Grounding Exercises for Anxiety

If you’re struggling with racing thoughts and overthinking, grounding exercises might help you calm your mind and reconnect with the present. Grounding is a wellness practice in which a person is in direct contact with the Earth’s surface, which is believed to soothe the nervous system.

The reason why grounding exercises are becoming so popular these days is that they are simple, science-backed practices you can do anytime and anywhere. If you’re dealing with anxiety and are looking for something natural and easy to implement in your daily routine, grounding might be just what you need.

What Are Grounding Exercises?

Grounding exercises help you bring attention back to your body and the present moment. Over time, research has shown that the connection to the Earth’s surface can positively impact physical and psychological well-being. Those practicing grounding notice a range of positive consequences, including improved mood, reduced stress, and enhanced overall health.

The simplest form of grounding is walking barefoot and allowing your body to connect with the Earth. While you are walking or standing barefoot, you absorb the Earth’s natural electrical charge, which can have tremendous benefits. Although some people believe that grounding is experienced best when walking on grass, you can also do it on sand or dirt. Try it while on the beach or walking in your favorite park.

If you prefer to do it inside your home, an alternative option would be to use a grounding mat or sheet. Artificial grounding can create a conductive pathway between your body and the Earth, anywhere you are. This is a much more convenient option for people living in big cities or having a hectic schedule.

Why Grounding Helps With Anxiety

Strengthening the mind-body connection is crucial for overall health. It is an ongoing relationship of mental and emotional states, which directly impact physical health, while the physical state impacts mental and emotional well-being. This is why grounding, along with yoga and meditation, is a recommended practice for healing from anxiety.

When experiencing racing thoughts, the sensation of being barefoot on the grass, sand, or your grounding mat can calm your parasympathetic nervous system and reduce the stress accumulated in the body as a result of anxious thought loops.

Grounding exercises have numerous benefits, including slowing heart rate, reducing overwhelm, and improving focus and safety perception. Many have experienced immediate relief when trying them for the first time, although it’s best to practice them regularly to enjoy the mentioned benefits.

Types of Grounding Techniques

Besides choosing between a grounding on the Earth’s surface and an artificial mat, there are also three categories that can help you understand the potential of grounding in more detail. Depending on your needs, consider combining these three approaches to grounding or alter them as it suits you best.

Physical grounding refers to using your body. Your focus is on how you feel when your foot touches the ground, sensations you feel all over your body, and paying attention to how the way you feel changes as you’re more grounded. Here are the examples of physical grounding techniques:

Engaging your senses
Focusing on touch
Using your body
Experiencing water on your hands or feet
Breathing

Mental grounding involves using your thoughts and focus. This is the type of grounding that can be very efficient with people struggling with anxiety because it requires you to regain focus and control during overwhelming emotions by shifting attention from distressing thoughts to the present moment. Here are the examples of mental grounding techniques:

Describing your environment
Naming objects you see around
Counting
Reciting facts
Visualizing

Soothing grounding refers to using comfort and self-compassion through the senses. It is similar to physical grounding, yet it does not depend on the external world. Instead of thinking about how it feels to touch the grass with your bare foot, you will pay more attention to what arises within you. Here are the examples of soothing grounding techniques:

Repeating kind and compassionate phrases to yourself
Listening to music
Touching something comforting
Planning a comforting activity

Your First Grounding Exercise

If you have never tried grounding before, you can try it now. Everybody can benefit from simple practices such as these, as they improve your wellbeing, whether or not you are struggling with anxiety.

If you’re close to a calm spot in the park or on the beach, or you have a grounding mat at home, you can try grounding right away. There is no preparation or knowledge needed to do it properly. All you have to do is relax and pay attention to how you feel. If you’re feeling stressed after a long day at work, try to focus on how your body relaxes as you stand barefoot.

If you’re trying grounding exercises to cope with anxiety, consider combining mental and physical grounding. Walk barefoot while you’re counting down from 20, and then start paying attention to how your body feels now rather than when you weren’t barefoot.

You can repeat these exercises as many times as you want and the duration can vary from one person to the next. Occasionally, all you need is a few minutes to restore calm and serenity, and other times, you will want to stay longer practicing grounding.

If it isn’t helpful enough, you can get our calm webinar with multiple fast-acting tips!

Frequently Asked Questions

How do grounding exercises help with anxiety?

Grounding exercises are techniques that bring your focus back to the present moment through your body or surroundings. Grounding helps calm anxiety by interrupting racing thoughts, slowing down the nervous system, and reminding the brain that you are safe.

What is the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique?

The 5-4-3-2-1 method is one of the most popular grounding exercises. It requires you to notice 5 things you see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you hear, 2 things you smell, and 1 thing you can taste. Find the full practice video on my YouTube Channel.

How often should I practice grounding exercises?

You can practice grounding anytime you feel anxious, overwhelmed, or disconnected. Over time, making it part of your daily routine helps train your mind and body to stay calm and centered more easily.

Conclusion

Anyone can practice grounding at any time, and it can be very beneficial for those coping with anxiety. As it is a simple, natural practice, it doesn’t have any side effects. The more you reconnect with nature, the more you will feel in control over your body’s sensations, including daily emotions. Over time, it will become a mini ritual that clears the mind, calms the body, and inspires you to keep that feeling.

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