Can heating up my body calm my anxious mind?

Anxiety is on the rise, and many people feel like they're fighting a war in their heads—overthinking, dealing with intrusive thoughts, and feeling stuck. But what if the answer wasn’t in trying to think our way out of our problems? When we are in an anxious state, the logical part of our brain, the prefrontal cortex, goes offline, leaving us unable to reason our way out. So, do we need to use our heads less and our bodies more?

An anxious body creates an anxious mind and vice versa, setting off a cycle. Focusing on calming the body can interrupt this cycle and can be easier than trying to work out our thoughts. After years of searching for solutions to anxiety in our own homes and in our work, we've found that body-based practices make a significant difference. Techniques like EFT (tapping), breathwork, movement, and co-regulation can reduce the stress response, calm the body, and clear the mind.

We’ve also discovered two personal favourites in our daily routines: cold water therapy and infrared saunas. These practices boost immunity and reduce inflammation. Inflammation in the body can exacerbate anxious feelings, so reducing it has been key for us.

As sisters who have long worked to manage anxiety in our lives, these practices have been nothing short of transformative. It’s no longer about trying to think our way out of anxiety; our bodies do the work for us.

 The Emotions Lab