Simple Ways to Reduce Stress

The brain-boosting alpha power of nature walks, pet therapy, and tea to reduce anxiety.

Photo: ©MaryAnn Rollano - Hutchinson Island

"“As long as this exists,” I thought, “this sunshine and this cloudless sky, and as long as I can enjoy it, how can I be sad?” The best remedy for those who are frightened, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere they can be alone, alone with the sky, nature and God. For then and only then can you feel that everything is as it should be and that God wants people to be happy amid nature’s beauty and simplicity. As long as this exists, and that should be forever, I know that there will be solace for every sorrow, whatever the circumstances. I firmly believe that nature can bring comfort to all who suffer.”

—Anne Frank, The Diary of a Young Girl

Imagine being confined in a room for two years with no outside access. What would it do to your mind? To your body?

And yet, we do it to ourselves all the time. How often do you spend 120 minutes outside?

A recent study published in Nature reported that contact with nature is associated with better health and well-being:

…this research suggests that spending ≥120 mins a week in nature may be an important “threshold” for health and well-being across a broad range of the adult population in England…”

Suggesting we spend time in nature to reduce stress and provide better health shouldn’t surprise anyone. Still, we need these studies to validate what mothers have long asserted: the importance of outdoor play!

How to Relieve Stress Quickly at Home

Everyone feels stressed at times. The everyday stress and anxiety that come with life are manageable. Here are a few simple ways to help you destress naturally. The secret is to activate your calming alpha brain waves.

But how do you get into an alpha state of mind?

My best therapy.....walking the beach, smelling the salty sea air, and listening to the soothing rolls of the ocean waves!

In There’s Something in The Air, I explain how negative ions from sea spray boost your mood.

Walking on the beach with my dog is my magical way to reduce stress. Other times, I'll have a cup of tea. Knowing how to relax can turn a simple tea session into a short, spiritual, and energetic retreat.

What exactly happens to the body when we go outside in nature?

“Step outside. Take a walk. Let nature work its magic. Enjoy the serenity of nature.”

A study published in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine examined the effects forest bathing had on blood pressure and brain wave activity. The study

“…investigated the relaxation effects of a 15-minute walk in a bamboo forest by examining physiological and psychological changes and comparing the outcomes with those obtained after walking in a city area. Our results indicated that the participant's blood pressure significantly decreased after the 15-minute walk in a bamboo forest, which demonstrated that the forest environment had a significant relaxing effect on the human body.”

The study also showed that being in nature increases alpha brain waves. A 15-minute walk in the bamboo forest increased alpha brain waves at levels equivalent to meditation. The participants also felt less stressed and anxious after the walk. 

“...the EEG analysis indicated that the participants' overall 15-minute high alpha mean values significantly increased after a walk in the bamboo forest. Thus, according to the increase in high alpha power, we conclude that the forest environment induces mental relaxation. Increased alpha power refers to a state of euphoria and relaxation.

In contrast, in the city area walk, lower alpha wave activity was observed; thus, lower alpha wave activity in the city environment indicates that the participants were under stress.”

So, the key to reducing stress and reaching an alpha state of mind is being outside in nature. City environments do not have the same effect.

What Are Alpha Brain Waves?

The brain produces electrical impulses all the time by our thoughts and emotions. These electrical impulses, measured as brain waves on an electroencephalogram (EEG), are produced by the millions of neurons in constant communication with each other.

The primary importance of alpha is that alpha waves are the bridge between the conscious and subconscious mind. They originate in the occipital lobe, the brain's visual processing center.

Alpha is where you have the clearest and most distinct imagery. This can assist in creativity and insight. A 2015 University of North Carolina study found that enhancing alpha waves triggers creativity.

The study also found that depressed people have impaired alpha oscillations, concluding that if these brain activity patterns are enhanced, they might help with depression and anxiety.

In her 2002 book Awakening the Mind, Anna Wise provides an excellent guide to mastering the power of your brain waves through meditation. By now, it is well known that meditation will help you achieve an alpha state, and there are many ways to achieve it. The Peaceful Tranquility of Tea Meditation explains this in more detail.

What are alpha brain waves?

Here is a brief overview of brain waves to put the benefit of alpha waves in perspective. Every state of consciousness combines one of the four main types of brain waves: beta, alpha, theta, and delta.

The currents of electricity or brain waves are measured in amplitude and frequency. They are measured in hertz (Hz), the unit of frequency in cycles per second.

Four major brain waves:

Waking states:

• Beta waves are the fastest waves active during the waking state of consciousness. They are produced by your awake mind when you are active, thinking, and on high alert or stressed. Beta waves measure 13-30 Hz.

• Alpha: The subsequent fastest wave frequency is related to detached awareness, our daydreaming mind. It provides the vividness of our imagery. When you take time to reflect or meditate, the alpha mind is engaged. Alpha waves measure 8-12 Hz.

Sleeping states:

• Theta: These are slower waves produced by the subconscious mind created during sleep and REM (rapid eye movement). Theta waves measure 4-8 Hz.

• Delta: These are the slowest frequencies produced by the unconscious brain. Delta is present when all other frequencies turn off during sleep for deep restorative rest. Delta waves measure below 4 Hz.

How pet therapy reduces stress

Photo: ©Mary Ann Rollano - Maya, a certified therapy dog

Spending time with a pet can increase oxytocin production and help reduce stress. Oxytocin has an anxiolytic effect on the brain. 

Frontiers in Psychology reviewed several studies on human-animal interaction (HAI). The studies examined a variety of age groups and medical health conditions.

The power of petting and animal interactions is proven to reduce stress, as measured by a reduction in stress-related parameters such as cortisol, heart rate, blood pressure, epinephrine, and norepinephrine.

The review of studies also found pet therapy improved social attention, behavior, interpersonal interaction, and mood while reducing fear and anxiety. Mental and physical health also improved.

It's understandable why cat and dog pictures and videos dominate online views. They're entertaining and soothing, activating our visual cortex and boosting alpha brain waves. (Did you smile when you just looked at the picture of Maya?)

Dog therapy reduces stress and improves reading skills in children

Before COVID-19, Maya, a certified therapy dog, was involved in a school program in which therapy dogs were integrated into the reading curriculum for school-aged children. Studies show these programs improve reading and social skills for children with increased anxiety. It is believed oxytocin plays a role in the child–dog interactions during read-to-dog sessions.

Maya was assigned to a third-grade classroom, where she visited once a week for an hour. The students gathered in small groups in their reading circle, with Maya in the center. Each student took turns reading a page from their weekly reader to Maya.

Photo: ©Mary Ann Rollano - Children reading aloud to Maya in the “Tail Waggin’ Tutors” program

Maya and the students absolutely loved it. (Look how attentive she is.) Evidence supports reading improvement in dog-assisted reading programs, especially in the lower grades and with struggling readers. 

This program improves the children's reading and writing skills. Reading aloud, especially in a group setting, can induce anxiety, but it’s a skill known to create better readers. Petting the dog while reading reduces the child’s anxiety.

The students also wrote stories with Maya as the central character, spurring their imagination and creative writing skills. Maya was a sleuth, a super dog, and a heroine in many of the children's stories. (They even nicknamed her “fluff butt,” much to the teacher’s dismay!)

Drinking a cup of tea reduces stress

Foods and beverages can reduce stress naturally based on their inherent chemical compounds. According to several studies, theanine in tea can help you relax by increasing alpha brain waves. It may also promote well-being and reduce stress.

Certain chemical compounds can also increase alpha waves. Just as caffeine and stimulants will increase beta waves, the amino acid l-theanine, found only in tea and some mushrooms, has fascinating effects on the brain. Theanine increases alpha brain waves, inducing a calm and deeply relaxed state.

The Ingredient Found Only in Tea, explains the effects of theanine, typically found in black, green, and oolong tea made from the Camellia sinensis plant.

An increase in alpha wave activity is desirable because alpha waves are connected with relaxed mental states. Combined with the caffeine in tea, which is about half the amount found in coffee, the overall effect is a relaxed and focused calm.

Tea is more than a beverage; it's a respite, inviting us to embrace the calm relaxation it provides. Silence and quiet contemplation follow as we savor the simple peace found in a cup of tea.

The next time you feel a bit stressed, try brewing yourself a cup of tea, taking a walk in nature, or petting a dog. (Or cat, the effect is the same.) And give yourself 15-30 minutes of soothing, quiet, and calming therapy.

P.S. For a bit more destressing, you can follow Maya on Instagram -  @oh_maya_gosh_ (After all, isn’t that the best part of Instagram?)

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References:

White, M.P., Alcock, I., Grellier, J. et al. Spending at least 120 minutes a week in nature is associated with good health and wellbeing. Sci Rep 9, 7730 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-44097-3

Hassan A, Tao J, Li G, Jiang M, Aii L, Zhihui J, Zongfang L, Qibing C. Effects of Walking in Bamboo Forest and City Environments on Brainwave Activity in Young Adults. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2018 Feb 11;2018:9653857. doi: 10.1155/2018/9653857. PMID: 29785198; PMCID: PMC5896408. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5896408/

Beetz A, Uvnäs-Moberg K, Julius H and Kotrschal K (2012) Psychosocial and psychophysiological effects of human-animal interactions: the possible role of oxytocin. Front. Psychology 3:234. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2012.00234 https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2012.00234/full

Kirnan, J., Siminerio, S. & Wong, Z. The Impact of a Therapy Dog Program on Children’s Reading Skills and Attitudes toward Reading. Early Childhood Educ J 44, 637–651 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-015-0747-9 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-015-0747-9