Exercises To Calm Your Anxious Thoughts
Exercises to Calm Your Anxious Thoughts
By Premier Behavioral Health Services
Anxiety can feel overwhelming, often leaving you stuck in a cycle of worry and racing thoughts. Fortunately, there are effective techniques to help calm your mind and regain control. At Premier Behavioral Health Services, we offer several strategies that can be easily incorporated into your daily routine to reduce anxiety and foster a sense of calm.
Here are some simple exercises to help you calm your anxious thoughts:
1. Deep Breathing Exercises
One of the simplest ways to reduce anxiety is through controlled breathing. Deep breathing activates your body’s relaxation response, lowering heart rate and reducing tension. Here's a technique you can try:
4-7-8 Breathing:
Inhale quietly through your nose for 4 counts.
Hold your breath for 7 counts.
Exhale slowly through your mouth for 8 counts.
Repeat 4-5 times.
This technique helps slow your breathing, bringing your focus to the present moment and easing anxiety.
2. Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR)
Progressive muscle relaxation is a technique that helps you reduce physical tension and stress. It involves tensing and then relaxing different muscle groups in your body. This practice helps you become more aware of tension and how to release it.
Here’s how you can practice PMR:
Start with your feet, tensing them for 5 seconds before slowly releasing.
Work your way up your body—calves, thighs, stomach, arms, neck, and face—tensing and releasing each muscle group.
Focus on the difference between the feeling of tension and relaxation, and repeat as necessary.
3. Grounding Exercises
When you feel overwhelmed by anxiety, grounding exercises help anchor you to the present moment. One of the most effective techniques is the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding exercise.
Here’s how it works:
5 things you can see: Look around and name five things in your environment.
4 things you can touch: Focus on the sensation of touching four objects.
3 things you can hear: Pay attention to the sounds around you.
2 things you can smell: Identify two scents.
1 thing you can taste: Take a moment to notice any taste in your mouth.
This exercise shifts your focus away from anxious thoughts and brings you back to the present.
4. Mindful Walking
Mindfulness isn’t just for sitting still—it can also be practiced while moving. Mindful walking can help reduce anxiety by focusing your attention on your surroundings and the sensation of walking itself. Here’s how to practice it:
Find a quiet space to walk—inside or outside.
Focus on the sensation of your feet hitting the ground, your breath, and the sounds around you.
If your mind starts to wander, gently bring your focus back to your body and your surroundings.
Even a short walk can help reduce anxiety and provide clarity.
5. Visualization Techniques
Visualization is a powerful tool to calm your mind. It involves imagining a peaceful and calming scenario. Here’s a simple visualization exercise:
Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths to relax.
Picture a place where you feel completely safe and calm—a beach, a quiet forest, or a cozy room.
Focus on the details of the place—what you see, hear, and feel. Engage all your senses.
Stay in this peaceful place for several minutes, allowing your mind to fully relax.
Visualization helps create a mental break from anxious thoughts, allowing you to return to a state of calm.
6. Journaling to Process Your Thoughts
Writing can be an effective way to express and process anxious thoughts. Journaling helps you externalize worries, putting them on paper rather than letting them swirl around in your mind. You don’t need to write a long entry—just a few sentences or bullet points to express how you’re feeling can be helpful.
Consider using prompts like:
What’s currently causing me anxiety?
What’s within my control in this situation?
What positive action can I take today to alleviate this anxiety?
Journaling can create a sense of relief and order, helping you better understand and manage your anxiety.
7. Self-Compassion
When anxiety strikes, it’s easy to be hard on yourself. However, self-compassion can reduce the intensity of your anxiety. Try saying kind things to yourself like:
“I am doing my best.”
“It’s okay to feel anxious; I can handle this.”
“I deserve kindness and care, especially when I’m struggling.”
Being gentle with yourself helps reduce negative thinking patterns that may contribute to anxiety.
Ready to Take Control of Your Anxiety?
Anxiety doesn’t have to control your life. These exercises are simple tools you can incorporate into your daily routine to help manage anxious thoughts. If you find that your anxiety is affecting your daily life, Premier Behavioral Health Services is here to help with counseling and therapeutic support.
📍 Premier Behavioral Health Services – Mentor, OH
☎️ 440-266-0770
🌐 www.pbhsohio.com