Grounding Exercises

What's a grounding technique?

A grounding technique is an exercise or activity that helps you manage an intense emotion by helping you to steer your attention away from distressing thoughts, feelings or memories and focusing on the present moment.

When you feel anxious or overwhelmed, your sympathetic nervous system (SNS) kicks your "fight or flight" response into gear. Using grounding techniques allows your body to tap into the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) that triggers the relaxation response.

Grounding Techniques to Try

    1.  Focus on your breathing. When you inhale your heart rate increases; an exhale decreases your heart rate. A fast heart rate triggers your “fight or flight” response, adrenalin spikes and shuts off your prefrontal cortex (thinking brain). A decreased heart rate can help activate your PNS. You need to exhale twice as long as you inhale. Doing this for five to seven minutes will give your brain time to understand you're not under attack, engage the PNS and trigger your relaxation response.

    2.  Scan your surroundings. Move your head and look around. If you're at your workplace, look beyond your desk. Notice the different sounds (vending machine, co-workers typing on the computer, the copier, traffic sounds outside the window, etc.) and smells (printer ink,  fresh coffee, etc.) in the room. This can help interrupt anxious spiraling.

    3.  Activate your taste buds. Get a piece of peppermint gum, sour candy, or something else that is spicy and concentrate on the taste and tingling sensation. This will help you to  focus on what's going on inside your mouth rather than the intense emotion you're experiencing. 

    4.  Tap into your senses. Sit in a comfortable position and run through each of your senses one at a time. Notice how your feet feel on the ground or the feel of the shirt sleeves on your arms. Then, close your eyes and focus on anything you can smell. Next, notice what you can hear starting with sounds that are close, then moving to sounds that are far away. After that, focus on what you can see around you. Lastly, notice what you can taste (coffee, remnants of breakfast).  

    5.  Try the 5-4-3-2-1 method. Name five things that you see around you. Then touch four things around you (chair, table, bracelet, etc.). Next identify three sounds you can hear. Follow that with two things you can smell. Lastly, one thing that you can taste.

    6.  Recite a process. Describe the steps in an activity you know how to do. For example, how to bake your favourite treat, how to play baseball, etc.

    7.  Focus on a nearby object. Look for one thing in the room that you can focus on and zoom in on it. Notice its shape, weight, colour, etc. 

    8.  Hold an ice cube. Take a piece of ice in your hand and notice how it feels. The cold sensation can help redirect you into focusing on what you're holding instead of overwhelming thoughts or feelings.

    9.  Categorize things. Pick a few categories like movies, cars, snacks, and name as many items as you can in each one. Spend 3-5 minutes on each category to come up with as many items as you can. 

    10.  Go for a walk. Psychologists suggest that a 10-minute walk may be just as good as a 45-minute workout. Next time you feel anxious, go for a short walk. While walking, focus on the sights, smells, and sounds nearby, count steps, or monitor your breathing. Notice how your feet feel when they touch the ground with each step.