5 Of The Best Anxiety Grounding Techniques You Need To Know About Now!
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When you’re feeling anxious or stressed, anxiety grounding techniques are the best way to feel less anxious and more like yourself! I have also included a free printable PDF that you can use as a reference for anxiety grounding techniques!
When it comes to calming down, grounding techniques are the best free option we have! It doesn’t require any extra products (unless you wanna feel a little more luxurious) and it is EFFECTIVE!
When I start to feel stressed or overwhelmed, I keep these grounding techniques in mind for something quick and easy I can do to get out of my head. These anxiety exercises are my absolute favorites!
This post is all about Anxiety Grounding Techniques!
@thebadalsorises These grounding exercises for anxiety have been a complete game changer for me! Thebadalsorises.com/anxiety-grounding-techniques/ #storytime #foranxiety #calmingtechniques ♬ original sound – Caroline Archer
The Best Anxiety Grounding Techniques Out There
Here is an entirely free printable PDF for you!
1. 5-4-3-2-1 Technique
This technique incorporates all your senses and is my favorite throughout the day! All you do is name five things you can see, four things you can touch (actually touch them), three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste!
Having some cold water on hand for the tasting section to incorporate your taste is super helpful.
Using this technique, we are forcing our bodies back into the present moment and reminding us where we are and what we feel. It also helps to ground yourself in the present and take your mind off the stressful situation.
My Recommendations:
- Wear some comfy socks and keep ice water with you to help ground you throughout the day. The comfy socks give you something excellent to feel and give your brain something to think about that isn’t stressful.
2. Deep Breathing
One of the biggest and widely known anxiety grounding techniques is deep breathing. The tricky part of deep breathing is it can give some people more anxiety if they don’t see results. Focusing on our breathing when super overwhelmed can make you overly cautious of any changes and cause more anxiety.
My Recommendations:
- Find a breathing pattern that sweeps you away the most and focuses more on your body (aka your stomach and chest movements) more than the breathing itself.
- Try different meditation practices to find a breathing pattern that works best for you.
3. Progressive Muscle Relaxation
When you are feeling anxious, it can be helpful to use an anxiety grounding technique called progressive muscle relaxation. This involves starting at your head and relaxing every muscle as you scan down your body.
My Recommendations:
- Lay down on your back so you can fully let go and get a good relaxation in without straining your neck or back.
- Focus on your face, jaw, neck, and shoulders throughout the day, but especially when doing progressive muscle relaxation.
- If you are a side sleeper, here is a great pillow for progressive muscle relaxation because you can completely let go of the muscles in your neck.
4. Visualization
This anxiety grounding technique is great for when you are in your own head too much! Try visualizing yourself in a safe space such as out on a lake, in your bed, or in a reading nook. Think about the feeling you would feel on the seat, the smells you would experience, the touch of the fabric on your body etc.
My Recommendations:
- Make a place in your home that you can start to visualize. Only spend good memories there and only eat good foods and drink good drinks in that spot. My biggest tip is to have a comfy blanket that you can visualize.
5. Physical Grounding
Physical grounding is mainly about planting your feet into the ground and feel the energy coming up from the ground and down through your feet. With this technique we remind ourselves where we are and get us to focus on what we feel physically more than emotionally.
My Recommendations:
- Stand outside with no shoes or socks and get a feel of the grass on the soles of your feel!
- Sit up straight in a tall chair with your feet on the floor and enjoy how it makes you feel while you breathe and take note of your surroundings.
