Body soothing techniques: a healthy choice to satisfy the senses

Stress has a direct impact on your body

Your body is often subjected to the impact of stress and stress eating. People experiencing chronic stress often exhibit the following: they are more prone to colds due to a weakened immune system; they gray hair earlier; and feeling overwhelmed and burdened can lead to weight loss or gain. Furthermore, when you have chronic stress, your body tends to store fat in your abdomen. The effects of stress on the body are a very good reason to seek healthy ways to comfort yourself, rather than resorting to unhealthy emotional eating.

Let's briefly look at what stress does to your body. Generally speaking, when you experience a threat, the HPA axis (which includes the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and adrenal glands) is activated. This triggers your body to release stress hormones-cortisol and adrenaline-and the neurotransmitter-norepinephrine. These substances lead to a fight-or-flight response, preparing your body to cope with the stressful event. This complex response affects your body in several ways. One of these ways is by eating to store energy.

You may have noticed a sudden surge in cravings for sweet, fatty, and salty foods when you're under stress. This is because your body is quickly and naturally restoring its hormonal and neurotransmitter balance. When stress persists and your body fails to return to this natural balance, it sends signals to the brain, prompting it to seek a way to restore equilibrium. You may then seek out foods that regulate neurotransmitters and stress hormones, thus temporarily boosting your energy.

When you calm down, the psychological and chemical stress responses in your body decrease. Therefore, how you cope with stress has a direct impact on your body. Your task is to calm your mind and stress physiological responses. Soothing your body helps you restore its natural balance, which in turn helps regulate your appetite.

Satisfy your five senses

I replace eating with drinking tea. I love the feeling of the warm aroma of tea rising from the cup. I love listening to the sound of the tea leaves steeping. It helps me stop eating impulsively because I genuinely enjoy tea. As I slowly sip my tea, a warm current spreads throughout my body. I try to shake off my worries and savor this warm feeling, as if I were sitting by a cozy fireplace.

Carmela

It's no mystery why some foods are so comforting. Freshly baked cinnamon rolls smell especially delicious. A bowl of hot beef stew can warm you up on a cold day. A dish of creamy ice cream can cool your tongue as it stimulates your taste buds. People often seek out comfort foods because they are a way to satisfy their senses. Fortunately, there are many healthy, calorie-free ways to enhance your awareness of your senses-that is, to enhance your ability to see, hear, touch, taste, and smell.

Self-soothing techniques: soothe your body

When you seek comfort, try to satisfy one or more of your physical sensations; this can be very effective in reducing the need for emotional eating.

Light therapy. Sunlight or bright full-spectrum light can significantly improve your mood. This is a primary method for treating seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a mild form of depression that some people experience during the less sunny winter months. Sunlight helps reset your internal clock and increases your levels of serotonin. When you feel the need for comfort, sit by a window and receive indirect sunlight or go directly outdoors for about 30 minutes. However, don't forget to use sunscreen and sunglasses. If you live in an area with little sunlight in winter or cannot go outdoors, you can purchase a light therapy device. You can use these bright lights indoors; they have the same therapeutic effect as sunlight.

Enjoy a cup of hot or cold tea. If you have a stress eating pattern, you might want to schedule some tea time when you feel the urge to eat for emotional reasons. Tea is a chemical complex containing many different components that affect neurotransmitters and other mood-regulating compounds. Black tea can lower the stress hormone cortisol. Chamomile is a cooling tea known for its comforting and calming properties.

Use a hot or cold towel. To calm your body, place a damp towel over your eyes, feet, or forehead. Whether to choose a warm or cool garment depends on what will comfort you most at that moment.

Wrap yourself tightly in a blanket. This will not only make you feel warm, but also safe and comforted. You may also want to use soft flannel sheets and down comforters in your bed.

Buy a fountain. The sound of cascading water is very relaxing and pleasant for listeners. In recent years, reasonably priced desktop waterfalls have become quite common.

Wear your favorite clothes. Wear a comfortable sweater or skirt that you love and people always compliment. Wearing something attractive is a great way to cheer yourself up when you're feeling down.

A pleasant fragrance

The aroma of hot cinnamon rolls can drive me wild in ten seconds. The mere smell of food can trigger all my emotions. It's surprising how scents can arouse my urge to eat so much, even when I don't see the food. Other scents can also comfort me. For example, I like to light a jasmine-scented candle and slowly inhale. The scent of lavender can also calm me. Although it's not as delicious as a pie, a small inhale can instantly create a Zen-like feeling.

------Melanée

The neural connections for smell in the brain differ from those for hearing, vision, taste, or touch. Odors are processed directly by the brain, not transmitted by other brain structures. Memories are often triggered by odors because odors affect the hippocampus, the brain structure that stores memories. Odors also affect the amygdala, the brain structure that regulates emotions. This is why the smell of fresh grass can bring back strong memories of playing outdoors as a child. Because the encoding of odors in the brain is linked to both memory and emotion.

Aromatherapy has a long history. The ancient Greeks and Romans used essential oils as perfumes. Early Olympic athletes applied scented essential oils to their bodies to relieve tension. Aromatic oils are well-known in ancient Eastern medicine. The Bible also mentions the use of essential oils multiple times. In recent years, these ancient aromatherapy methods have been shown to provide physiological, emotional, and cognitive benefits.

Generally speaking, comforting aromas have many positive effects. Pleasant aromas can calm you down as quickly as food. Moreover, pleasant aromas don't have the side effects of medications or antidepressants. They are harmless. While eating a piece of nut chocolate chip cookie can cause a lot of tension and make you worry about overeating, aromas don't have that effect; they don't trigger any concerns about weight gain.

Self-soothing techniques: Which scent works best for you?

If the aroma of toasted bread or grilled bacon stimulates your appetite, try to control it by quickly changing the scent that enters your nose. Scents can be absorbed in two ways: through the skin or through the olfactory pathway.

Go to a health food store and buy essential oils. Make sure to buy 100% pure essential oils, as they are stress relievers. You can keep some on your desk. When you feel like having a snack in the afternoon, you can smell the aroma. You can also carry a bottle of essential oil in your handbag.

Which scent should you choose? The most comforting scent is lavender. Other comforting scents include chamomile, rose, mint, lemon, eucalyptus, and lemongrass. But remember, what scent suits you is a matter of personal preference. Try out a few scents and find the one that works best for you.

For anxiety eaters: Wash your sheets with a suitable amount of lavender. When you need to de-stress or are experiencing stress eating, lie down for a while on lavender-scented sheets. The scent can also help you sleep better.

For emotional eaters: If you find yourself an emotional eater, you can light a tea-scented candle. Tea-scented candles are small and burn out quickly. This will delay your eating until the candle burns out. Your cravings will subside during the waiting process and under the influence of the soothing aroma.

For anxious eaters: You can combine aromatherapy with massage. Massage scented essential oils onto your feet, wrists, or neck. If you want to smell the fragrance, you can also apply some to your earlobes. Be mindful of the perfume you choose, ensuring you have obtained your doctor's approval and read the instructions. (Note: Some herbal perfumes applied directly to the skin can be absorbed into your bloodstream and may cause discomfort.)

Eating out of boredom or for relaxation: Rosemary and jasmine are invigorating scents. For bored eaters, stimulating the brain with vibrant aromas is highly effective. If you don't have any perfumes available, you can make your own. Coffee is a strong aroma that can both calm and excite. Place a bag of aromatic coffee beans in your handbag, and it will fill it with that fragrance.