Exercises To Calm Your Anxious Thoughts
Anxiety is something many people (and animals!) experience in their lives. While it can be uncomfortable, anxiety has deep evolutionary roots and can even serve a purpose in our modern lives. Understanding why we have anxiety and how it developed can empower us to work with it, rather than fight against it.
In this post, we’ll explore the origins of anxiety, how it can be useful, and provide actionable exercises to help calm anxious thoughts when they become overwhelming.
The Evolutionary Roots of Anxiety
From an evolutionary standpoint, anxiety has been essential for human survival. Our ancestors relied on their ability to detect danger and respond quickly to threats in their environment. When they sensed something dangerous, like a predator or an unfamiliar situation, their body would go into "high alert," preparing them to either flee from danger or face it head-on. This heightened awareness was crucial for survival and ensured that humans could respond effectively to immediate threats.
Fast-forward to today, and our environments have drastically changed. We’re no longer faced with the same physical dangers, but our minds and bodies still operate with that built-in alarm system. Instead of fearing predators, we now feel anxious about things like work deadlines, social situations, and financial concerns. While these aren’t immediate physical dangers, our body’s response to these stressors remains the same.
Why We Still Have Anxiety
In many cases, anxiety can be beneficial. It can alert us to potential problems and motivate us to take action. For example:
Performance Anxiety: Anxiety can push us to prepare for a presentation, motivating us to practice and polish our skills.
Problem-Solving: Anxiety often signals that something in our life needs attention, encouraging us to face challenges and seek solutions.
Self-Protection: Anxiety can help us recognize unhealthy patterns or relationships, prompting us to make positive changes.
Yet, in a world full of constant stimulation and information, our anxiety systems are often in overdrive. When anxiety becomes too intense or persistent, it can become overwhelming and exhausting, leading to feelings of helplessness and difficulty focusing. In these moments, having strategies to calm ourselves down becomes essential.
Five Daily Activities to Calm Anxiety
When anxiety feels overwhelming, grounding exercises and relaxation techniques can help bring the nervous system back to a neutral, relaxed state. Here are five activities that can be done daily to reduce anxiety:
1. Deep Breathing Exercises
Breathing deeply and mindfully is one of the simplest and most effective ways to calm anxiety. Deep breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, signaling the body to relax. Here’s a basic technique to try:
4-7-8 Breathing: Inhale slowly through your nose for a count of 4, hold the breath for 7, and exhale through your mouth for a count of 8. Repeat this process three to five times, focusing on the sensations of each breath. This pattern encourages a slower, more relaxed rhythm, reducing the intensity of anxious thoughts.
Nasal Breathing and the Nervous System: Breathing in and out through the nose helps regulate airflow and allows for slower, deeper breaths, which can have a calming effect on the nervous system. Unlike mouth breathing, nasal breathing promotes nitric oxide production, a molecule that helps relax blood vessels and improve oxygen delivery throughout the body. This can indirectly activate the parasympathetic nervous system, encouraging relaxation rather than stimulating the sympathetic nervous system associated with stress responses.
2. Grounding Through the 5-4-3-2-1 Technique
Grounding exercises help bring the mind back to the present moment, pulling it away from anxious thoughts about the past or future. The 5-4-3-2-1 technique uses your senses to anchor you in the here and now:
Five Things You Can See: Look around and note five different things in your environment, focusing on their colors, textures, or details.
Four Things You Can Touch: Find four objects or textures to touch, and take a moment to notice how they feel against your skin.
Three Things You Can Hear: Listen carefully for three distinct sounds, whether they’re near or far.
Two Things You Can Smell: Identify two scents in your surroundings, like a candle, soap, or even the smell of fresh air.
One Thing You Can Taste: If possible, take a sip of water or have a small snack, focusing on the taste.
This exercise shifts your attention from anxious thoughts to tangible sensations, helping you feel more grounded.
3. Mindful Movement
Physical activity can relieve anxiety by releasing tension and increasing endorphins, the brain’s natural “feel-good” chemicals. Incorporating mindful movement, like yoga, walking, or stretching, into your routine helps reduce stress.
Mindful Walking: Find a quiet place, like a park or a peaceful street, and take a walk. Focus on the sensations in your body—notice the way your feet touch the ground, how the air feels, or the rhythm of your breathing. This type of walking encourages mindfulness and helps reduce anxious thoughts by redirecting your focus to the present moment.
4. Journaling Your Anxious Thoughts
Writing down your thoughts can be a powerful way to process and release anxiety. Sometimes, getting worries out on paper can help them feel more manageable, allowing you to gain perspective and clarity.
Anxiety Journaling Exercise: Start by jotting down the main sources of your anxiety. Then, write down possible solutions, steps you can take, or simply acknowledge that some things may be outside of your control. Seeing your thoughts in writing can help you recognize patterns, validate your feelings, and feel less overwhelmed by your worries.
5. Progressive Muscle Relaxation
This technique involves tensing and then relaxing different muscle groups, which helps release built-up tension in the body. Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) can be done in just a few minutes and is very effective at calming anxiety.
How to Practice PMR: Start by tensing the muscles in your feet for a count of five, then release. Move up to your calves, thighs, stomach, chest, arms, and face, tensing and relaxing each muscle group. This exercise draws your awareness into your body, helping reduce anxious thoughts and promoting physical relaxation.
6. Visualization and Guided Imagery
Visualization, also known as guided imagery, involves using your imagination to create calming mental images. This technique can redirect focus away from anxious thoughts by immersing you in a peaceful, imagined environment.
How to Practice Visualization: Close your eyes, take a few deep breaths, and imagine a place where you feel completely safe and relaxed—like a beach, forest, or cozy room. Engage your senses by picturing the sights, sounds, smells, and textures. Spend a few minutes in this mental space, allowing it to soothe and ground you. Visualization can be a helpful tool to calm your mind quickly and provide a sense of escape during overwhelming moments.
7. Creating a “Worry Time” Routine
For some, setting aside a specific time each day to focus on worries can help prevent anxious thoughts from intruding throughout the day. This is called a “Worry Time” routine, and it encourages the brain to contain anxious thoughts within a structured period, helping reduce overall stress.
How to Practice Worry Time: Dedicate a specific 10-15 minute slot each day, perhaps in the afternoon, to focus solely on your worries. Write down any concerns, fears, or anxious thoughts, allowing yourself to address them fully within this time. Once the time is up, close your journal or list and remind yourself that you can revisit these thoughts during your next Worry Time. This practice helps compartmentalize anxious thoughts, reducing their control over your day and increasing your focus on the present.
Building a Consistent Routine
Anxiety is a normal part of life, but learning to manage it effectively can lead to greater peace of mind and emotional resilience. Try incorporating these exercises into your daily routine. Even a few minutes each day can make a significant difference in how you handle anxious thoughts and stay grounded.
To build a habit, consider starting with one exercise each day, then adding another as you feel more comfortable. Over time, you’ll find that these practices become natural go-to tools in managing anxiety, helping you navigate life’s challenges with calmness and confidence. Remember, the goal isn’t to eliminate anxiety completely but to cultivate strategies that allow you to live alongside it with greater ease and clarity.