1. Forest Bathing

Forrest bathing is the practice of going in nature, or the forest to relax. Trees produce special essential oil like molecules that have been proven to improve the immune system. Going in nature also reduces cortisol. Reacher’s conclude “A total of 971 articles were screened; 22 of them were included in the systematic review and 8 in the meta-analysis. In all but two included studies, cortisol levels were significantly lower after intervention in forest groups if compared with control/comparison groups, or a significant pre-post reduction of cortisol levels was reported in the forest groups. The main results of the meta-analysis showed that salivary cortisol levels were significantly lower in the forest groups compared with the urban groups both before (MD = − 0.08 μg/dl [95% CI − 0.11 to − 0.05 μg/dl]; p < 0.01; I² = 46%) and after intervention (MD = − 0.05 μg/dl [95% CI − 0.06 to − 0.04 μg/dl]; p < 0.01; I² = 88%). Overall, forest bathing can significantly influence cortisol levels on a short term in such a way as to reduce stress, and anticipated placebo effects can play an important role in it. Further research is advised because of the limited available data.”

2. Meditation

Think of meditation as brain training. Being able to stay focused throughout the day in a world of distractions is invaluable. Meditation can reduce cortisol, which is your bodies main stress hormone. There are many different forms of mediation, but the most common type is mindfulness. Simply sit quietly where you won’t be disturbed, and observe your thoughts. Do not judge them, just notice them. Being aware of your thought can help you change them, and even still the mind.

3. Play

Some of us go through life to seriously. Having fun, and playing is something we often forget to do. This practice can help cultivate inner peace. You can laugh, smile, play with a person, or pet. There are many different forms, Do what’s right for you. Researchers conclude “Investigating the broader issues described in this paper will be of crucial importance to develop theoretically sound, practically relevant, and truly implementable strategies, directly beneficial for young people with chronic conditions and their families. Play interventions, either real-life, digital, or combined, have clear potential to enhance physical, social, emotional and cognitive development. As such, they hold great promise for both preventive and treatment strategies directed at psychosocial problems of children with chronic or life-threatening diseases. However, the complexities of studying play poses major challenges in methodically measuring inter-individual differences in play behaviour, and the need for the development of personalized play interventions is obvious. This warrants interdisciplinary research on play behaviour – as it relates to the optimal healthy development of children and adolescents with a chronic somatic condition.”