Being stressed out can be quite a bummer. No one likes to be constantly worrying about their decisions, or having their nerves on the edge. Especially in sunny Singapore, where it’s a competition to perform and excel from an early age at school, we’re no strangers to that uncomfortable feeling.
Unfortunately, it’s a phase that we all go through at some point of our lives. Whether it’s an excruciating month at work, or the semester exams looming over the horizon, we can all handle the side effects of stress gracefully with a little help.
If you know anyone who’s not having such a great week currently, perhaps these products will help them to stay calm in their topsy-turvy moments.
1. Straighten out those neck cramps with massagers
A good way to relieve stress is by pressing all the right points on your body. Which is why we tend to seek out soothing massages while on a well-deserved holiday. But if you don’t have that luxury, this product can provide the closest simulation of a real-life masseuse parlor!
If you spend long hours on the computer at work without a break, chances are your incorrect seating posture might leave you with a sore and stiff neck at times. If you hate that uncomfortable feeling, a neck massager might provide the relief you need.
There are many neck-and-shoulder massagers available, so do some research before choosing. The OTO Power Tap will be a safe recommendation, as it has been known to give the best massage experience.
If you’re looking for something smaller, local brand OSIM’s uSnooz products are built just for that. With portability in mind, these neck pillows are perfect for people on the go. They cradle your neck for better support and comfort, while others have an in-built massager that will send your power nap experience straight into paradise!
2. Stress relieving apps
When they say there’s an app for everything, they’re not wrong! If things get too hectic at work, pull out your phone or tablet and take a five minute breather with these apps specially made for reducing your stress levels.
Take a Pause from work
Released by digital design studio ustwo, Pause brings the relaxation techniques of Tai Chi to the comfort of your portable device. Place your finger on the glowing orb on the screen. Follow it around as it grows. The pace set by the app aims to put your mind at ease and help you forget about your existing worries in a brief peaceful moment.
The Pause app can be downloaded for both Apple and Android users, and roughly costs about $3 on the store.
Get some breathing space with Headspace
For those looking for a more advanced app, Headspace provides simple guided meditation courses for the easily distracted. The app begins with the first few sessions at a brief 10 minutes. It eventually increases to an additional 5 minutes every 10 days. It also comes with a few short animated tutorials on meditation and its benefits for the viewer’s pleasure.
Headspace is available on both Apple and Android devices, and is free for the first 10 days. It should be noted, however, that Headspace can be quite pricy after the initial trial version expires, as you will need to subscribe if you wish to continue using the app.
A year’s worth of subscription costs about $95 USD, but unlocks hundreds of hours of meditation content. So if you happen to find yourself more serene after the free trial, perhaps subscribing will be a small price to pay for a more healthy body and mind.
3. Stress detecting technology
With the recent strides in modern technology, these products are specially invented with your stress levels in mind. It’s like your own personal therapist that you can carry around where you go!
Keep track of your health while on the go
The newest fitness trackers from Fitbit, Apple and others boast a wide array of helpful technology and sensors to monitor your daily health. This is especially useful when you’re putting in overtime at work.
From continuous heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking or step counting, these products provide you with useful insights on when your stress levels are at its peak. By utilising the measurements given, you can begin making healthy changes to your daily routine.
In fact, a Fitbit user posted a story of how his Fitbit watch data showed that his average heart rate dropped from 75 bpm to just 61 bpm after his ex-girlfriend moved out from his house. Talk about pin-point accuracy!
Fitness trackers can easily be located at local electronic retailers such as Courts and Challenger, so head down and keep a tab on your lifestyle today!
Tune down the world and lose yourself to the music
When you just need a moment of silence with your favourite tunes to get back your groove, a good pair of noise-cancelling headphones will be a good investment. Leave distractions in the background as you listen to relaxing playlists done up by Spotify or Apple Music, which are specially tailored to boost your concentration and focus for a more productive day.
Sennheiser and Plantronics are brands well-known for their noise-cancelling headphones, but they tend to cost a bomb ($200 or more) for average users. For a cheaper but effective alternative, consider brands like Audio-Technica or Sony. Most electronic stores will sell these brands, but if you’re looking for a particular model, your best bet would be to head online to local seller TREOO.com to find what you’re looking for.
Spotify is free to download on various devices, but to avoid the annoying advertisements, and enjoy high definition quality, the subscription will cost you $9.90 a month.
Apple Music allows a free trial of three months for new users, but will cost $9.98 a month for individuals or $14.98 if you want to share the beats with the family. It is also available on Android devices (surprisingly), but currently this feature is still in testing.
4. Stress manipulation with senses
Many discoveries have made the connection on how certain smells, sights and sounds have increased or lessened our anxiety levels. Examples such as being terribly irritated when our neighbour above us decides to conduct some renovation work, or feeling a tad bit confident when we check ourselves out in the mirror, these are just a few ways showing how our senses play a role in affecting our stress levels.
Companies have attempted to combine this research with everyday products to make our daily lives a little easier to get by.
Invigorate your surroundings with essential oils
Ensure your home or workspace smells great! Why not consider getting an aromatherapy diffuser? By using concentrated essential oils, the diffuser gently fills the area with divine fragrances to soothe your troubled mind. We’re sure that your family or colleagues would appreciate the thought as well!
Local electronic retailers such as Best Denki or Harvey Norman will have these products readily in stock, but if you’re feeling lazy, online sites such as Goodmart or Qoo10 will serve just as well.
5. Stress relieving toys
When the going gets tough, you just need to release all that internal pressure. This toy is created for the sole purpose of relieving your stress levels! Now you don’t have to punch your fist at the nearest wall. Just pick the toy up and find your inner peace.
Unleash your inner creativity with special sand
Does squishing plasticine get your mind off things, but you hate that oily feeling on your fingers? Make the jump to kinetic sand. It shares the same flexibility as modelling clay but keeps your hands clean! Made up of 98% pure sand, it was designed for relaxation purposes for both young and old!
What’s more, the sand only sticks to itself, so you don’t have to worry about cleaning up remaining residue. Of course, it’s best if you just wash your hands after playing with it. You can never be too sure!
Kinetic sand can be bought at a few selected stores in Singapore, most notably at Toy Station, which also boasts a wide array of LEGO collection and other fun goodies. You can also purchase kinetic sand from local online store Pupsik Studio.
With these products on hand, the tension and pressure that comes from our daily lives might be a little easier to manage. Do you know of other stress-relieving products we should hear about? Let us know!
(Header image credit: OSIM)
