5 Ways to Relieve Stress and Raynaud’s

Our Manhattan patients may be wondering why we at Goldsmith Podiatry are talking about stress relief for your feet, but it’s because stress is a crucial trigger for a condition known as Raynaud’s. Not familiar with it? That’s why this year, for Raynaud’s Awareness Month, the theme is “Raynaud’s is Far From Rare.”

Raynaud’s is a condition where the smaller arteries that supply blood to your skin narrow, limiting the blood flow to your toes and fingers. It is what’s known as vasospasm. When this happens, your toes and fingers may feel very cold, and the skin will turn bluish-white. You may experience pain, throbbing, tingling, or stinging until your hands or feet get warm again. Research shows that 5 to 10% of the U.S. population—or 15 to 30 million people—suffer from Raynaud’s. While not disabling, Raynaud’s can affect your quality of life. Cold temperatures and stress are known to cause attacks in people with Raynaud’s. While there’s no cure for Raynaud’s, one way to reduce the number and severity of attacks is by controlling stress levels. Below are five ways to head stress off at the pass. Try several and find what works best for you.

1. Dance it Out—research proves that dance moves can help regulate the levels of dopamine and serotonin in your body which increase positive emotions. Dancing is a double win for Raynaud’s sufferers because it also increases blood flow to your extremities.

2. Let Your Inner A rtist Shine— activities like drawing, coloring, painting or sculpting cause a switch to a different part of the brain, interrupting stressful thoughts and giving an outlet for expression.

3. Turn Off Social Media Notifications—with COVID and other stressors more prevalent than ever, your phone may be bombarding you with one distressing message after another. Go into the settings and turn off the notifications you don’t need to see. Consider having quiet hours when your phone is on silent.

4. Take the Dog for a Walk—not only is any form of exercise a known stress reliever, studies have shown that playing with a pet also brings down anxiety levels.

5. Get Back to Nature—spending time in a natural setting (park, woods, beach) is a stress buster. One study found that participants who took a 90-minute walk to enjoy nature dwelt less on negative thoughts and have less neural activity and blood flow to the part of the brain linked to risk for mental illness.

Experiencing uncomfortable symptoms and not knowing why is also stressful. If you’re wondering if your cold toes could be a sign of Raynaud’s, make an appointment with our podiatrist, Dr. At our Upper West Side office, Howard Goldsmith, Dr. Rosanna Troia, and Dr. Kristina Ruff by calling 212-877-1002.