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Four decades of writing on living long and living well, with 1,000+ posts on functional and longevity medicine.
27 in Relaxation
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Apr 3, 2026 · RelaxationThe Power of Breathwork
A functional-medicine practitioner explains how breathwork can influence physical and emotional health.
Feb 13, 2026 · Relaxation23 Ways to Simplify Your Life
Try these practical suggestions for decomplicating your life.
Jan 30, 2026 · RelaxationTry These 4 Practices to Create a More Flexible Mind
Hone your cognitive flexibility with these creative practices.
Sep 15, 2025 · RelaxationChill Out with L-theanine: The Calming, Focus-Promoting Amino Acid
Making time for de-stressing time-outs is essential, and a non-negotiable healthy habit I encourage everyone to develop. But, sometimes, despite our best intentions, we can’t squeeze in that short meditation break. In order to take the edge off, many will reach for a powerful pharmaceutical like Xanax or Valium, but those meds come with a boat-load of possible scary side effects, with cognitive impairment, addiction and increased Alzheimer’s risk topping the list. So, what’s a safer way to calm your nerves and protect your health? Enter L-theanine. It’s my favorite all-natural, go-to “chill pill” you need to know about.
Jun 6, 2025 · RelaxationQuick Wins for Calming the Nervous System: Practical Tips You Can Start Today
Here are practical, science-backed tips you can start today to support your nervous system and find a greater sense of calm.
May 16, 2025 · RelaxationWhy We All Need A Daily Reset
Knowing how to reset is very empowering. Because getting stressed does not mean we have to stay stressed. It is possible to reverse the impact of stress and trauma.
Apr 25, 2025 · RelaxationHow Meditation Changes Your Brain
Discover the power of meditation when it comes to your brain health.
Mar 28, 2025 · Relaxation4 Tips for Finding Mindfulness
It’s challenging to stay present in an age of multitasking and increasing distractions. Practice awareness with these ideas.
Mar 17, 2025 · RelaxationTo Maintain a Youthful Brain, Meditation is the Perfect Prescription
The idea that meditation, is great for you may not be breaking news, but we both know you should be working on developing your stress-relieving meditation practice. Question is, are you actually doing it? If the answer is no, then here’s a bit more motivation: a regular meditation practice can help rescue your brain health and enhance your sense of well-being for years to come. How and why it does so much good for your brain and body? Let us count the ways – and give you a few tips on how to get into – and stay in – a consistent, brain-saving, meditation groove.
Feb 7, 2025 · RelaxationHow Can the Vagus Nerve Help Lower Inflammation?
Stimulating the vagus nerve leads to the release of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that affects inflammation. Learn more.
Jan 31, 2025 · RelaxationThe Connection Between Heart-Rate Variability (HRV) and Vagal Tone
People with chronic stress tend to have low HRV. Learn why.
Apr 26, 2024 · RelaxationThe Upside of Outside
Can living amid bountiful green space improve a senior’s mental and physical health? New research — and the reemergence of ecotherapy — suggest that spending more time outdoors could make a difference.
Oct 30, 2023 · Relaxation9 Ways Conscious Breathing Instantly Upgrades Every Aspect of Your Health
You don’t need to be a meditation guru or yoga practitioner to tap into the power of the breath. Conscious breathing is easy to learn and can be practiced anywhere anytime. In just a few breaths, wonderful mind/body changes start to happen as the body’s relaxation response kicks in. Those escalating emotions begin their descent as blood pressure and heart rate start to slide back down to a healthier range as you activate the parasympathetic nervous system (the rest-and-digest system which counterbalances the fight-or flight response). The result? Improved cardiovascular health, immune function, possibly better longevity and numerous other benefits. My advice? Start breathing!
Sep 29, 2023 · Relaxation6 Ways Gardening Is the Ultimate Mind–Body Workout
The health benefits of gardening go beyond reaping a harvest of vegetables and fruits.
Nov 11, 2022 · Relaxation3 Adaptogenic Plants to Help Relieve Stress
How rhodiola, eleuthero, and holy basil can help you alleviate the effects of stressful situations.
Nov 29, 2021 · RelaxationVagus Nerve Stimulation: 10 Ways to Quickly Calm Body and Soul
If nothing else, this difficult time has shown us just how important it is to protect and preserve both physical and mental health. One silver lining to emerge from the last 18 months: we’re now more aware of what sends our stress levels into the stratosphere. The tricky part? How to bring them back down to earth fast. The good news is that inside every one of us in an actual nerve whose job it is to do exactly that -- the vagus nerve (VN) – and you have the power to tap into its calming power, with ‘vagus nerve stimulation’ (VNS).
Aug 16, 2021 · Relaxation9 Ways to Tame Back-to-School and Back-to-Office Stress in Pandemic Times
As summer winds down and the pandemic grinds on, safe to say, many of us are heading into the fall with a sense of unease about what lies ahead. Getting a handle on how to move forward in the midst of constantly changing circumstances is something that just about everyone is struggling with right now. Vaccination, masking up and following CDC guidelines are essential. But after that, what? Despite pandemic fatigue, you simply must take good care of yourself and your loved ones and be as safe, physically healthy and mentally well as possible as we push through the next phase of the pandemic, whatever that turns out to be. No backsliding.
Jul 30, 2021 · RelaxationHow Meditation Brings Calm in The Face of Change
The scientific benefits of meditation are extensive and well-documented. When you know what you’re doing, meditation works. Sleep and energy levels improve. Stress levels go down. Immunity is strengthened. Digestion is more balanced. The ageing process slows. Coping with change is easier. Mental clarity and focus sharpens.
Jul 19, 2021 · RelaxationHow ‘Bathing’ and Grounding Yourself in Nature Heals and Protects Body, Mind and Spirit
The pandemic has served up many lessons, but one of the most positive ones has been a renewed appreciation for the great outdoors, even among those didn’t care much about it before – and I encourage everyone to carry the habit forward long after summer has set. Time spent in the outdoors and connecting with the Earth supports the health of your body, mind, and spirit, just like good sleep, wholesome foods and regular movement. Think of your time in nature as a wellness practice, an essential part of your self-care regimen, so don’t miss a dose.
Apr 23, 2021 · Relaxation6 Breathing Techniques
Ancient wisdom and recent research show that how we breathe can enhance our athletic performance and overall well-being. Try these six breathing exercises.
Nov 30, 2020 · Relaxation4 Essential Adaptogens for Drug-Free Stress and Anxiety Relief
With chaos and upheaval seemingly the order of the day these days, remaining energetic, emotionally buoyant and physically balanced can be a tall order. For those of us trying to manage stress, fatigue and/or exhaustion, the unhealthy quick-fixes typically include some combination of sugar, caffeine, alcohol, recreational drugs and prescribed meds. Sound familiar? But there is a better way, enlisting the help of a group of herbal ingredients called ‘adaptogens.’
Jul 27, 2020 · Relaxation8 Ways To Meditate, Without Meditating
One of the best ways to get away from it all quickly and easily is with meditation. It’s free, easy to do and can be done anywhere you can find a quiet spot. Meditation’s benefits are legion – it helps cultivate adaptability, resilience, and reduces reactivity (as well as the lashing out that can accompany it), while offering brain and heart protection; better immunity, mood, sleep, feelings of calm; reduced anxiety, pain sensitivity, etc.
May 13, 2020 · RelaxationSelf Care for Stressful Times - Tips & Tricks for Taking Care of Yourself at Home
While you might not be able to go to the spa to get a relaxing massage, to the gym to sweat out the stress, or other ways you alleviate stress, there are things you can do at home.
Aug 30, 2019 · Relaxation4 Techniques a Therapist Uses to Help Her Clients Relieve Anxiety
Most of us have experienced anxiety throughout our lives, and it can be argued that between improvements in technology and the advent of social media, anxiety and stress levels are surging at higher rates then previously seen-especially for young people.