The weekend is here, and if you're alone, there are things you can do to make yourself feel better. How about hugging yourself? The warmth and snuggle of a hug is soothing, so says a clinical psychologist from the University of Pennsylvania. And here I am hugging my friends and myself to tell you it works!
Melissa Hunt says being touched feels good to us because we are responding to the warmth of another body, so why not your own body? The toasty feeling can elicit the same biological responses as touch from another. Warm tea, a cozy blanket, a heating pad or a hot shower or bath will all help.
Did you know you have a parasympathetic system? Activate it by massaging yourself. Not only can rubbing yourself down help with stiffness, it also activates that parasympathetic nervous system and can help us calm down.
Snuggle something, too! Kids find stuffed animals soothing for a reason. Break out your old teddy bear or snuggle a pillow, especially as you fall asleep. Having something to hold will calm down your nighttime anxiety.