Anxiety has become a constant companion for many individuals today. Legitimate fears, from economic hardship and political instability to family problems, drive many toward dread. Has
your anxiety skyrocketed recently? You are not alone.
You do not have to tolerate anxious thoughts and emotions because they are harmful to your mental and physical health. One way you can take control of your life is through grounding
techniques. Grounding techniques are exercises that help you live in the moment and healthy manage your anxiety.
The techniques are short-term, aiming to center the body and the mind. They help reduce the physiological and mental symptoms of anxiety. Here are ten ways to keep anxiety at bay using
grounding techniques.
The 5-4-3-2-1 Technique
Whenever you feel your anxious thoughts or emotions creeping in, use the 5-4-3-2-1 technique to keep your mind focused on the present. The technique uses your senses to attune your thoughts and feelings and calm your stress response, which is responsible for anxiety. Try staying in the present by:
Name five things you can see
Touch four items around you
Listen and distinguish three sounds in your surroundings
Identify two things you can smell
Try out one thing you can taste
Get Out and Enjoy Nature
Nature is calming. According to research, nature relaxes the stress response. Spending 10-50 minutes on a nature trail, hiking, at the park, or on the beach can improve your mood.
How does nature quiet a mind caught in vicious negative thoughts?
● The sights and sounds distract you from engaging your negative thoughts, enabling you to employ logic and rational thought.
● Outdoor activities induce endorphins and other feel-good molecules, which activate the reward pathway, a primary stress response inhibitor.
● Walking, jogging, or cycling calms your cardiovascular system by lowering circulation, breathing, and heartbeat rate.
Listen to Music
Music is a powerful tool. It evokes emotions, changes moods, and redirects thoughts. Aside from negative thoughts, anxiety increases your heartbeat, blood flow, and breathing rate. Listening to slow-beat songs syncs your breathing and heart rate to the rhythm, calming your cardiovascular system. Choose songs with positive messaging to uplift your spirit.
Perform a Body Scan
Anxiety increases muscle tightness by accelerating the contraction and relaxation cycle. This can lead to discomfort and even pain. You can release this pent-up tension by performing a body scan and massaging the affected areas to enhance relaxation.
Start from your head. Assess its state. Is it tight or relaxed? Move to your neck. Touch it and move it around. How does it feel? Massage your shoulder one at a time. Examine the entire body. Gently feel each part while caring for it until you relax.
Be Kind to Yourself
Anxiety is ruthless. It can make you belittle, despise, pity, and degrade yourself. Counter the vicious negativity with positive attributes of yourself. Remind yourself of battles you have fought and won. Be your own cheerleader.
You are doing the best you can with the resources available. It does not rain forever. Every cloud has a silver lining. You have come this far and are still standing.
Employ Deep Breathing Exercises
Breathing exercises are efficient calming techniques at the onset of anxiety. When you feel your heart and breathing rate increasing, anguish and nausea kicking in, and your hands and legs shaking, focus on your breathing.
Here are examples of breathing exercises
● Sit comfortably or lie down and close your eyes. Take a deep breath and count to four as
you exhale.
● Hold your breath on a count of four, then release it.
● Hold your breath and count to five, then exhale. Count to four in the next breath, then
three, two, and one.
Continue with your chosen exercise until your breathing and heart rate normalize.
Mindful Walking
Walking improves your circulation, lowering the increasing heart and breathing rates triggered by anxiety. Walking also improves your mood by inhibiting the stress response, enabling you to rationalize negative thoughts and avoid making drastic decisions until you are calm.
Take a walk around the block. Focus on your immediate surroundings. Observe the birds in the sky or the city skyline. Feel the breeze as it rushes against your skin. Take your mind off the pressure and stress and focus on the stillness of nature.
Grounding Affirmations
Anxiety heightens your worst fears, painting a picture of despair. Boost your sense of security through positive affirmations. Remember to remain realistic.
Tell yourself this, too shall pass. A smooth sea never made a skilled soldier. Although you failed, you are not a failure. It is better to try and fail than not to try at all.
Aromatherapy
Some scents like chamomile, lavender, and eucalyptus have a muscle-relaxing and mind-calming effect. Calming aromas enable you to relax and process your thoughts constructively. You can employ aroma therapy with other grounding techniques like body scanning.
Engage With Your Trusted Loved Ones
Resist the urge to isolate when you are anxious. Seek out your trustworthy friend or relative for a meal or hangout. Share your worries with them. A problem shared is already half solved.
Your social circle may give you practical solutions or timely advice. The support they provide is equally essential in an anxious time. Loved ones are also indispensable accountability partners. Their care keeps you from indulging in destructive behavior like substance abuse, promiscuity, binge eating, gambling, or living life on edge.
Employ Ground Techniques in Your Daily Routine
Anxiety sucks out the beauty of living. It is a burdensome psychological condition that downgrades the quality of life. You do not have to forebear its debilitating effects on your mind and body.
Employ grounding techniques to keep your mind off things you cannot change. Focus on the present. Engage with your surroundings, employing all your senses to keep your mind from drifting to the problem.
Remember, to always do the next thing instead of wallowing on things beyond your control. Embrace gratitude. Always keep hope alive because the rain does not last a lifetime.
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