my list because I don’t notice a huge difference in how I feel, however, given how easy it is to use (standing on a comfortable mat) and the evidence behind some interesting emerging research, I’m going to keep using it
Takeaway
These tools offer simple and effective ways to manage anxiety and can be easily incorporated into your daily routine. Whether you’re looking to reduce stress after a busy day, improve your sleep quality, or find moments of calm throughout the day, these practices can fit seamlessly into your life. What’s great is that you don’t have to choose just one—these tools can be stacked together for even greater benefit. Do an ice bath in the morning, use the Moonbird on the way to work, or set up your home office to have a grounding mat and Gardyn studio by you before you wind down on the Shakti mat before bed.
Let me know if you tried any of these and how they worked for you in the comment section.
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