Four Types of Therapy That Will Make You Happy

Today’s world is hectic and chaotic. Managing everyday life can be tiresome, and it’s no wonder why our serotonin levels may be low, and we struggle to meet daily demands. In such a fast-paced world, we rarely take a chance to disconnect and allow ourselves to reconnect. Fortunately, there are multiple ways you can achieve this.

“There are several ways you can unwind and naturally boost your serotonin levels,” says Revivology, a medical spa and surgery center in Utah. “Some of the best spas have curated many of these therapeutic treatments in one place, from saunas to steam baths and massage sessions. In other cases, a simple walk along a nature trail can prove restorative. Whatever the case, a solution to your daily pressures is often never too far away.”

With that in mind, here are four types of therapy proven to improve your health and make you happier:

Sensory Deprivation
Sensory deprivation tanks work by eliminating the stimuli around you. Many people don’t realize how much is happening around them on a daily basis. Even if you placed soundproof headphones on and closed your eyes, you’d still be surrounded by plenty of different stimuli. You’d still smell things in your vicinity and feel the temperature of the room.

In a sensory deprivation tank, all of that stimuli is eliminated. You’re placed in a water chamber designed to create the illusion of no gravity via a natural floating sensation. By ridding yourself of sights, sounds, smells, and feelings around you, many people believe you can achieve a higher state of consciousness—and even improve your overall mental health and well-being. According to one study, being in a sensory deprivation tank could even ignite feelings of creativity—perfect for people in creative industries that need a bit of a reboot.

Acupuncture
Acupuncture is an ancient and storied practice. It is built upon the premise that many ailments can be treated by pinpointing certain parts of the body that have caused a disruption in energy flow. A massive meta study that analyzed several independent studies found that acupuncture was effective in soothing chronic pain. Some studies even suggest it could curb depression. During one trial, patients who used acupuncture in conjunction with antidepressants fared better than those who used solely traditional treatments.

Hydrotherapy
Using hydrotherapy as a therapeutic treatment is nothing new. Back since ancient Roman times, people have been turning to hydrotherapy to curb ailments and improve mood. First and foremost, there are different types of hydrotherapy, which refers to a variety of water-based treatments. From the sauna to a sitz bath or steam shower, hydrotherapy provides ample benefits. The weightlessness you feel because of the buoyancy of water allows you to ease your muscles, and potentially alleviate some of the pain you might be feeling in your limbs.

Water immersion is also a natural endorphin stimulant, which means the endorphins responsible for happiness and pain make it easier to stress less and for your body to enter a relaxed state. Furthermore, water can improve your blood flow and circulation of white cells, which ultimately strengthens your immune system. And lastly, for a more immediate effect, if you have a cold or sinuses, being in steam can help clear it up.

Nature Therapy
Connecting with nature has both a conscious and unconscious effect on the mind and body. Studies have shown that being surrounded by nature can improve your health, cognition, and mood. Whether we realize it or not, when we’re out in nature—whether we’re on a stretch of sandy beach, hiking a mountain, or walking a forest trail—the connection between happiness and nature immersion is strong. Being in the wilderness has a particularly strong effect, as studies have shown that it increases our presentness and awareness.

This has spawned the development of wilderness therapy—an adventure based therapy treatment designed to modify behavior and better interpersonal self-improvement. Horticulture therapy is also a type of nature therapy that involves therapeutic gardening. With horticulture therapy, you have a direct connection with nature from hand to plant. This type of treatment has been particularly effective among seniors, as research has found that elderly are able to reduce stress and improve memory when working with nature.

This is a guest blog entry.