Coping with Anxiety: Mind, Body, and What’s on Your Netflix Queue
Anxiety isn’t just “in your head” — it’s in your body, your habits, and even your evening TV lineup. The good news? There are plenty of ways to calm the storm.
Mindfulness, breathwork, and somatic awareness are powerful tools to help you anchor yourself in the present moment when anxiety tries to pull you into the “what ifs.” Practices such as diaphragmatic breathing and grounding have been shown to activate the parasympathetic nervous system and reduce cortisol levels (Kabat-Zinn, 1994; van der Kolk, 2014). Gentle movement, meditation, and even a short walk on Florida’s beautiful coastline (or just your backyard) can regulate your nervous system and restore a sense of calm.
What you eat also plays a surprising role. The gut-brain connection means your microbiome has a direct line to your mood. Emerging research shows that gut dysbiosis is linked to higher rates of anxiety and depression (Cryan et al., 2019).
The dos and don’ts for a healthy gut biome:
Incorporate:
Fermented foods
Leafy greens
Omega-3s
Prebiotics and probiotics
Avoid: processed foods and refined sugar can support mental health from the inside out. Always consult a nutritionist or physician to determine what foods and supplements are right for you.
And here’s something you may not have considered: what you consume emotionally matters, too.
What to avoid:
Doomscrolling the news
Bingeing dark thrillers
Endlessly comparing yourself on social media
Can spike anxiety without you even realizing it. Digital media consumption has been shown to influence emotional regulation and stress levels (Twenge & Campbell, 2018).
Balance is key — mix in:
📖 Uplifting Books
Reading emotionally positive or inspiring books can:
Reduce stress and promote emotional regulation
Activate brain regions associated with empathy and perspective-taking (Mar et al., 2009)
Provide cognitive “reframing,” similar to therapeutic interventions (Green et al., 2008)
🌿 Nature Shows
Watching nature scenes — even on a screen — has been found to:
Lower blood pressure and heart rate
Increase feelings of calm, awe, and connectedness
Reduce symptoms of anxiety and rumination (Anderson et al., 2017)
🐶 Golden-Retriever-Puppy Content (aka Cute Animal Videos)
Yes, science backs this up too:
Watching cute animal videos can boost mood, increase productivity, and improve focus and attention
It activates the brain’s reward and empathy circuits, triggering oxytocin release (Nittono et al., 2012)
Therapy offers space to explore what’s fueling your anxiety and to learn customized tools that work for you. Whether through talk therapy, mindfulness, or even art therapy, healing happens when we approach anxiety with curiosity — not judgment.
Ready to find what soothes your system? Let’s work together to quiet the noise and reconnect to calm.
📚 References
Kabat-Zinn, J. (1994). Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life. Hyperion.
van der Kolk, B. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma. Viking.
Cryan, J. F., O'Riordan, K. J., Cowan, C. S. M., Sandhu, K. V., Bastiaanssen, T. F. S., Boehme, M., ... & Dinan, T. G. (2019). The Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis. Physiological Reviews, 99(4), 1877–2013.
Twenge, J. M., & Campbell, W. K. (2018). Associations Between Screen Time and Lower Psychological Well-Being Among Children and Adolescents: Evidence From a Population-Based Study. Preventive Medicine Reports, 12, 271–283.
Mar, R. A., Oatley, K., Hirsh, J., dela Paz, J., & Peterson, J. B. (2006). Bookworms versus nerds: Exposure to fiction versus non-fiction, divergent associations with social ability, and the simulation of fictional social worlds. Journal of Research in Personality, 40(5), 694–712.
Green, M. C., et al. (2008). The role of transportation into narrative worlds in reducing prejudice. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 34(3), 386–398.
Anderson, A. P., et al. (2017). Nature in your face: A pilot study on the effect of virtual nature exposure on stress recovery. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 1850.
Ulrich, R. S. (1984). View through a window may influence recovery from surgery. Science, 224(4647), 420–421.Nittono, H., Fukushima, M., Yano, A., & Moriya, H. (2012). The Power of Kawaii: Viewing cute images promotes a careful behavior and narrows attentional focus. PLoS ONE, 7(9), e46362.
