How to Manage Stress & Feel Better

In today’s fast-paced world, stress and anxiety have become constant companions for many of us. It can seem impossible to get out from under our fears, worries, and other troubling thoughts. That’s why it’s so important to learn to ground.

Keep reading to discover seven quick and easy grounding techniques to reduce anxiety and help you enjoy a more peaceful, joyful life.

How to Become Grounded: 7 Techniques to Relieve Anxiety

Concentrate on your breathing.

One of the simplest ways to become grounded is to tap into the power of your breathing.

Focusing on your breathing, by gently inhaling and exhaling through the nose, activates your body’s natural relaxation response. This simple exercise is scientifically proven to help reduce stress and create a sense of calm.

Curiously direct your attention to your nostrils. Do you notice a cool feeling when you inhale, a warm feeling when you exhale? Take long, deep, slow breaths, mentally noting “in” and “out” with each breathing cycle.

You can also try a whole-body breathing technique. Imagine breathing in your entire body, imagining the air coming in through your feet, expanding through your entire body, and then flowing back down through your feet. This helps ground you in the here and now.

Feel your feet on the ground.

Reconnecting with your feet can give you a deep sense of security and stability. Try this simple exercise:

Sit or stand with both feet flat on the floor, not crossed.
Focus on the feeling of your heels and soles hitting the ground. Feel the support beneath you.
Press first one foot and then the other foot firmly into the ground, gripping your thighs. Then press both feet down at the same time.
Observe how these movements affect your spine and overall posture.
Notice the feeling of both feet firmly connected to the earth.
Continue until you feel a grounding sensation in your lower legs.

This is an easy exercise that can help you get out of your head and back into the present moment, creating feelings of calm.

Practice grounding.

Grounding, also called grounding, is the process of touching the earth with your bare skin. Studies have shown that it has several significant effects on your health, including:

Reducing inflammation
Relieving pain and stress
Increasing blood flow
Improving sleep and energy levels
Supporting greater common good

Grounding works by connecting your body to the earth, which has its own natural electrical charge. This connection allows the Earth to share its electrons with your body, balancing your body’s electrical energy.

It is similar to how you would ground an electrical outlet to prevent electrical overload. This balancing act helps calm your body and mind, just like pressing the reset button when you’re stressed.

The best places to ground are outdoor surfaces such as:

Soil
Grass
Sand
Water, including streams, rivers, lakes and the ocean
Specific

Try the 5-4-3-2-1 technique.

The 5-4-3-2-1 technique is a practical exercise aimed at calming the nervous system by using your senses.

It shifts your focus from anxiety triggers to a curious exploration of your current sensory experiences, altering the brain’s stress response and anchoring you in the present moment.

It includes the following steps:

Acknowledge five things you see. Pause and notice five items in your immediate environment.
Acknowledge four things you can touch. Identify and feel four objects around you, such as your clothes, a chair, a clock or the floor.
Acknowledge three things you hear. Tune in and recognize three nearby sounds, such as traffic, birdsong or a ticking clock.
Recognize two things you can smell. Detect and recognize two scents – pleasant or unpleasant – such as food, flowers or any scent in your environment.
Acknowledge one thing you can taste. Focus on one taste, perhaps from a recent meal, a mint, or simply the taste of your saliva.

By engaging all five senses, the 5-4-3-2-1 technique brings anxious thoughts back to the present, helping you feel grounded and calm.

Get moving.

Exercise is a scientifically proven method to reduce anxiety. When we exercise, our bodies release endorphins: natural mood-boosting chemicals that relieve stress.

Get out of your head and back into your body by doing some simple exercises, such as:

Jump jacks
Jumping rope
Jogging on the spot or around the block
Stretch muscle groups one by one

As you do these exercises, pay attention to your physical sensations. Notice the feeling of your feet and/or hands as they touch the floor or move through the air.

This mindfulness element not only increases the stress-relieving benefits of exercise, but also keeps you anchored in the present moment, reducing anxiety and other distressing feelings.

Drinking water.

Water is essential for life. It hydrates our cells and acts as an electrical conductor in our bodies, keeping our minds sharp and our systems functioning smoothly.

It also regulates body temperature, circulates oxygen and nutrients and revitalizes our tissues. Additionally, proper hydration is crucial for regulating stress hormones and supporting overall nervous system function.

Drinking water can itself be a grounding technique. Notice the cool feeling of the water as it flows down your throat into your stomach. This can bring you back into your body, reducing tension.

Pick up something and hold it.

Holding and examining an object can be a powerful grounding technique.

Take a moment to pick up something nearby and notice its characteristics. Is it soft or hard? Light or heavy? Warm or cool?

Pay close attention to the texture and color. Challenge yourself to identify specific shades rather than general colors like red or green. This conscious practice of observing intricate details can help anchor you in the present moment, relieving stress and anxiety.

These grounding activities are simple yet powerful ways to reduce stress and anxiety. Experiment with them to discover which ones work best for you. And practice regularly to cultivate a more peaceful, centered experience, no matter what life throws your way.