Wellness Modalities & Tools: A Personal Review
5.7.25-5.21.25
This documention details my personal experiences and observations with various wellness modalities and tools, alongside supporting research. My aim is to provide insight into their practical application and perceived benefits for stress reduction, calming the mind and body and creating positive shifts in emotional and mental states.
1. Red Light Therapy
Personal Experience: Very Positive
Ease of Setup (1-10): 8
Ease of Continued Use (1-10): 8
Key Observations: I consistently felt an elevated mood and increased energy immediately after each session. I often practiced this in conjunction with breathing exercises and other wellness modalities, which seemed to enhance the overall effect.
Supporting Research:
2. Acupuncture (Mat & Shoes)
Personal Experience: Positive
Ease of Setup (1-10): Shoes: 10; Mat: 8
Ease of Continued Use (1-10): Shoes: 10; Mat: 8
Key Observations:
Acupuncture Shoes: These significantly helped reduce tension in my feet and throughout my body. It's crucial to relax into the initial discomfort to fully benefit. I found them to be a wonderful "in motion" practice for bearing discomfort and learning to let go.
Acupuncture Mat: Using the mat led to great sleep. The main challenge was the effort required to set it up and put it away daily, which sometimes made me less inclined to use it.
Supporting Research:
3. Singing Bowls
Personal Experience: Positive & Calming
Ease of Setup (1-10): Daily setup: 7; Left out: 10
Ease of Continued Use (1-10): 9
Key Observations: These bowls seem to disrupt a "static" feeling in a space and are visually appealing. I find them lovely to use and they seemingly contribute to a positive and calming atmosphere.
Supporting Research:
4. Chakra Tuning Forks
Personal Experience: Positive & Calming
Ease of Setup (1-10): Daily setup: 7; Left out: 10
Ease of Continued Use (1-10): 9
Key Observations: I genuinely enjoy using these. While I can't definitively say they “work” I do experience an elevated mood using them. Interestingly, my active second-grader, without any prompting, commented that they calmed him, suggesting a noticeable effect.
Supporting Research:
5. Vibration Plate
Personal Experience: Very Positive & Immediately Calming
Ease of Setup (1-10): 9
Ease of Continued Use (1-10): 9
Key Observations: I absolutely love this device! It offers a nearly effortless way to positively shift my energy. It effectively helps to shake off and calm excess energy and consistently lifts my mood.
Supporting Research:
6. Massagers (Head & Neck)
Personal Experience: Positive, but Challenging to Incorporate
Ease of Setup (1-10): 8
Ease of Continued Use (1-10): 6
Key Observations: Both types of massagers offer great benefits but I found them difficult to incorporate consistently. My main obstacles were remembering to charge the devices and finding a truly relaxing position to use or wear them. I often felt too "lazy" to deal with using them.
Supporting Research:
7. Cervical Neck Pillow
Personal Experience: Positive
Ease of Setup (1-10): 10
Ease of Continued Use (1-10): 10
Key Observations: While it's hard to definitively say if there's a huge difference in my overall sleep quality, I do believe my neck feels more relaxed and generally better when using this pillow.
Supporting Research:
8. Breathwork
Personal Experience (1-10): 10 Life Changing
Key Observations: Immediate, measurable, heartfelt shifts in mood and perspective.
Supporting Research:
9. Humming Breathwork
Personal Experience (1-10): 10 Life Changing
Key Observations: Immediate, measurable, heartfelt shifts in mood and perspective.
Supporting Research:
10. Grounding/Earthing Mats
Personal Experience: Positive (Needs More Testing)
Ease of Setup (1-10): 10
Ease of Continued Use (1-10): 10
Key Observations: I can't definitively say if there's a strong difference yet but I remain positive about its potential. I need more time and varied conditions like comparing usage winter months, when I am mostly inside, to truly assess its impact.
Supporting Research:
11. Copper Pitcher
Personal Experience: Positive, but Discontinued
Ease of Setup (1-10): 10
Ease of Continued Use (1-10): N/A (Discontinued)
Key Observations: Initially positive, but after further reading, I decided to discontinue use due to the potential for copper absorption into the water. I transitioned to a glass pitcher, which continued to boost/sustain my water intake because it's visually pleasant and present on my counter. The pitcher also inspired me to purchase clear drinking glasses, after continuing to feel "off" pouring from the pleasant glass into plastic tumblers.
Supporting Research:
12. Copper Charging Plate
Personal Experience: Positive (No Definitive Proof, but Enjoyable)
Ease of Setup (1-10): 10
Ease of Continued Use (1-10): 10
Key Observations: While I haven't observed anything definitive in terms of tangible benefits, I find it beautiful to look at and its presence adds enjoyment to my daily routine. This aesthetic pleasure alone is a valuable contribution.
Supporting Research: No specific research based on personal experience.
13. Meditation Pyramids
Personal Experience: Positive (Enjoyable & Focus-Enhancing)
Ease of Setup (1-10): 10
Ease of Continued Use (1-10): 10
Key Observations: These pyramids are so beautiful and wonderful to hold, helping to focus my attention during breathing and meditation. They bring me joy whenever I handle them, and sometimes I even visualize them during meditation when they aren't physically there.
Supporting Research:
14. Rose / Rose Water
Personal Experience: Very Positive (Nostalgic & Refreshing)
Ease of Setup (1-10): 10
Ease of Continued Use (1-10): 10
Key Observations: I absolutely love this! It brings a strong sense of nostalgia and love, reminding me of my grandmothers and women of their generation who cherished roses as a perfume scent. It's a wonderful alternative for scent anchoring when incense or oils are not suitable for sensitive family members. Spraying it on my face provides an instant refresh and a calming and comforting smell.
Supporting Research:
15. Weighted Blankets
Personal Experience: Very Positive
Ease of Setup (1-10): 10
Ease of Continued Use (1-10): 8
Key Observations: This item is truly amazing! I experienced my best night's sleep ever when I first tried it, feeling a sense of smugness and security. However, it's definitely not suitable for hot weather.
Supporting Research:
16. Canopy for Meditation
Personal Experience: Positive
Ease of Setup (1-10): 10
Ease of Continued Use (1-10): 8
Key Observations: The canopy creates a wonderful, magical cocoon. Even with my eyes closed, I could somehow feel this thin veil, which oddly made me feel protected and safe. It evoked the comforting feeling of pulling covers over your head or building a childhood blanket fort.
Supporting Research: No specific research based on personal experience.
17. Schumann Frequency
Personal Experience: Positive (Contributes to Deep Sleep)
Ease of Setup (1-10): 10
Ease of Continued Use (1-10): 10
Key Observations: While I can't be entirely certain of its standalone effect, when combined with the weighted blanket, I experienced super deep sleep unlike anything I'd had in years.
Supporting Research:
18.Sleep Headband for Meditation
Personal Experience: Positive
Ease of Setup (1-10): 10
Ease of Continued Use (1-10): 10
Key Observations: This headband is incredibly easy to use and significantly more comfortable to sleep in than earbuds or traditional headphones. It offers flexibility with both wired and wireless options. A major benefit is its compatibility with a dedicated MP3 player, which I purchased specifically to store affirmations, meditations, breathwork exercises, and frequencies. This setup allows me to engage with these practices without the distractions of my phone and its small size makes it ideal for comfortable overnight use.
Supporting Research: (No specific research based on personal experience.