10 Best Grounding Techniques For Anxiety, Panic Attacks, And Mental Health

Anxiety can be overwhelming, making it difficult to function or feel normal. Even when you may recognize that you have little reason to feel anxious, it can be tough to put a stop to the thoughts that fuel it. With grounding techniques, however, it may be possible to release these anxious thoughts and regain calm and composure. 

Grounding techniques for anxiety, stress, and panic attacks

Grounding practices allow you to focus your attention on the here and now, helping you manage feelings of stress and anxiety in both your mind and body. Here, we’ll explore the science behind grounding techniques, plus a number of effective options to help you manage stress, anxiety, and panic attacks.

10 grounding exercises to help with anxiety

These grounding techniques can be used anytime you’re experiencing stress, worry, or anxiety. If you struggle with panic attacks, these exercises may be especially worthwhile.

1. Use the five senses technique or 5-4-3-2-1 method

One popular grounding technique is the 5-4-3-2-1 method, which combines both mental and physical elements to help you focus your attention. Here’s how it works: 

• 5: Identify five things you can see. Look around you and take note of five different things in your environment. It could be a piece of furniture, a picture on the wall, or a tree outside the window.
• 4: Identify four things you can touch. Pay attention to the textures around you. Feel the fabric of your clothes, the surface of a table, or the smoothness of a stone.
• 3: Identify three things you can hear. Listen carefully to the sounds in your surroundings. It could be the hum of a refrigerator, birds chirping, or distant traffic.
• 2: Identify two things you can smell. This might be more challenging but try to focus on any scents in your environment. It could be the smell of food, flowers, or fresh air.
• 1: Identify one thing you can taste. This could be the lingering taste in your mouth or you might take a sip of a drink or a small bite of food to engage your sense of taste.

2. Deep breathing for anxiety and stress relief

Deep breathing helps normalize your nervous system and bring your focus to the present moment, making it an effective grounding technique for managing anxiety and stress. Box breathing is a common breathing technique worth keeping in your anxiety toolkit:

• Inhale: Breathe in slowly through your nose for a count of four, filling your lungs and expanding your abdomen.
• Hold: Hold your breath for a count of four. Try to keep your body relaxed during this pause.
• Exhale: Slowly breathe out through your mouth for a count of four, releasing all the air from your lungs and imagining your stress and worries leaving your body.
• Hold: Hold your breath again for a count of four before starting the next inhale.

3. Meditation to calm anxious thoughts

Meditation is known to be a powerful antidote to anxiety. Research has shown that regular mindfulness meditation can significantly reduce anxiety levels, improve emotional control, and increase overall mental well-being. 

You can experiment with different types of meditation, such as a body scan, visualization, or mantra meditation, to find what works well for you. If you are new to meditation, you might find it helpful to listen along with a guided meditation. 

4. Mindfulness for anxiety

Put simply, mindfulness refers to the practice of remaining rooted, non-judgmentally, in the present moment. For example, when you notice an anxious thought arises, you might simply acknowledge the thought, assess whether there is some action you can take in the moment to address the issue, and either choose to take action or let the thought go.

Mindfulness is a crucial skill that can have profound positive effects on mental wellbeing—particularly for those who struggle with anxiety. You can learn mindfulness through self-study, meditation, yoga, and guided practice. For a more structured approach, you might consider a type of therapy called Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR).

5. Move your body with grounding exercises

Physical activity can be a powerful grounding technique—research has repeatedly found exercise to be a remarkably effective method of managing anxiety. Regular movement promotes the release of endorphins, which can improve your mood and overall sense of wellbeing, and reduce stress hormones like cortisol.

Activities that stimulate both sides of your brain (like walking, running, or cycling) may be especially effective—bilateral stimulation has been shown to help reduce anxiety, and is used in certain types of trauma therapy like EMDR. However, any activity that gets your heart rate up may be worthwhile.

6. Progressive muscle relaxation

Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) involves systematically tensing and then relaxing different muscle groups in the body. PMR has been shown to help manage anxiety, depression, and stress, and is easy to learn and implement. 

To use this grounding technique, find a quiet and comfortable place to sit or lie down. Begin by focusing on your breathing, then start tensing each muscle group for about five seconds before slowly relaxing them for thirty seconds. Work through the muscle groups from your toes to your head, or vice versa. 

7. Listen to music

Research has found that listening to music can influence blood pressure, heart rate, and cortisol levels, making it a potential source of calm and grounding when anxiety sets in. Try listening to soft or relaxing music, focusing your attention on the lyrics, rhythms, or individual instruments. 

Some find solfeggio frequencies or binaural beats to be particularly relaxing—in fact, research has found certain frequencies to have a measurable effect on biomarkers of stress. 

8. Games and puzzles

Games and puzzles can serve as a mental grounding tool, helping distract you from anxious thoughts.  Crosswords, Sudoku, and brain teasers, for example, can keep your brain occupied and prevent you from ruminating on worries, providing a beneficial distraction and a sense of mental engagement.

9. Spend time in nature

While not itself a grounding technique, using other anxiety management practices in a natural environment may help enhance their effectiveness. Research has repeatedly shown that exposure to nature can help ease anxiety—and sometimes, simply getting out of the house and being in a new place can be beneficial. 

10. Counting backwards

Count backwards from 100 in intervals, such as by 7s (100, 93, 86, etc.). This mental grounding technique requires focus and concentration, which can help divert your mind from anxious thoughts. By engaging in a task that demands cognitive effort, you can disrupt the cycle of rumination and anxiety. The counting process forces your brain to work through a sequence, occupying your mind with a structured activity.

Mental health support for anxiety

While grounding techniques can be a helpful tool to have in your arsenal in the moments when anxiety arises, it may also be useful to seek help from a therapist to address the sources of your anxiety and create a more comprehensive treatment plan. For anxiety disorders, research has repeatedly demonstrated the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy, which addresses the unhelpful thoughts that often fuel anxiety.

Grounding techniques for anxiety and mental health support

With BetterHelp, you can match with a therapist specializing in treating anxiety and attend weekly therapy sessions from the comfort of your own home. Research has shown that online therapy can be an effective option for those with mental health conditions like anxiety, and may be preferable for those who need a flexible, affordable, convenient way to have comprehensive mental health care.

With additional tools and features like guided journaling, group therapy, educational webinars, and digital CBT worksheets, you can make progress faster and get the most out of your mental health investment.