We navigate the world successfully using 5 Senses.
Tastes, sounds, smells, sights & touches can be stress antidotes
5 Senses Bank holds sensory actions that relieve stress. Entries are catalogued by effect and scientific source and will reach 1000 this year.
Did you know that music listening affects us biologically by modulating the stress response? Or that placing your hand on your heart may lower cortisol levels after becoming stressed and lightly massaging and looking at your face can improve not only microcirculation but raises oxytocin levels and can reduce stress?
5 Senses Lab is banking sensory actions for relieving stress that have been scientifically validated. Like, the significant stress reducing effects of music and rapid effects of colour illumination on heart rate variability.
We can increase positive emotion and decrease stress on a rapid and relatively effortless path by strategically activating each of the five senses (Rodriquez and Kross 2023). This works because we use our senses for navigating, balance, and self-regulation to adapt to our surroundings.
Smell something earthy to relieve mental strain. Spend a couple minutes in moonlight to calm the gut-brain axis. Tune out all but ambient sounds for 1-2 minutes while cradling the back of the head with interlocked fingers to free sticky thoughts that won’t settle. Watch the sky (and only the sky) on a walk during golden light to build up a spark that’s run low.
We are sourcing sensory actions from peer-reviewed science (RCTs of stress mitigations) and from classic texts of traditional knowledge (Japanese Kampo, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and Ayurveda). Across knowledge bases, the connecting line is joy.
Activating our senses relieves stress and is joyful and fun.
“Try cooking with rosemary while listening to Mozart for a mental boost.”
Reach us at 5SensesRelief@gmail.com.