If you live in Calgary, here are my top ten places that I feel help me unwind, improve my mental health or I just simply cannot be in a bad mood when I'm there! If you're living anywhere else in the world, I'll be sure to describe these magical places so you can find your city's versions!
Calgary has a numerous options, with a few coming out on top such as Clear Float Spa (which offers complimentary tea or kombucha with your float! ), Float Life, One Love Float and Home of OM. Float tanks are absolutely amazing for reducing stress, as they clear your mind completely by forcing you into an almost psychedelic trance, a deep meditative state. You basically lay in a pod filled with more than a tonne of dense epsom salt water; the density allows you to float effortlessly, the temperature is neither hot nor cold and there is no light or sound (although you can choose to play music or guided meditation).
All these factors together create sensory deprivation which feels a lot like an out of body experience in my opinion. I don't think you should let nervousness, claustrophobia or anxiety prevent you from floating. You're always in control and can get out at any time, and the benefits are so tremendous + worth it! People with poor stress management, over-stimulated minds, endless mental chatter, anxiety or insomnia should try this amazing therapy.
Calgary has no shortage of trendy coffee shops, but sometimes they can be so over whelmingly busy, they are anything but cozy. Luckily, while most people pour into a few chic spots along 17th Avenue, they leave some hidden gems as peaceful and quiet getaways. Some of my favourites include Higher Ground in Kensington (bonus, they have a fireplace for ultimate coziness), Ladybug Cafe in Aspen, NHBR in Altadore and Bell's Bookstore + Cafe in Mardaloop! These places give me that happy, fuzzy feeling and my troubles melt away into a giant coffee cup. River Cafe is more of fine dining experience, not a coffee shop, but deserves a mention because the rustic decor and atmosphere is the definition of coziness.
Goodbye paycheques! While some people like to spend money on clothes, makeup, jewelry and the like, I enjoy spending mine at speciality shops on superfoods, supplements and organic skincare. Wild + Raw in Kensington is a superfood bar with the most magical menu imaginable. Get there with time to spare so you have a good ten minutes to decide what you'll be ordering. There's really nothing like it in all of Calgary, and you're guaranteed to run into one of yyc's holistic health aficionados or boss babes every time you go. Sitting in this spot is an instant zen-ificaion for me! Just next door to them is Raw Eatery + Market, a cute and cozy restaurant with a nourishing, creative and out of this world delicious vegan menu. The welcoming, simple and cute decor and lovely staff make this place a serious haven you've got to check out.
Then comes Amaranth, Planet Organic, Sunnyside Market, The Light Cellar, The Farmer's Market on Blackfoot and MacLeod, Blush Lane, Community Natural Foods ... UGH! Obsessed. With fun foods, hard to find skincare delights and superfoods galore, these places make me feel BEYOND happy. It's so therapeutic to peruse the aisles, think of recipes, find new and fun treats ... I just can't get enough!
Then comes Amaranth, Planet Organic, Sunnyside Market, The Light Cellar, The Farmer's Market on Blackfoot and MacLeod, Blush Lane, Community Natural Foods ... UGH! Obsessed. With fun foods, hard to find skincare delights and superfoods galore, these places make me feel BEYOND happy. It's so therapeutic to peruse the aisles, think of recipes, find new and fun treats ... I just can't get enough!
Driving to these view points/lookout spots has been a mental health ritual of mine for quite some time, from going for a walk alone to enjoying the company of a friend and Mary Jane. McHugh Bluff/top of the Memorial Stairs (Memorial Drive & approx. 3rd street)
is beautiful and peaceful (sidenote: In summer months, people run bootcamps here and it's anything but peaceful unless you time it for the very early morning or late evening). It's a great place to catch a sunrise or sunset, just sit and reflect and get some pretty panoramic shots of our city.
Scotsman Hill, on Salisbury Ave SE near Ramsay, is another awesome viewpoint. Usually known as great place to catch the Stampede Fireworks, I come here some evenings with a friend just to park the car, listen to music and talk about life. Nosehill Park is another beautiful lookout point, and is a fun place to bring your four legged friends to enjoy the view, too.
Fishcreek Park isn't a lookout point, but it's an amazing place to catch some zen - you can walk for hours through the trees, sit and enjoy the scenery and even pack a cute picnic. It's definitely a place to find some calm and get a dose of nature without leaving the city. I'll mention Prince's Island Park, St. Patrick's Island, Confederation Park, Devonian Gardens and the Elbow River walk here, too - all beautiful in any season and always bring me a sense of calm and nostalgia.
If you're lucky enough, you may have an infrared sauna at your gym such as the Bay Club World Health. For the rest of us, there's still luckily quite a few places that offer it in Calgary! Now, any type of sauna experience is going to be great for mental health as heating the body releases endorphins and enkephalins. The light emitted from infrared however enhances this, forcing more toxin release through sweat, improving circulation and promoting muscle relaxation, which can help with some body aches and pains. It's great for reducing cortisol levels which are going to be excessive in those in anxiety/high stress and may offer some weight loss benefits as well. Find it at Prema Health, Inner Balance and Rejuve Spa!
Red Light Therapy was something I discovered when I was a tanning addict a few years ago - it's offered at a few FabuTan locations in the city and it is incredible. There's nothing about this bed that involved UVA/UVB rays or tanning of any kind. Red light therapy, adjunct to blue light therapy, helps to promote collagen and elastin synthesis at a cellular level, can reduce acne breakouts and helps with joint repair. I found that lying under this light for twenty minutes put me in the most blissed out state I've ever encountered - similar to that "drunk" feeling you get after a massage or facial. My acne scars were also reduced dramatically, so BONUS!
I am a sucker for nostalgia - this feeling for some can be sad, but for me it is comforting beyond words. Going to places like the Royal Tyrell Museum or our local Glenbow Museum flood me with warmth and childhood happiness. Cheesy? Maybe. But if there's something that can calm your nerves, take your mind off of problems and transport you to another time, a state of bliss ... Does it really matter what it is? I find I feel this way with libraries as well; even Chapter's serves the same purpose if you find a less busy location. Tucking myself behind a bookshelf in the quiet building and getting lost in a story. There's no greater feeling! Check out the historic Memorial Park Library for the coziest feel.
I've spoken with countless people who agree with me that there's something just so calming about walking through Inglewood. The old charm mixed with some eclectic and unique shops to pop into, alongside cozy diners, bars and coffee shops to slip into once the perusing is done. In the summer, walking or biking through this neighbourhood is sure to put a smile on your face and make you forget your troubles. You can get lost in the selection at The Apothecary and Silk Road, or oggle over terrariums at Plant, or stop in for a yoga glass and class of kombucha at Junction 9. You can also visit 420Clinic to chat about some alternative ways to find zen. There's so many ways to improve your mental health all tucked into this quaint area of Calgary.
If I'm being honest, I haven't been to this studio yet - but it's high on my list! I've just had far too many people tell me how amazingly beneficial it is not to mention it here. The concept itself is genius in my opinion, coming from someone who cannot meditate alone. My mind is busy with 10,000 worries at a time and will leave no room for me to "quiet it". I have to listen to guided meditations or do group meditation so someone else's voice can drown out my own. The space looks beautiful, serene and cozy. This is somewhere you should be visiting at least once a week (myself included) to manage stress levels and improve mental health.
This one is going to be very personal, as we all find solace in different types of workouts. Yoga, barre ballet, CrossFit, swimming, surfset, spin, dance, TRX, pilates - Calgary has no shortage of studios (Karma Yoga Calgary, Barre Belle, Crossfit Ramsay, Repsol Centre, Studio Revolution, Stax, Free House Dance, Lagree) -- find what you love, because exercise has incredible benefits for mental health. Out of everything I've mentioned, this one has scientific studies and continued research to validate it's improvement on mental well-being. Your brain chemistry changes when you exercise, the neurotransmitters and hormones you release help to calm you, improve focus and clarity, boost energy and provide a "feel good" endorphin/serotonin high! Just get your body moving, you brain will thank you!
While these are by no means part of my regular regime (but they will be one day when I'm not ballin' on a budget), I find they are the thing I turn to when I've reached my limit. A massage is more affordable than a vacation, and when life has thrown me too many curveballs, I say fuck it and book one or both! While not everyone finds these relaxing, and for some, being touched is more stressful, I personally find these to be incredible for resetting my state of mind and providing instant zen. I carry a disturbing amount of tension in my shoulders and neck as many high strung, anxious people do - so, massages offer the physical benefit of releasing muscle tension and reducing pain. It goes deeper than that though - the applied pressure of a massage stimulates the release of serotonin, dopamine and oxytocin, in turn reducing cortisol and epinephrine release. My favourite place for years has been Massage Heights, but Calgary has many amazing practitioners.
As for facials, my favourite by far is provided by Jessica MacDonald of Evolve Acupuncture. She does facial cupping - don't be scared, no marks are left on the face. Small, glass cups are moved over the face with the help of fractionated coconut oil, releasing tension, improving circulation and drainage, stimulating collagen and elastin and reducing acne/scarring. She incorporates a few acupuncture points with this treatment, and I leave feeling blissed out, beautiful and balanced. For a more traditional facial, XO Treatment Room offers divine services with non-toxic, carefully curated skincare and Skoah has always been a favourite of mine for a deep clean feel and totally zen experience (you always get a hand, foot or scalp massage with your facial! Woo!)
I hope you enjoyed this list, and please leave me your favourite places that help improve your mental health! 💜
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