Anxiety can show up in different ways, from a nagging sense of fear to full-blown panic attacks. While long-term solutions like therapy, exercise and medication can work well in the long run, what do you do when those intense feelings hit you out of nowhere? How can you handle them in real time?
Family psychologist Jeffrey Bernstein, Ph.D., recently offered some simple and research-backed strategies for quickly calming our nerves in a recent post on Psychology Today.
These are techniques that are designed to help us regain control before anxiety takes the wheel.
The 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Method
When you start to feel panic, your mind tends to jump ahead and imagine the worst things that could happen. The 5-4-3-2-1 technique draws you back to the here and now.
Here’s how to do it:
5: Name five things you can see (your hands, a lamp, the sky).
4: Touch four things around you (your chair, a soft sweater, the floor).
3: Listen for three sounds (birds outside, distant traffic, your breath).
2: Identify two scents (your coffee, fresh air).
1: Notice one thing you taste (mint gum, a sip of tea).
Here’s why it works:
It helps your mind relax and concentrate on what you can see, hear and feel right now.
When we find ourselves in stressful situations and our brains go into panic mode, it becomes difficult to think clearly. This leaves us feeling overwhelmed and anxious. But shifting our focus to sensory awareness can make a big difference.
Paying attention to what we can see, hear, smell, taste and touch at that exact moment interrupts the cycle of worry and activates our body’s relaxation response. As a result, we feel more at ease.
Box Breathing: The Navy SEAL Trick
When anxiety strikes, you might notice that your breathing becomes rapid and shallow, signaling to your brain that something is wrong. The Navy SEALs use a breathing technique called “box breathing” or “tactical breathing.” – this method involves inhaling for four seconds, holding your breath for four seconds, exhaling for four seconds, and then holding your breath again for four seconds. This practice can help you get back to a sense of control.
Here’s how to do it:
Inhale for four counts.
Hold your breath for four counts.
Exhale for four counts.
Hold again for four counts.
Repeat for three minutes.
Here’s why it works:
This method turns on the part of your nervous system that helps you feel calm, telling your body that everything is okay.
When we experience stress, our bodies tend to enter “fight or flight” mode, which is controlled by the sympathetic nervous system. This can lead to feelings of anxiety or being overwhelmed. However, by practicing techniques like deep breathing, we can activate the parasympathetic nervous system instead. This part of our nervous system helps to soothe us, slow our heart rates and relax our muscles, allowing us to feel less on edge.
The “Shake It Off” Technique
Bernstein notes that animals can physically shake off stress – like when a dog shivers after a scary situation. We can also do this to let go of nervous energy.
Here’s how to do it:
Stand up and shake your arms, legs and shoulders like you’re shaking off water.
Bounce lightly on your feet.
Add silly movement – wiggle your hands or dance for 30 seconds.
Here’s why it works:
Shaking can help eliminate excess cortisol, the hormone responsible for stress. It also aids in soothing your nervous system.
Whether it’s through dancing, jumping, or simply moving your body in a playful way, shaking makes you feel more at ease and in control. It’s like giving our bodies a little reboot!
