There’s a specific kind of spiraling where nothing is technically wrong, but everything feels off. Your brain won’t settle, your attention keeps drifting, and even simple tasks seem harder than they should be. You open your laptop, click around for a bit, and realize you haven’t done anything. The problem is, you still have things to do: work, eat, basic functioning. You don’t get to fully check out. This isn’t a full crash-out moment where you can disappear for a few hours (or days). It’s that in-between version where you’re expected to keep going anyway. Spiraling out is a precursor to something much worse, so you should address it right away.

Nothing gets solved instantly, so you start reaching for small things and quick fixes that take the edge off. You’re just trying to get through it and and straighten out your spiral. These aren’t solutions or long-term answers. Just whatever makes it slightly easier to stay functional until the spiraling feeling passes, or at least quiets down a bit.

This is what I use. It helps in the spiraling moment, and it also makes it easier to keep up with better habits over time.

Snapshot of what I use when I’m spiraling

• Calming Hydration: Emergen-C’s Vitamin C Ashwagandha Drink Mix
• Stop and Smell The Flowers: UpNature Calm Essential Oil Roll On
• A Little Help If You Bite Off More Than You Can Chew: Chewsy: So Long Stress Fruit Chews
• Wrap It Up For Tension Release: Bed Buddy Neck Wrap
• Because Ice Feels Nice: ESARORA Ice Roller

Calming Hydration: Emergen-C’s Vitamin C Ashwagandha Drink Mix

Have you had enough water today? Chances are, probably not. And no, all those energy drinks and coffee cups don’t count as water intake. If anything, caffeine can make things worse during a spiral. That jittery feeling can be too stimulating to actually focus, and can even make the anxiety worse. Research published in Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior, led by psychology professor Dr. William Lovallo, found that “caffeine increases cortisol levels during periods of stress.”

It also adds up quickly. Going over 400mg of caffeine, which is roughly more than six cups of coffee or tea, can leave you feeling dehydrated per the National Library of Medicine. So instead of doubling down, I like to pop open a water bottle and pour in a powder mix with anti-stress supplements that’ll revive me. Drink mixes, especially ready-to-go packets are extremely convenient when I’m on the verge of spiraling down. So Emergen-C’s Vitamin C Ashwagandha Drink Mix is the first step I take. It has vitamin C for immune support, plus ashwagandha and B vitamins, which are commonly used for stress and energy. And before you think ashwagandha is a hippie fix, it’s worth noting that The National Institute of Health states that “results from several clinical trials suggest that ashwagandha extracts may help reduce stress and anxiety.” The 600 reviews and 4.7 star rating here are also backing that up.

Stop and Smell The Flowers: UpNature Calm Essential Oil Roll On

Sometimes you have to stop and smell the flowers, literally. But who has time to get themselves a bouquet when you’re spiraling out? That’s where aromatherapy comes in, and not through some elaborate diffuser sitting in your bedroom. The UpNature Calm Essential Oil Roll On is a pocket-sized option you can keep in your purse or slide into your pocket on high-stress days. This oil blend includes peppermint, sage, ginger, cardamom, and fennel, which I prefer over sleepy lavender during spiral-outs. A little behind your ears or on your neck, like you would with perfume, can go a long way in helping you relax. It’s a simple and affordable option, with 6,400 reviews and 4.5 stars.

There’s also a bit of an automatic reaction when applying or using aromatherapy products, you end up breathing deeper and slower. And that kind of breathing, like box breathing, is often recommended by mental health professionals as a proven relaxation technique. When you breathe better, you can smell the flowers even more.

A Little Help If You Bite Off More Than You Can Chew: Chewsy: So Long Stress Fruit Chews

I used to chew a lot of gum in school, and it did help keep the edge off back then. I still grind my teeth and bite my nails when I’m stressed, so that urge to chew never really went away. But a sugary piece of gum that’s probably giving me cavities isn’t exactly the move anymore. Beyond just keeping my mouth busy, I want to chew something that’s offering something more than just flavor, like the Chewsy: So Long Stress fruit chews.

These chews taste like tropical Starburst and look like a piece of caramel. It includes calming and focus ingredients like GABA, magnesium, and amino acids like L-theanine, taurine, tyrosine, and glycine, which are commonly associated with mood regulation, anxiety reduction, focus, and overall cognitive support.

L-theanine is the star of the show here with 200mg of it in each chew. A study from Japan concludes that “stress-related symptoms decreased and cognitive function improved after four weeks of L-theanine administration.” GABA is another main supplement at 150mg per chew. A more recent study out of China states that it “has shown great promise as an effective intervention for stress-induced anxiety.” Even though there’s only 250 reviews, it’s still 4.5 stars and the science seems to be backing these ingredients.

Wrap It Up For Tension Release: Bed Buddy Neck Wrap

I get stuck in my head to the point where nothing mental is working, and I don’t even realize how tense I am until I stop for a second. Jaw clenched, shoulders up, neck tight… it all builds up while I’m trying to push through it. That’s usually when I need to do something physical to break the spiral.

The Bed Buddy Neck Wrap comes in handy for that much-needed tension release. It’s a microwavable heating pad that can be wrapped around your neck, shoulders, back, or anywhere else that can use some heat therapy. But are you feeling too hot? Don’t worry, this can be thrown in the freezer for a couple hours, turning it into an icy pad. Hot or cold, this wrap has got my back. And this is a tried and true product with 18,000 reviews and 4.5 stars.

Because Ice Feels Nice: ESARORA Ice Roller

If you like the icy sensation to cool you down, this ESARORA Ice Roller will feel better than just splashing water on your face. Besides helping with facial puffiness and redness, it also chills you out, literally and figuratively. And there’s some reasoning behind that. A study out of Germany used a freezing (~30ºF) face mask to show that a “faster heart rate response to [it] is associated with reduced cortisol response to acute stress.” Chilling out basically works.

People aren’t doing cold plunges and cryotherapy treatments for nothing, so you can think of this roller as a quick, mini version of that… just less wet and less expensive. You keep it in the freezer, grab it when you need it, and carry on. It’s one of those products people clearly stick with, since this has got almost 23,000 reviews and 4.6 stars.

Straighten Out the Spiral

Don’t expect any of these products to fix everything on the spot. But these do make it easier to keep going while you’re going through it. If anything, these have actually helped me adopt some good habits and stress management skills: drink water, breathe deeper, take vitamins, relax the body, and cool down.

Take it easy, because most of the time, getting through the spiral is enough.