How To Raise Your Vibe | 8 Self-Soothing Techniques for Anxiety
Nov 21, 2022
If only we could fix all our problems as easily as we cure a headache. Drink a glass of water, pop an Advil, done.
When it comes to fixing our mental health, it's not so simple.
When those anxious feelings start creeping in, it's nice to have a few tricks up your sleeve to make sure it doesn't get the best of you. These eight exercises can help redirect your brain, making those bad feelings less overwhelming.
Breathing Techniques
I know, I know. The first thing everyone tells you to do when you're upset is to take a deep breath. It's not just an old wives' tale—this tip is backed by science!
Forget about the inhale.
When we exhale, our parasympathetic nervous system is activated. It influences our body's ability to relax and calm down.
So, when you take a deep breath, focus on the exhale. Try breathing in like you usually would, then push all the air out of your lungs when you exhale. Repeat the process and stay conscious of your breaths.
Make sure to spend a few more seconds exhaling than inhaling. For example, breathe in for three seconds, and exhale for six.
For more breathing techniques, check out this super helpful article.
5 4 3 2 1 Technique
This five-step exercise is widely used to help treat anxiety. It works by engaging all five of your senses to ground you and help you focus on the present moment. Before you begin, pay attention to your breathing. Take slow, long breaths to center yourself.
5: Acknowledge FIVE things you see around you. It could be a pen, the back of your hand, your co-worker's weird eyebrows— anything in your surroundings.
4: Acknowledge FOUR things you can touch around you. It could be your hair, your cat, a pillow, or the ground beneath your feet.
3: Acknowledge THREE things you hear. This could be any external sound. If you can hear your belly rumbling or your dog snoring, that counts!
2: Acknowledge TWO things you can smell. Maybe you can smell the printer ink or coffee brewing. If you need to take a brief walk to find a scent, go ahead. You could put on your favorite hand lotion or check to see if the milk is still good.
1: Acknowledge ONE thing you can taste. What does the inside of your mouth taste like—gum, coffee? Pop in a mint for a little more stimulation.
Yoga (for meditation, this isn't a workout!)
Many people find yoga helpful in relieving stress. Focusing on your breath and the intentional movements of your body is often enough to drown out the negative chatter in your mind.
A few simple yoga positions you can try include:
For deeper dive, check out this great guide to using yoga for anxiety.
Find Your Mantra
To stop anxious thoughts and feel more in control, find a mantra that you love and calmly repeat the phrase to yourself over and over. My favorites include:
- "I am safe. I am ok."
- "This feeling is only temporary."
- "I have done this before, and I can do it again."
- "I inhale peace and exhale worry."
- "This too shall pass."
Support Animals
Ok, so I'm using this term loosely.
Humans have relied on animals for emotional support and companionship for a loooooong time. There's a lot of evidence to suggest that being around animals changes how we experience stress and anxiety. Interacting with an animal can lower your heart rate and the levels of stress-related hormones in your blood.
A study published by the Journal of Vascular and Interventional Neurology found that people who own cats are less likely to die of a heart attack or stroke. Just the sound of a cat's purr can lower your blood pressure and calm your nerves.
Spend a few moments petting your cat, snuggling with your dog, or even watching the birds in the tree outside. It's guaranteed to distract your mind and boost your serotonin just a little bit.
Occupy Your Hands
If you don't have a small animal to torture with your affections, try occupying your hands and mind another way. Work on a puzzle, touch something soft like a ribbon or a blanket, sew a missing button onto your jacket, or even wash the dishes.
Occupying your hands with a simple task helps you focus on the physical world around you and escape the mental chaos. Plus, it's fun to revel in simple pleasures. If you haven't heard, coloring books aren't just for children anymore!
Turn Judgment into Curiosity
Turning judgment into curiosity is all about shifting your perspective. A curious mind can stop an anxious brain from automatically jumping to every worst-case scenario.
"Where anxiety drives fear, curiosity drives wonder." - Juli Fraga, Psy.D.
A recent study suggests that feelings of fear and uncertainty shrink when we seek new knowledge. It makes us less defensive and less reactive to stress.
Curiosity also activates reward centers in our brains—the same ones that light up when we accomplish a goal or learn something new.
Visualization
Anxiety can rear its ugly head at any moment. Feeling anxious or overwhelmed can be highly disruptive to your life. It's nice to have a calming technique you can use no matter where you are or what you're doing. Visualization techniques soothe your anxiety, whether you're on the bus, in the middle of a meeting, or at a basketball game.
It's a little bit like daydreaming. Use your imagination to experience the feeling you want to have, such as confidence or peace. Aside from lowering your fight-or-flight response, visualization helps prevent your anxious brain from wandering back to those dark invasive thoughts.
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Add these tricks to your anxiety toolkit. If you find something that really works for you, I'd love to hear about it. Send me an email or tag me on social! For more tips on thriving as a businesswoman and managing your anxiety, take a look at my website. At Women Out Loud, we're all about the good vibes.
