What Are Grounding Techniques That Actually Work?

How to Do It:

5: Name 5 things you can see (look around and really notice them)

4: Name 4 things you can physically feel (your feet on the floor, your back against the chair, the texture of your clothes, the temperature of the air)

3: Name 3 things you can hear (traffic, birds, your breath, a clock ticking)

2: Name 2 things you can smell (or 2 smells you like)

1: Name 1 thing you can taste (or 1 taste you enjoy)

Why it works: Engaging your senses pulls your attention away from anxious thoughts and into your immediate environment, anchoring you in the present moment.

1. Feel Your Feet

Press your feet firmly into the ground. Notice the sensation of your feet making contact with the floor. Wiggle your toes. Feel the weight of your body being supported. This simple technique is surprisingly effective.

2. Cold Water

Splash cold water on your face, hold ice cubes, or run cold water over your hands. The shock of cold activates your dive reflex, which calms your nervous system and brings you into the present.

3. Physical Pressure

Press your hands together firmly, hug yourself tightly, or push your hands against a wall. Physical pressure provides proprioceptive input that grounds you in your body.

4. Touch Different Textures

Touch something with an interesting texture—a soft blanket, rough tree bark, smooth stone, or fuzzy fabric. Focus completely on the sensation. Describe the texture to yourself in detail.

5. Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Tense and release different muscle groups, starting with your toes and moving up to your head. Tense for 5 seconds, then release. Notice the difference between tension and relaxation.

1. Box Breathing

Inhale for 4 counts, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4. Repeat. This creates a rhythm that calms your nervous system. Visualize tracing a box as you breathe.

2. Extended Exhale

Breathe in for 4 counts, breathe out for 6-8 counts. The longer exhale activates your parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest), signaling safety to your body.

3. Belly Breathing

Place one hand on your chest, one on your belly. Breathe so that only your belly hand moves. This deep diaphragmatic breathing is more calming than shallow chest breathing.

1. Walking

Walk slowly and deliberately, noticing each step. Feel your heel touch the ground, then your toes. Notice how your weight shifts. Walking meditation is grounding in motion.

2. Stretching

Gentle stretching brings awareness to your body and releases tension. Reach your arms overhead, roll your shoulders, stretch your neck. Move slowly and notice the sensations.

3. Shaking

Literally shake your body—hands, arms, legs, whole body. This helps discharge the activation energy that anxiety and trauma create. Animals do this naturally after a threat.

4. Jumping or Stomping

Jump up and down or stomp your feet. The impact grounds you physically and helps release pent-up energy. This is particularly helpful for intense anxiety or panic.

1. Describe Your Surroundings

Describe what you see in detail, either out loud or in your mind. "I see a blue chair with wooden legs. There's a plant with green leaves on the windowsill. The walls are white..." The detail pulls you into the present.

2. Count Backwards

Count backwards from 100 by 7s (100, 93, 86, 79...). This requires enough concentration to interrupt anxious thoughts while grounding you in a simple task.

3. Categories Game

Name items in a category: types of animals, colors, countries, foods, etc. This engages your thinking brain and pulls you out of your emotional brain.

4. Affirmations

Repeat grounding statements: "I am safe right now." "This is anxiety, not danger." "I am in my living room in 2024." "This feeling will pass." Simple truths anchor you in reality.

1. Experiment

Try different techniques when you're calm to see what resonates. Not everything will work for you, and that's okay.

2. Write It Down

Keep a list of your most effective grounding techniques where you can access it easily (phone notes, wallet card, bathroom mirror).

3. Practice Regularly

Practice grounding techniques when you're not in crisis. This builds the neural pathways so they're more accessible when you need them.

4. Gather Tools

Keep grounding tools accessible: ice packs in freezer, essential oils in your bag, fidget toys at your desk, calming playlist saved on your phone.