Stress and anxiety have become major burdens for millions of people around the world. In the United States alone, 43% of adults said they felt more anxious last year, marking an increase from 2023 (37%) and 2022 (32%) figures, according to the American Psychiatric Association’s annual mental health poll. The same survey found that 53% of adults cited that stress had the biggest impact on their mental health.
Feeling stressed and anxious can significantly impact your mental well-being, making you feel more overwhelmed, irritated, and worried about many aspects of life. Luckily, several solutions are now available to help you manage your stress and anxiety. Aside from professional help from healthcare providers, you can also try leveraging technology for emotional support to help you feel less stressed and anxious.
In this article, we look at how you can use tech tools to help you manage stress and anxiety.
Engage with robot animals
The latest tech innovations have made it possible to interact with robot pets for various purposes. Today, you can use robot animals for emotional support, as these devices provide consistent companionship and responsiveness, unlike the unpredictability typically associated with living pets. These robot animals mimic live pets’ appearance and behavior and can offer tactile interaction that can promote the release of oxytocin, a hormone attributed to relaxation. This allows you to effectively soothe your stress and anxiety and build a routine without worrying about the added burdens associated with taking care of a live pet.
Take online courses
Engaging in lifelong learning keeps the brain sharp and boosts your self-esteem, which can minimize feelings of anxiety. One way to embrace lifelong learning is by enrolling in online courses for intellectual stimulation, which can help you adopt new skills and prevent cognitive decline. Online courses can also provide a sense of fulfillment when you accomplish tasks or finish your coursework. You can maximize your devices and look for platforms offering special courses, such as Coursera and LinkedIn Learning. Keeping yourself busy is also a great way to distract your mind from negative thoughts and feelings.
Play online games
Another way to reduce stress and anxiety is by playing online games. According to a study by the Oxford Internet Institute, playing video games can boost mood within 15 minutes of gameplay, suggesting that online games can play a significant role in providing short-term recovery for managing daily stress. You can also install mobile wellness apps like Personal Zen, which uses attention-bias modification training that helps you focus on positive images and experiences, enabling you to reduce stress and anxiety in-game. Meanwhile, other apps like CalmQuest: Anti-Stress Games provide soothing activities like guided meditations and calming games that help you unwind.
Listen to music
According to research published in BMC Psychology, listening to music is a promising strategy for providing adequate stress relief. With music streaming platforms like iHeartRadio, SiriusXM, Spotify and Apple Music, it’s easier than ever to relax and distract your mind by plugging in your headphones to your devices. Music can help put your mind in a state of relaxation, but you can also listen to podcasts that help you manage stress and anxiety, including Oprah’s Super Soul and The Overwhelmed Brain. Listening to calming music and reaffirming words or advice can help you stay grounded, minimizing feelings of stress and anxiety.
Dealing with stress and anxiety can take a toll on your mental well-being. Luckily, on top of professional help, you can try any of the above tech tools to boost your mood and manage your emotions.
This article was written for WHN by RUTH ANN JOHN, a freelance writer who enjoys writing about health, wellness, and sustainability. When she’s not typing away at her keyboard, you can find her completing an oil painting or doing DIY projects.
As with anything you read on the internet, this article should not be construed as medical advice; please talk to your doctor or primary care provider before changing your wellness routine. WHN does not agree or disagree with any of the materials posted. This article is not intended to provide a medical diagnosis, recommendation, treatment, or endorsement.
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References/Sources/Materials provided by:
https://www.psychiatry.org/news-room/news-releases/annual-poll-adults-express-increasing-anxiousness
https://worldhealth.net/news/gen-x-and-mental-health-navigating-stress/
https://neurosciencenews.com/video-games-mood-psychology-27704/
https://bmcpsychology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40359-023-01066-w
