The holiday season is here, so we wanted to give you our ideas for the best stress-relieving gifts you can get!
Why We Need the Best Stress-Relieving Gifts Now More Than Ever
We’re all super stressed out these days. The American Psychological Association (APA) reported earlier this year (2021) that Americans are experiencing higher stress levels now than they did even in 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A whopping 84 percent of adults reported feeling at least one emotion associated with prolonged stress in the prior two weeks before the survey. The most common of these were anxiety, sadness, and anger.
“Nearly a year into the pandemic, prolonged stress persists at elevated levels for many Americans,” said Arthur C. Evans Jr., APA’s chief executive officer. “As we work to address stressors as a nation, from unemployment to education, we can’t ignore the mental health consequences of this global shared experience.”
Meanwhile, chronic stress is linked with many health problems, including cardiovascular disease, heart attack, stroke, sleep problems, weight gain, headaches, digestive problems, and mental health issues like depression and anxiety.
So if you’re looking for the perfect gift this season, you can’t go wrong if you look for something that will help your friends and loved ones ease stress.
Best Stress-Relieving Gifts to Give
1. CV Skinlabs Discover and Recover Kit
Enjoy the complete line of CV Skinlabs products in this kit. You get one of each of the Calming Moisture, Body Repair Lotion, Rescue + Relief Spray, and Restorative Skin Balm. All are made with natural, organic, non-toxic formulas for skin renewal and radiance, and will help calm, soothe, and heal dry, irritated skin.
2. Houseplants
Houseplants are really good for us, according to scientific research. First, they help ease stress. In a 2015 study, researchers compared two groups of young male adults. The first performed a computer task, while the second transplanted an indoor plant.
The results showed that those working on the transplanting task felt more comfortable and relaxed after they were done than those performing the computer task. Further, they lowered their blood pressure! The researchers concluded that “active interaction with indoor plants can reduce physiological and psychological stress…”
According to another study, simply having a houseplant in the room can help you feel more productive and creative.
Second, houseplants help to clean the air. According to the NASA Clean Air Study, they can remove organic chemicals—specifically benzene, trichloroethylene, and formaldehyde—while also taking in carbon monoxide and releasing oxygen.
Finally, they release a small amount of water vapor into the air, which can help with respiratory issues, headaches, and even dry skin!
Good options for stress-relieving gifts include Aloe vera, snake plant, lavender, chrysanthemum, peace lily, rosemary, and jasmine.
Best Stress-Relieving Gifts #3. Neck and Back Massager
There are a lot of these out there now that use Shiatsu movements to help ease tension in the neck and shoulders. (Here’s one example.) This is where most of us carry stress, and it makes the muscles tight and sore. Eventually, they can form painful knots that are difficult to get rid of without some focused attention. These massagers help dig deep into these knotted areas to relieve the tension and ease pain.
4. Aromatherapy
Certain scents have the power to help ease stress and anxiety. Preliminary research suggests that it can help alter brain waves, reduce stress, decrease levels of the stress hormone cortisol, and even ease the symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Which oils should you use? Good stress-relieving options include lavender, chamomile, sandalwood, lemon, Bergamot, rose, and orange. You can combine them with water in this handy aromatherapy/humidifier and get the benefit of moist air along with a lovely stress-relieving scent—which is good for your skin as well as your mood!
Note: some essential oils can be irritating to sensitive skin, including lemon, bergamot, and orange. If you have sensitive skin, try not to get any on your skin when using them.
5. DIY Candle Kit
Candles are great stress-relievers, but many of them are not good for your indoor air quality. Petroleum-based (paraffin) candles can release carcinogenic toxins like benzene, toluene, formaldehyde, acrolein, and soot into the air.
Choose candles made with natural alternatives to paraffin, like soy or beeswax. Or consider making your own with this DIY kit. It comes with herbs, crystals, soy wax, fragrance oil, wicks, stick, tin candle holders with lids, and info cards.
6. Calming Tea
Few things are more calming than a cup of nice, hot tea. You can put together your own collection in a pretty bag or box and prepare it as a gift, or choose this 12-tea sampler that includes varieties meant to inspire relaxation and sleep.
If you’re making your own, choose chamomile, rooibos, lavender, lemon balm, ginger, valerian root, and passionflower. You may also want to select brands that are crafted with your health and the environment in mind, including Stash tea and Buddha teas.
7. CV Skinlabs’ Mind + Body + Spirit Box
If you have a loved one living with cancer or who is a cancer survivor, this is the perfect gift.
Whether you’ve had surgery, are going through radiation, or are getting chemotherapy treatments, you’ll need to manage your skin side effects.
This wellness box comes complete with non-toxic, safe, and effective skincare solutions as well as a guided meditation CD from Health Journeys to help clear your body and mind of negativity and stress.
Perfect for those living with cancer who needs some extra TLC this holiday season.
8. Gratitude Diary
The benefits of expressing gratitude daily are numerous. Research shows that it helps relieve stress, improve sleep, ease depression, and boost mood. Help your loved one learn more with the book Gratitude Diaries by Janice Kaplan, who spent a year living gratefully to transform her marriage, family life, work, and health.
Or, you can gift this A Year of Gratitude Journal to inspire your loved one to start a gratitude practice of their own.
9. The Invisible String
Written for children who have experienced loss, this best-selling book is great for adults too. “Parents, educators, therapists, and social workers alike have declared The Invisible String the perfect tool for coping with all kinds of separation anxiety, loss, and grief.”
10. Foot Massage Roller
We usually neglect our feet, but they form the basis of our existence in this world. You know that if your feet hurt, everything else feels like it does too.
Foot massage helps improve circulation, reduce tension, ease muscle tightness, and soothe pain. It can also improve sleep, boost mood, alleviate swelling (edema), and help you relax all over. There are a lot of foot massagers out there to choose from. This one is very simple and relies on your own leg and foot power to work, or you can get a little fancier with this powered, shiatsu version.
11. Quality Skin Care
Help your friend or loved one enjoy calm, soothed, and healed skin in the coming year with our CV Skinlabs Rescue + Glow Collection. Perfect for those suffering from eczema, medically treated skin, rosacea, dry and fragile skin, or other dermatological conditions. It’s also completely safe for moms and babies. You get one of each of our four core products. Plus an eco-chic carrying pouch that’s the perfect size for carrying them.
Will you get a stress-relieving gift this holiday season?
