Kelsey Mulvey, Insider Picks
An adult coloring book
Adult coloring books are a great way to boost creativity, and many sources claim that coloring has similar effects to meditating. “Color Me Calm” comes with interesting insights about which colors to use to relax and stimulate your mind.
An anti-anxiety spinner
Zekpro’s spinner can help you remain calm right before a job interview, big presentation at work, or first date.
The three-pronged spinner is about the size of your palm, so it’s small enough to spin between your fingertips without drawing too much attention to your hands. It’s also a great buy for anyone who has a hard time paying attention during long conference calls.
A meditation app
Unless you’ve achieved true inner peace, blocking out surrounding noise is no easy feat.
Through guided meditations, Headspace takes you through the basics of meditation and teaches you how to find a little clarity, regardless of your physical location.
The app offers 10 guided meditations for free, with the option to subscribe on a monthly or annual basis.
A wake-up light
When you first hear your alarm, your body goes into shock mode and emits tons of adrenaline and cortisol, which can make you feel stressed.
To make waking up a less stressful experience, Phillip’s Wake Up Light will gradually wake you up 20-40 minutes before your scheduled alarm. It starts out dim, before reaching an intensity of 300 lux by the time you want to get up. If that’s not enough to wake you up, you can also set an alarm.
A stress ball
Gaiam’s stress ball kit includes three different resistances — soft, medium, and firm — which can help strengthen your hand and finger muscles.
A scalp massager
Even on days when you’re not stressed, Kikkerland’s scalp massager offers a simple way to unwind after work.
Soothing teas
Republic of Tea’s caffeine-free blend features calming notes of lavender, rose petals, chamomile, and passionflower. It’s the perfect tea to sip on right before bedtime.
A stress-management course
Sipping on soothing tea and indulging your inner child with a coloring book are great ways to temporarily relieve stress, but if you want long-term results, it’s important to learn how to identify and effectively manage your stress.
Psychologist George Caremans’ online course features more than 40 ways to stay calm, cool, and collected. Caremans gets to the root of where stress comes from and organizes all his stress relieving tips into four categories: cognitive, physical, sensory, and emotional.
Insider.com