If you’re feeling more anxious these days, you are not alone.
“People are certainly more on edge these days,” said Dr. Emily Hemendinger with the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus’ department of psychiatry.
Related: Yes, people are paying to be safely surrounded by bees in Boulder. Here’s why.
“Some of the reasons behind increased anxiety and stress include global political turmoil, financial stressors and economic uncertainty, job security stress, and difficulty finding affordable mental health care,” she said.
Dr. Hemendinger added that in her clinical practice where she specializes in anxiety disorders, OCD, and eating disorders, “People’s baseline levels of anxiety and stress coming into sessions are higher. Their capacity for doing enjoyable activities feels lower to them as they are more focused on just trying to get through each day or each of the latest political developments.”
This might be the right time to try a new activity that has the potential to calm the nervous system — or at least provide a fun distraction from daily struggles.
“Finding time to engage in pleasurable activities in our current climate may feel frivolous or not appropriate,” said Dr. Hemendinger. “However, engaging in these types of activities is key in managing your mental health and improving your ability to navigate these stressors.”
So, who’s ready for cow cuddling? Walking with goats? Zoning out to the hum of buzzing bees? There are some novel ways on the Front Range to potentially relax and soothe nerves.
Get a bee buzz on
Capella Ranch in Boulder County has two bee huts where visitors can reserve 30- to 60-minute sessions to sit in wooden huts while their happy bees buzz safely below. This is so popular that they have a new membership plan available for frequent visitors. (Prices start at $35 for 30 minutes.)
When you’re in a bee hut, said Charlie Peterson, owner and “bee wrangler” at Capella Ranch, “you’re actually participating in what is formally known as ‘hive aerosol apitherapy.’ ‘Apitherapy’ is the general concept of using honeybee products in a therapeutic way.”
Apitherapy can include eating the honey made by the bees, he explained, and also breathing in the air of the hive to help relieve a variety of conditions, including anxiety.
I recommend one person per hut even though the website says you can fit two. I was able to sit back on a pillow and stretch my legs while looking out the little window onto the farm.
Warning: If you are allergic to bees, this is not the place for you, even though the proprietors say the risks of a bee sting are low. The website includes several tips to make the experience optimal for you and the bees, including not wearing any perfume or scents and not bringing any food or drinks (other than water). capellaranch.com
Cow cuddling
If you want to interact with other living creatures to find your peaceful state of mind, drive out to Luvin’ Arms Animal Sanctuary in Henderson. Here you can tour the farm and also schedule an hour of “Cow Cuddle” time ($75 per person). According to its website, “With their slower heart rate and warmer body temperature, spending time with cows can help slow your own heart rate and release oxytocin, the ‘cuddle hormone.’”
Visitors are allowed to scratch, brush, and cuddle these gentle giants who were rescued from other farms and ranches. Milo, Lucky, and Tito are just some of the rescued cows available for some cuddling. lovinarms.org
Goat walking
Goat Walkabouts in Lakewood offers walks with “therapy goats” at Belmar Park, Bear Creek Lake Park and Mount Falcon Park. Walking with the goats can “support PTSD recovery” and “provide therapy support for dementia patients,” the website boasts. In addition to being a unique way to have some trail time, the time spent with the animals is believed to “reduce cortisol levels, which is linked to stress.”
The hikes are generally easy to moderate and some of the options include paved paths in parks so that people with mobility issues can also participate and benefit. I’ve seen these goats out on Mount Falcon’s trails and it’s a thrill to see the little herd of rescued Nigerian dwarf goats outside (and that alone should put a smile on your face).
The goat walkabout cost varies depending on the number of people, so grab 10 friends who can each spend $50 to get the best deal on this experience. goatwalkabouts.com
Head spas
Time spent at any spa should ideally lower stress, but new “head spas” offer treatments to nurture your cranium for pure bliss. Taysian Head Spa in Centennial is one of the spots in the Denver area that describes itself as a “Japanese head spa.” Prices range from $99 for the “99” to $250 for the “Emerald Crown Experience.”
That premium treatment includes an oil scalp massage, scalp analysis, a hot stone shoulder and neck massage, a scalp mask, a warm eye mask, an extended waterfall healing therapy, and more. For beginners, the “99” starts with the Head Spa Water Halo then moves to a scalp massage before a quick blow dry. taysianspa.com
Forest bathing
Shinrin-yoku, as it is called in Japan, means forest bathing, and it is a way of creating a mindful connection with the natural world, such as a forest, that is believed to create a sense of calm.
If you’re new to the concept of forest bathing, hire a guide using forestbathingfinder.com, where you might discover Above the Clouds Forest Bathing based in Woodland Park. Jane Deming Scanlon, a certified nature and forest therapy guide, states on her website that with forest bathing, “there is free medicine that can have a near instant impact on reducing stress and increasing our ability to focus.” Costs range from $15 to $25 for this guided experience.
This isn’t a workout. In fact, Scanlon explains that in a three-hour guided experience you can expect to cover a mile or less. Rather than logging miles on the trail, you’ll be learning about the environment you’re in, sharing thoughts and insights or sitting silently, then participating in a special tea ceremony.
I found that the key is slowing down and letting the subtle sounds take over the noise of your thoughts so that soon you are only listening to the wind in stillness. You might also engage in a simple activity (maybe searching for leaves or pinecones) that also narrows your focus to what is immediately around you, and this can also be calming. abovethecloudsforestbathing.com