#Tools for Stress Reduction

[optimalmastery]

Your breath is your anchor 🫁 There are many simple, science-backed breathing techniques for stress relief, calm, and daily resilience. 🌬️ Learn more on Onescence 🔗📄 #onescence #yourascensionconnection #breathingexercises #stressrelief #calm #mindfulness #selfcaretools

[russenoire]

TFW you figure out two ways to satisfy a need for deep facial pressure without giving yourself acne or wading back into the dating pool.

[asherknox]

Everything You Need to Know About Finding the Best Vagus Nerve Stimulator Device

More people now seek natural ways to manage stress, anxiety, and certain health issues. Vagus nerve stimulation has gained attention as one such approach.

With numerous products flooding the market, this guide helps sort through the options to find the best vagus nerve stimulator device for individual needs.

What These Devices Actually Do

The vagus nerve runs from the brain down through the neck, chest and abdomen. It connects to major organs including the heart, lungs and digestive system. When properly stimulated, this nerve helps activate the body's natural relaxation response.

Until recently, stimulating this nerve required surgical procedures. Today, various external devices can target it through the skin.

Finding the best vagus nerve stimulator device depends on personal factors like comfort preference, budget constraints, and specific health goals.

Main Types Available Now

Electric Stimulators

Many popular vagus nerve stimulators use gentle electric pulses. These target areas where the nerve runs close to the skin, particularly around the ear and certain neck regions.

The sensation should feel mild - just enough to notice without causing pain. Ear-based options often look like regular earbuds, making them practical for everyday use while working or handling other tasks.

Breath-Based Alternatives

Not all vagus nerve stimulators use electricity. Some guide breathing patterns known to stimulate the nerve naturally. These devices typically prompt slower breathing than normal, around 5-6 breaths per minute.

This rhythmic breathing approach appeals to those uncomfortable with electrical stimulation. Research suggests consistent practice of slow, patterned breathing strengthens vagal tone over time.

Important Factors For Choosing

Evidence Behind Claims

The market contains many products with big promises but little proof. When seeking the best vagus nerve stimulator device, investigate what research supports their claims.

Good companies explain exactly how their product affects the vagus nerve. They discuss not just benefits but also limitations, rather than promising miracle results for everyone who tries their product.

Practical Everyday Use

A device needs to fit reasonably well into daily life. Consider practical aspects like session length, whether it can be used while moving around, size and portability, and battery duration.

The best vagus nerve stimulator device becomes a natural part of daily routine rather than something that feels burdensome to use regularly.

Adjustable Settings

People vary greatly in sensitivity to stimulation. Quality devices provide ways to adjust:

Intensity of stimulation

Session length

Stimulation patterns or frequencies

Without adjustment options, many users give up because the default settings feel either too strong or too weak to be effective.

Real Value For Money

Vagus nerve stimulators range widely in price. Basic models might cost $75-100, while premium options can exceed $500.

Higher price doesn't automatically mean better results. Consider build quality, warranty protection, customer support, and whether replacement parts will be needed. Sometimes mid-range devices offer the best overall value.

How To Know If It Works

Many users wonder whether their device actually stimulates the vagus nerve properly.

Some typical signs include mild warmth where the device touches skin, slightly increased saliva production during use, gradually improving sleep quality, better recovery from stressful events, and slowly decreasing symptoms over weeks.

Unlike some treatments, vagus stimulation rarely produces dramatic overnight improvements. Most benefits develop gradually with consistent use over several weeks.

Currently Popular Approaches

The market offers several types of stimulators. Current options include wearable wrist devices using touch patterns, ear-based units with mild electrical pulses, chest-worn systems using vibration, and combination approaches that pair physical stimulation with guided breathing exercises.

No single type works best for everyone. The best vagus nerve stimulator device varies based on individual preferences and needs.

Beyond Just Devices

Health professionals typically recommend using these devices as part of a broader approach.

The benefits often increase when combined with other practices such as regular physical activity, consistent sleep habits, stress management techniques, and nutrition that supports nerve health.

Many users report stronger results when pairing vagus stimulation with these complementary approaches rather than relying solely on a device.

Potential Drawbacks

Though generally safe, non-invasive stimulators sometimes cause side effects.

These may include minor skin irritation at contact points, temporary throat feelings or voice changes, occasional headaches during initial use, or momentary light-headedness in sensitive individuals.

People with certain medical conditions should consult healthcare providers before trying vagus nerve stimulation. Those with heart rhythm issues, seizure disorders, or implanted medical devices may need to avoid certain types of stimulators.

Finding What Works For You

The best vagus nerve stimulator device varies between people based on specific needs, comfort preferences, and practical considerations like budget and lifestyle.

Rather than looking for the single "best" model for everyone, focus on finding the option that fits personal circumstances.

This field continues developing, with newer devices appearing regularly.

For now, choosing a product with solid research support, using it consistently as recommended, and combining it with complementary health practices offers the most promising approach.

Patience matters when working with these tools. While some notice subtle shifts within days, most require several weeks of regular use to experience meaningful benefits.

Consistency typically pays off for those seeking improved vagal tone and its associated health advantages.

[tasktracker-in]

Implement infographic reports to make smarter choices that drive your organization to new heights. Leverage insightful data analysis to reduce risks, achieve your goals, and stay ahead in today's dynamic business landscape.

[ahalts]

The Role of Payroll in Employee Financial Wellness

Payroll plays a crucial role in supporting employee financial wellness by ensuring timely and accurate payments, managing deductions, and facilitating access to benefits like retirement plans or health insurance. When employees can rely on regular, precise paychecks, it reduces financial stress and promotes stability. Moreover, modern payroll systems can provide employees with self-service tools to manage their pay, view their earnings history, and access financial education resources. By leveraging payroll to enhance financial transparency and empower employees, organizations can contribute significantly to overall financial well-being, boosting morale and retention.

More info: https://ahalts.com/products/hr-management/payroll

[compassionmattersmost]

Calling All Beings to Send Love and Peace: A Message for Our Community

Harnessing Inner Peace: A Pacing Toolkit Tool for Those Living with ME/CFS or Long Covid As we face the approach of Hurricane Milton, we are reminded of the moment when Jesus calmed the storm on the Sea of Galilee. His disciples, filled with fear, watched as He spoke these simple yet powerful words: “Peace! Be still!” And the storm settled. This is such a time for us to look at the storm that’s…

[wisterianwoman]

What Actually Helped My Anxiety

Let's talk about anxiety. What helped me, and what made it way, way worse.

Learn how to help anxiety with a holistic approach from personal experience. Discover the power of medication, trauma work, yoga, and healthy habits in managing racing thoughts and creating a calmer, more balanced mind. Explore personal insights on the journey to mental well-being and the importance of a supportive environment in this comprehensive guide to easing anxiety. Sometimes my mind runs…

[elementalevolutions]

"Harmonizing Elements: Navigating the Path to Greater Enlightenment"

Introduction: Journey Through the Spectrum of Resilience Harmonizing Elements: A Dance of Bliss and Energy” – Curated by Shianna S. Interactive Quiz: Navigating the Path to Greater Enlightenment Embark on a journey of self-discovery and explore the harmony between bliss, energy, and your path to greater enlightenment with our interactive quiz. Each question is designed to guide you closer to…

[miquiti]

Emotional Disconnection in Lloyd Garmadon: A Psychological and Narrative Analysis

In the most recent season of Ninjago, many viewers noticed a significant shift in the characterization of Lloyd Garmadon. Compared to previous seasons, Lloyd appears withdrawn, distant, and shows clear signs of emotional flattening. His involvement in key events is minimal, his verbal contributions are scarce, and his body language reflects a noticeable sense of detachment. A friend and I even ranked Lloyd as the third ninja with the least screen time this season—only behind Cole and Jay. However, even they maintained their typical personalities in their brief appearances. What concerned us most was the absence of his visions, a trait confirmed as permanent in the previous two seasons.

At first, this change was frustrating. However, after discussing the matter with a friend who is about to graduate in Psychology, she offered an interpretation that completely shifted our perspective: Lloyd may be experiencing emotional disconnection as a result of accumulated traumatic events. Based on this hypothesis, we developed two plausible theories, both supported by psychological literature.

Emotional Disconnection: Clinical Definition and Foundations

Emotional disconnection is a psychological phenomenon associated with conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), dissociative disorders, major depression, or even temporary adaptive responses to chronic stress. Broadly speaking, it refers to a reduced or lost ability to experience or express emotions, whether as an unconscious defense mechanism or as a symptom of a greater disorder.

In high-stress emotional contexts—such as repeated traumatic experiences (war, loss, betrayal, guilt, excessive responsibility)—the nervous system can enter a prolonged state of hypoactivation, meaning a general decrease in emotional, behavioral, and cognitive responses. This phenomenon is also known as emotional numbing.

Common Symptoms of Emotional Disconnection

Social and behavioral withdrawal: The individual avoids active interaction with their environment. In Lloyd's case, this is seen in his passive stance, scarce dialogue, and minimal group engagement.

Affective flattening: There is a visible reduction in emotional expression: few smiles, rare signs of distress or anger, even in situations that would typically provoke them. This matches Lloyd's attitude, as he rarely reacts emotionally during critical events.

Feelings of unreality or detachment from the environment (derealization): The world may feel distant or artificial. Narratively, this could be reflected in scenes where Lloyd silently watches events unfold, seemingly disconnected from his surroundings.

Disconnection from one’s own emotions (depersonalization): The individual may feel like they're acting automatically, without personal involvement. This could explain why Lloyd behaves mechanically in combat or lacks clear motivation.

Reduced motivation or initiative: Often, there is a loss of interest in previous activities or a lack of energy to act. In a setting like Ninjago, where characters are usually proactive, Lloyd’s passivity becomes even more striking.

Blocking or suppression of intense memories or mental processes: In individuals with traumatic experiences, the mind may suppress access to emotionally threatening content. In Lloyd’s case, this could explain the temporary absence of his visions.

Clinically, these symptoms align with conditions like PTSD, dissociative disorders, or even adaptive forms of depression. Lloyd’s training with Rontu gave him tools to manage his visions, so he may have learned to suppress them as a coping mechanism. However, such suppression can trigger an emotional rebound—an abrupt and intense resurgence of emotions or abilities—which could signal a major narrative turning point in the second half of the season or in future installments.

Application to His Visions and the Two Proposed Theories

Theory of emotional repression of visions: If Lloyd is in a dissociative state, it’s plausible that his visions—often emotionally intense (e.g., foreseeing death, betrayal, or failure)—have been unconsciously blocked. His training with Rontu gave him some control over these visions, and he may have “shut off” that channel as a form of self-protection. This aligns with clinical patterns observed in individuals who choose not to access unusual mental functions (in narrative terms) to preserve their mental stability.

_ _ _ _ _

Theory of resignation due to inevitability of visions: Another theory suggests Lloyd still has visions but no longer fights them. In battles such as those against Zeatrix or Thunderfang, he doesn’t use his usual combat style: instead of confronting, he dodges, retreats, and attacks from a distance. This behavior may reflect a resignation to a fate he has already foreseen.

From a psychological perspective, this relates to the concept of learned helplessness (Seligman, 1975), where a person, after repeated failures to avoid a negative outcome, stops trying and adopts a passive stance. For Lloyd, this might be a form of emotional self-preservation: if resisting the vision changes nothing, perhaps it’s better not to resist. This narrative arc is powerful because it ties directly into his past development: Lloyd, who always rebelled against his lineage and tried to shape his own destiny, now seems to be surrendering to the weight of inevitability. This may be a direct consequence of the battle with Zeatrix, where he believed he had overcome his vision, only to see it come true anyway.

Professional Conclusion

Both interpretations are supported by legitimate psychological concepts. In one case, we see the effects of trauma as emotional dissociation; in the other, cognitive adaptation to a perceived inevitability. Both are plausible in characters exposed to constant stress, loss, the burden of responsibility, and supernatural abilities that carry a mental toll.

If this portrayal was intentional—which is likely—we are witnessing a characterization that realistically reflects real psychological processes, adding depth to Lloyd’s arc and opening new possibilities for future development.

[theambitiouswoman]

How to Stop Procrastinating by Managing Your Emotions

Procrastination happens when we delay doing things, and it's often connected to our emotions. Feelings like being afraid to fail, feeling worried or stressed, getting bored, or lacking motivation can all contribute to procrastination. To stop procrastinating and get more things done, it's important to learn how to handle our emotions better.

Boredom:

Break the task into smaller, more engaging sub-tasks.

Find ways to make the task more interesting or challenging.

Set a timer and work on the task for a specific amount of time, followed by a short break doing something enjoyable.

Feeling Overwhelmed:

Prioritize tasks and focus on one thing at a time.

Break the task into smaller, more manageable steps.

Delegate some parts of the task if possible or seek help from others.

Use tools like to-do lists or task management apps to stay organized.

Anxiety:

Practice deep breathing or mindfulness techniques to calm yourself.

Challenge negative thoughts and replace them with more positive and realistic ones.

Start with the easier or less intimidating aspects of the task to build momentum.

Set realistic expectations and remind yourself that it's okay to make mistakes.

Self-Doubt:

Focus on past accomplishments and successes to boost your confidence.

Seek support or feedback from others to gain reassurance.

Remind yourself of your skills and capabilities to tackle the task.

Use positive affirmations to counteract negative self-talk.

Perfectionism:

Embrace the concept of "good enough" rather than seeking perfection.

Set realistic and achievable goals for each task.

Recognize that mistakes and imperfections are part of the learning process and growth.

Indecisiveness:

Break decisions into smaller steps and make one small decision at a time.

Set a time limit for making decisions to avoid overthinking.

Trust your instincts and make the best decision you can with the information available.

Apathy or Lack of Interest:

Find aspects of the task that align with your values or long-term goals.

Break the task into smaller, more manageable parts and focus on completing one at a time.

Reward yourself for completing the task to make it more appealing.

Stress or Burnout:

Practice stress-reduction techniques such as meditation, exercise, or spending time in nature.

Break tasks into smaller steps to reduce the feeling of overwhelm.

Prioritize self-care and take breaks to avoid burnout.

Feeling Uninspired or Creatively Blocked:

Engage in activities that stimulate creativity, such as brainstorming, mind mapping, or seeking inspiration from others' work.

Start with a simple and basic version of the task to get the creative juices flowing.

Collaborate with others or seek feedback to gain new perspectives.

Fear of Success:

Identify and challenge the negative beliefs or fears that may be holding you back.

Visualize the positive outcomes of completing the task successfully.

Focus on the benefits and personal growth that come with success.

Impatience:

Break long-term goals into smaller milestones to track progress.

Practice mindfulness to stay present and patient throughout the process.

Remind yourself that progress takes time and effort.

Lack of Confidence:

Celebrate your past accomplishments to boost your confidence.

Seek support and encouragement from friends, family, or mentors.

Focus on building specific skills related to the task to increase confidence.

Avoiding Discomfort:

Acknowledge that discomfort is a natural part of growth and improvement.

Break tasks into smaller steps and tackle the more challenging aspects gradually.

Remind yourself of the long-term benefits of facing discomfort.

Overestimating Future Motivation:

Practice discipline and commit to starting tasks even when motivation is low.

Set specific deadlines for tasks to create a sense of urgency.

Establish a routine that includes regular work on the task to build consistency.

[probablyasocialecologist]

The Brutalist’s most intriguing and controversial technical feature points forward rather than back: in January, the film’s editor Dávid Jancsó revealed that he and Corbet used tools from AI speech software company Respeecher to make the Hungarian-language dialogue spoken by Adrien Brody (who plays the protagonist, Hungarian émigré architect László Tóth) and Felicity Jones (who plays Tóth’s wife Erzsébet) sound more Hungarian. In response to the ensuing backlash, Corbet clarified that the actors worked “for months” with a dialect coach to perfect their accents; AI was used “in Hungarian language dialogue editing only, specifically to refine certain vowels and letters for accuracy.” In this way, Corbet seemed to suggest, the production’s two central performances were protected against the howls of outrage that would have erupted from the world’s 14 million native Hungarian speakers had The Brutalist made it to screens with Brody and Jones playing linguistically unconvincing Magyars. Far from offending the idea of originality and authorship in performance, AI in fact saved Brody and Jones from committing crimes against the Uralic language family; I shudder even to imagine how comically inept their performances might have been without this technological assist, a catastrophe of fumbled agglutinations, misplaced geminates, and amateur-hour syllable stresses that would have no doubt robbed The Brutalist of much of its awards season élan. This all seems a little silly, not to say hypocritical. Defenders of this slimy deception claim the use of AI in film is no different than CGI or automated dialogue replacement, tools commonly deployed in the editing suite for picture and audio enhancement. But CGI and ADR don’t tamper with the substance of a performance, which is what’s at issue here. Few of us will have any appreciation for the corrected accents in The Brutalist: as is the case, I imagine, for most of the people who’ve seen the film, I don’t speak Hungarian. But I do speak bullshit, and that’s what this feels like. This is not to argue that synthetic co-pilots and assistants of the type that have proliferated in recent years hold no utility at all. Beyond the creative sector, AI’s potential and applications are limitless, and the technology seems poised to unleash a bold new era of growth and optimization. AI will enable smoother reductions in headcount by giving managers more granular data on the output and sentiment of unproductive workers; it will allow loan sharks and crypto scammers to get better at customer service; it will offer health insurance companies the flexibility to more meaningfully tie premiums to diet, lifestyle, and sociability, creating billions in savings; it will help surveillance and private security solution providers improve their expertise in facial recognition and gait analysis; it will power a revolution in effective “pre-targeting” for the Big Pharma, buy-now-pay-later, and drone industries. Within just a few years advances like these will unlock massive productivity gains that we’ll all be able to enjoy in hell, since the energy-hungry data centers on which generative AI relies will have fried the planet and humanity will be extinct.

3 March 2025

[mavyunivrse]

Tea for sleep, dreams & shifting realities Pt. 2 🫖

*** This is not needed to become lucid or shift. Only a tool for you to use if you re interested.

*** Please look into what is safe for your child to consume if you have one, or during pregnancy.

~~~~~~~~~~

My Masterlist. | Click Here

Lemon Balm

• Sedative effect, reduce anxiety, improve sleep, insomnia aid

• Improve cognitive function, digestive aid, potential antioxidant, alleviate menstrual cramps

Rose

• Stress relieving and calming, relaxing, can soothe into sleep

• Antioxidant, reduce menstrual discomfort, immune support, heart health

Passionflower

• Quality sleep, anxiety reduction, insomnia aid

• Anti-inflammatory, may lower blood pressure

Part one.

Part Three.

Tea blends post next?

– ℳ

[cushfuddled]

If all you consume is children's media I literally do not care.

Can't stress this enough. Watch and read whatever fiction you like.

You don't have to be an expert in literary analysis either. I dream of a world where more people know about paranoid reading and reparative reading* (as first described by Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick and simplified here by Danika Ellis) so they're more likely to recognize the manipulation tactics at play the next time a community member leverages a paranoid reading as justification for a dogpile. But that's just it—at the end of the day what I care about is how you treat real people, and whether everyone has access to whatever fiction they like. If you just wanna watch Blue's Clues all day, have fun. It's none of my fucking business. Your fictional preferences aren't a mirror to your capacity for reflection and analysis anyway. They don't mean you're incapable of sitting with discomfort or holding multiple truths in your head at once.

"But shouldn't people at least TRY to stretch themselves with stories that make them uncomfortable??" Whether that's something that would be good for Random Guy On The Internet and their capacity for compassion is up to them and their therapist to decide. I'm as concerned about media literacy as everybody else, which means I want a better public education system. I want to enable more kids to learn how to dissect a text. Teachers deserve better pay and smaller class sizes and ample supplies. Kids deserve classes that give them the tools to tackle complex topics with nuance. Whatever fiction people consume in their spare time is, again, none of my goddamn business. I have my own gut reaction to the mystical straw man who's only ever watched Barney reruns, but I still have no right to shame that person for their Netflix watch history. Who benefits from my anger at this Random Guy? Why not direct that anger at the institutions which profit off the continuous enshittification of public education??? I'm sorry to say it lads, but some of us have been tricked into petty lateral violence yet again.

*I like to describe the difference like this: If a reparative reading is when you approach a text with your arms outstretched, then a paranoid reading is approaching a text with one hand on the pepper spray. It is interpretation in anticipation of harm, and when left unattended it breeds narrow, reductive, bad-faith criticism. While I'd argue paranoid reading as a practice is not inherently destructive (especially when upheld as a single possible interpretation amongst a wilderness of equally valid readings), it is often employed as justification for acts of violence ("the creator should be called out for this harmful text"). A reparative read, meanwhile, is about meeting the creator halfway. You allow yourself to be vulnerable enough with a text to encounter redeeming qualities and outside viewpoints.

[banrionceallach]

Hey EU tumblr, there's some other elections pretty soon

I know that the EU MEP elections probably seem boring in comparison to 'gestures to US/UK/etc' All That, but please do vote in them if you're eligible.

It's really important right now to make sure the right-wing fascist leaning bastards get the smallest percentage of the vote possible. The EU has problems, but a lot of genuinely good legislation comes out of it and we need to protect that.

There's not going to be a perfect candidate, so just go the harm reduction route. i.e. find the least worst and vote for them, to cancel out your racist Insert-Relative-Here's vote for the MEP's who are busy being openly fascist.

The EU elections are from taking place from 6th- 9th June, and I cannot stress enough that it really is important to vote. Again, a vote for Candidate Meh Boring is not approval of their policies, it is a vote against Candidate Racist Homophobe.

Remember every time the US users in particular on this site talk about something horrifying that is a fact of daily life in the USA and then end the post with some version of 'But they don't have to put up with that in Europe because of some Recent Vaguely Sensible Legislation by the EU parliament'?

Right.

That's why you're voting. It's a civic duty. Part of living in a society. Look on it the way you would basic housekeeping.

From 6th - 9th June we are all helping to do a metaphorical deep-clean of the bathroom. It won't produce spectacular immediate changes in our lives, but it will help stop a potentially dangerous mold infestation.

Voting is one tool in the box of democracy. Don't let it sit unused, The people who vote for Candidate Racist Homophobe won't.

Bloody well vote.

EU Voting Dates:

Netherlands votes on 6th June

Ireland votes on 7th June

Czech Republic votes 7th/8th June

Everyone else in the EU votes on the 9th June.

[pets001]

🌟 Life-Changing for Pet Parents: The AIRROBO Dog Grooming Vacuum PG100 🌟

Okay, pet parents, let’s talk about a game-changer: the AIRROBO Dog Grooming Vacuum PG100. If you’re tired of fur tumbleweeds taking over your house or wrestling with your pup during grooming sessions, this might just be your new best friend. 🐾

Why I’m Obsessed:

Shedding? Handled. With its 12000Pa suction power, it tackles shedding like a champ. I’ve noticed a dramatic reduction in the amount of fur on my floors, couches, and clothes.

Quiet and Pup-Approved. My dog, who usually bolts at the sound of a vacuum, didn’t seem phased by the low-noise design. Grooming sessions are so much calmer now.

All-in-One Grooming Kit. The 5 grooming tools are fantastic—especially the de-shedding brush and trimmer. It’s like having a professional groomer in my living room!

2L Large Capacity. No need to constantly empty the bin during grooming. It easily handles a full grooming session with my shedding machine of a dog.

Easy to Use and Clean. The attachments snap on and off effortlessly, and the vacuum bin empties without a mess.

The Results:

Not only does my dog look and feel amazing, but my home is fur-free for the first time in forever. Plus, grooming time feels like quality bonding instead of a dreaded chore.

Would I Recommend It?

Absolutely! If you’re a dog owner looking for a stress-free, effective way to handle grooming and shedding, the AIRROBO Dog Grooming Vacuum PG100 is 100% worth it. Your pup (and your vacuum cleaner) will thank you. 🐕💨

_______ The AIRROBO Dog Grooming Vacuum PG100 Available Here !

[tevanbuckley]

holy fuck the coloring on your gifs is AMAZING do you have any tips or advice? also your gifs are so smooth i’m just sitting here in awe right now

awww thank you nonny. I've only ever used photoshop so can't really speak to any other software especially because I've been playing around with some different settings recently, the lighting in that 8x11 makeout scene really had me in photoshop menus I never even know existed lmao.

My last two sets from 8x14 — plus some of my gifs from 8x11 — were mostly coloured using the camera raw filters vs lots of adjustment layers. Which I think I always assumed only worked with RAW files but apparently not. Putting the rest under a cut because it got long.

It's hidden in the filters menu and sends you to a second window with a bunch of different options, most of which are similar to the adjustment layers but with a little bit more fine tuning. For example the hue/saturation equivalent is split into 8 colours vs 6. orange being split from red & yellow is particularly useful for making adjustments without fucking up skin colours. Plus the eyedrop tool is waaaaay more precise.

To give an example of how much difference it makes. These are the same settings in camera raw filter vs a hue/saturation layer

now I could get closer with the adjustment layers by changing the cyan + blue in combo but it wasn't as clean or easy.

But my new favourites have to be these effects and detail sliders.

Turning some combo of the texture, clarity and dehaze up on already well lit scenes can help add some extra definition, and inversely with darker scenes *cough 8x11* lowering them can help smudge some of the cronch you get by cranking up the exposure/brightness.

And I cannot stress enough how superior the noise reduction is compared to the normal one found in the filter settings.

The grain slider can also be handy, it gives a similar effect to the add noise filter (which counterintuitively can help disguise some crunchyness) except it matches the colour pallette of your image.

The only downside is you can't stack effects in the same way you can with adjustment layers, but you can add adjustment layers on top — or underneath by opening up the smart object — and in theory you could convert it into a new smart object and add a second camera raw filter, but I think that would quickly get messy (and i can't see it having a great impact on your computers performance/cache size).

This is just an overview and I'd be happy to write up a longer/more detailed explanation if people would be interested in that.