18 grounding techniques to help relieve anxiety
Clinically reviewed by Dr. Chris Mosunic, PhD, RD, CDCES, MBA
When you're experiencing anxiety, grounding techniques can help. We share a mix of mental and physical grounding techniques to help ease anxiety in the moment.
Anxiety can feel unpredictable and challenging to manage. One minute your day is going great, and then the next thing you know your list of tasks is mounting and you start to feel stressed, overwhelmed, and anxious. When this happens, grounding techniques act as anchors, pulling us back to the present and steadying us during the most tumultuous emotional storms.
What are grounding techniques, and how do they help?
Grounding techniques are designed to reconnect you with your surroundings, diverting your focus from distressing emotions or memories. They act to interrupt the spiraling thoughts that can cause—or worsen—anxiety.
When your mind detects a threat, even a perceived one, it releases stress hormones that can cause symptoms like increased heart rate, sweaty palms, and rapid breathing. Grounding techniques serve to tell your brain, "It's okay. I’m safe." They shift your attention from your overwhelming feelings to the here and now, offering a mental respite and a chance to reset. They’ve even been shown to help with anxiety related to PTSD.
💙 Worries and stressors pulling you into a negative spiral? Try Slow the Swirl in Your Mind with Jay Shetty.
When to use grounding techniques
Grounding techniques can give you a solid foundation to steady yourself when anxiety unsettles you. But when exactly should you be practicing these techniques?
Moments of heightened anxiety
It could be before a big presentation, during a turbulent flight, or in the middle of a crowded shopping mall. You might begin to feel a suffocating sensation where your surroundings become a whirlwind of confusion. In those moments, grounding techniques can help you level yourself.
Feeling disoriented or detached
If you feel disconnected or like you’re floating outside your body, watching things from afar, grounding techniques can help bring you back into reality.
Overwhelmed by memories or past traumas
Sometimes, old memories can sneak up on us. They can be so vivid it feels like they're happening all over again. Grounding can help distinguish between “then” and “now” when past experiences start blurring the lines with the present.
During a panic attack
Those heart-pounding, dizzying moments of sheer panic can feel like they go on for an eternity. Grounding techniques can often soften panic attacks, making them more manageable.
As part of your daily routine
You don’t always need to be in crisis mode to use grounding techniques. Incorporating them into your daily routines, perhaps during your morning coffee or evening wind-down, can enhance your overall mental wellbeing.
Feeling restless during a long meeting? Try the 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 method. Overwhelmed with daily chores? Try a breathing exercise. By integrating them into your daily routine, grounding techniques can help build resilience against future stressors.
These grounding techniques can be fantastic tools to help ease symptoms of anxiety. But if anxiety consistently impacts your daily life, it's a good idea to seek advice from a therapist or counselor. They may be able to offer more personalized strategies and insights.
Mental grounding techniques
Anxiety triggers can vary from person to person, but grounding is a powerful tool for anyone struggling with feelings of anxiety. There’s also a growing body of scientific evidence that these techniques might be effective in managing anxiety and associated symptoms.
1. Practice mindfulness meditation
Mindfulness is about being fully present and observing your thoughts and the world around you without judgment. Mindfulness meditation is a combination of traditional meditation techniques and mindfulness.
💙 If you’re looking to start a meditation practice we have guided meditation series, like 7 Days of Calming Anxiety or Investigating Anxiety that can help you move towards a more centered place. For those sudden, intense moments, our Panic SOS meditation is there to support you.
2. Focus on your five senses
A simple yet powerful tool is the 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 exercise, which harnesses your senses to ground you in the present. All you have to do is name five things you can see, four you can touch, three you can hear, two you can smell, and one you can taste. It can help you refocus, returning to the here and now.
3. Describe your surroundings
Look around and mentally describe everything. That red coffee mug, the humming of the AC, the faint scent of lavender. shifting your focus from internal turmoil to the external environment helps reduce anxiety and brings you back into the present moment
4. Visualize a safe, calming place
Visualize somewhere you feel calm, happy, and secure. It could be a childhood home, a peaceful beach, or even a fictional place. It helps to imagine your safe space before you’re in the midst of a moment of tension or anxiety. Do some world-building when you’re feeling relaxed and calm.
💙 Need inspiration? Explore our collection of soothing soundscapes to give you ideas of what your happy place might look and sound like.
5. Use affirmations
Gentle reminders like “I am safe” or “This too shall pass” can help calm an anxiety attack, but again, it’s good to get into the habit of practicing these types of affirmations regularly so that your mind is used to hearing them. Use them when you’re feeling relaxed and calm, or practice them daily to increase your overall wellbeing.
6. Name things in a category
Any time you can distract your brain away from the anxious thoughts you’re dwelling on you can interrupt the anxiety. Try naming fruits, movies, books, or any category you like.
Physical grounding techniques
7. Use your sense of taste
If you’re feeling anxious, you can use your sense of taste and smell to distract your mind from the stress you’re experiencing. Sour candies, ice cubes, strong dark chocolate. You can even try sipping a strong herbal tea. Try to notice the taste, temperature and texture. This can further disrupt and shift the anxiety.
8. Try breathing exercises
Deep, intentional breaths can signal to your body that everything's okay, resetting your system. You can also try breathing techniques like square breathing or 4-7-8 breathing to help calm your nervous system.
💙 Our Breathe Bubble feature is ideal to help guide the breath into a place of relaxation and calm.
9. Feel your feet on the ground
Whether you’re sitting or standing, press your feet down firmly and feel the ground beneath you for an immediate connection to the present moment and the space you’re in. You can further the grounding effect by placing your feet on cool grass or the warm earth.
10. Take a relaxing shower or bath
Please note that getting into a shower or bath is not advised if you’re in the middle of an anxiety attack. Wait until the worst of the attack has passed and then consider this option. But taking a shower or bath can be a great option if you’re feeling a general wave of anxiety. As you relax and feel your anxiety lessening, notice the water's temperature and the soap's texture and scent.
11. Listen to soothing music
Music is a wonderful way to soothe both the mind and body. When you feel anxiety creeping up, try listening to your favorite tracks that you know will make you feel better. Or, if you need some guidance, explore our music library. If you are somewhere without a way to play music, try singing to yourself to calm down. Remembering lyrics and melody can help distract the brain away from anxiety.
💙 Next time you want to listen to some relaxing music, try a soothing playlist like Chopin in the Rain.
12. Focus on a specific object
Holding a comforting object during anxious moments can be a tactile anchor. Instead of getting swept away by your thoughts, touching the object activates your senses. It could be any object, like a soft blanket, smooth rock, or even a piece of treasured family jewelry. Anything that can comfort you and pull you back to the present moment.
13. Grab a piece of ice
Just like an intense flavor can ground you, the sudden cold of ice can jolt you out of anxiety and back to the present. Try holding an ice cube over the sink and deep breathing as you feel the temperature in your hand.
14. Smell something pleasant
The scent of your favorite perfume, freshly baked cookies, or even the earthy scent after rain can be grounding. If you’re prone to anxiety attacks or panic attacks it can help to have some essential oils or even a sachet of dried lavender on hand to help ground you via your sense of smell.
15. Tense and release your fists
This is a type of progressive music relaxation (PMR). This technique allows you to feel and then release tension physically. You can use your fists only, or try moving through your entire body starting at your toes and moving up to your neck and shoulders.
💙 Try releasing physical tension in the body with this Softening Anxiety session from Mel Mah’s Daily Move.
16. Tune in to the sounds around you
Tuning into the chirping birds, distant traffic, or a ticking clock can bring you back into the present, which can ease anxiety
💙 If you’re not able to hear much from where you are, try turning on one of our soothing soundscapes like Rain on Leaves.
17. Give yourself a butterfly hug
Cross your arms over your chest so your hands are on your collarbones and your fingertips point toward your shoulders. Alternately, tap each hand like the fluttering wings of a butterfly, taking deep breaths.
18. Natural grounding
Walk barefoot outside with the earth beneath your feet. This direct contact with the earth has been shown to help with sleep, pain, and stress, all of which should help reduce anxiety levels. If you don’t have a yard, park, or other safe space to walk with barefeat, you can also practice grounding standing barefoot in your shower or on the floor in your home.
Each grounding technique acts like a mini-vacation for your mind, pulling you away from any internal chaos you might be experiencing.t. Try some or all to find what works for you.
Grounding techniques FAQs
What is the 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 grounding method?
The 5 4 3 2 1 method is a sensory countdown to help reconnect you with the present moment. Here's how it works:
5 - See: List five things you can see around you. They could be pieces of furniture or photos on the wall.
4 - Feel: Next, touch four things, like the soft fabric of your sweater or the cool surface of a table.
3 - Hear: Identify three distinct sounds—maybe the distant hum of traffic or a ticking clock.
2 - Smell: Recognize two things you can smell. They could be the smell of your own perfume or fresh bread. Even unpleasant odors count.
1 - Taste: Notice one thing you can taste. Take a sip of water, munch on a snack, or simply remember your last meal.
By the end of this exercise, you should feel more centered and connected to the here and now.
What is a common grounding trick for anxiety?
Another popular grounding technique is the Butterfly Hug:
Cross your arms over your chest, placing your hands on your collarbones with fingertips pointing toward your shoulders.
Alternately, tap each hand like the fluttering wings of a butterfly while taking deep breaths.
How do you ground yourself naturally?
Natural grounding is often about connecting with nature itself. A scientific concept called Earthing suggests that direct contact with the Earth can neutralize negative charges in our bodies, helping to calm and balance us.
Barefoot walk: Feel the earth beneath your feet on grass, sand, or soil. Your bare skill becomes a connection between you and the Earth, which can be deeply calming.
Nature meditation: Find a quiet spot in a park or garden. Sit and simply absorb your surroundings—the rustling leaves, birds chirping, and the sun's warmth on your skin.
What is grounding yourself?
Grounding is the practice of pulling yourself back into the present moment when your mind begins to spiral or when emotions become overwhelming. Through mental or physical techniques, grounding can offer stability and a sense of balance when your emotions run high.
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