Simple Exercises for Relief from Anxiety
Dec 25, 2019
When suffering from anxiety, it is important to know that there are tools and resources available to help you cope with this health concern. There are many techniques available for you to use at home while trying to improve your anxiety. For those times in your life when at-home techniques are simply not enough, counseling can be an important tool.
Some methods you can begin using right away include the Rhythmic Breathing exercise, the 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding exercise, and Deep Relaxation. While you may use these techniques at home, they will not help you get to the root cause of your anxiety, which may be beneficial if you are looking for relief from anxiety long-term. Below, you will find brief overviews of the previously mentioned techniques.
Rhythmic Breathing
In this exercise, you will be focusing on your breathing, which can be extremely helpful during an anxious episode.
- Begin by breathing in through your nose for six full counts
- Hold for four full counts
- Exhale through a small hole between your lips, as if trying to blow out a candle
Note: This exercise will be more effective if you focus on breathing into your belly as opposed to breathing into your chest.
5-4-3-2-1 Grounding
This is a simple, but highly effective technique most suitable for those who are in the early or middle stages of an anxious episode.
- Name 5 things you can see
- Name 4 things you can hear
- Name 3 things you can feel
- For example: "I feel my hands in my lap" or "I feel the wind in my hair"
- Name 2 things you can smell
- Name 1 thing you can taste
Note: The difficulty of this exercise increases as you proceed!
Deep Relaxation
Begin this exercise in a comfortable position, while listening to some calming music or nature sounds.
- Start by relaxing the muscles in your scalp, followed by the muscles in your face.
- Continuing moving down the body by relaxing the muscles in your neck, then your shoulders, followed by your arms.
- Continue the process until you reach your toes, paying careful attention to be mindful of your breathing.