Mindfulness can be a powerful tool, it allows an individual to turn off the noise of life and be present in the moment. This can serve as a grounding experience or a reset. When it comes to anxiety, it is often uncomfortable and bothersome, so finding ways to reset or regulate can be really important. In practicing different mindfulness techniques, one can overtime draw on muscle memory to help use those techniques when anxiety strikes.
Some examples include mindful meditation, deep breathing, body scans and grounding. Finding techniques that work effectively for you, allow the experience to be more powerful. Knowing the basis of each can allow a person to have options to try and explore.
Mindful meditation can be done on your own or with an app, video or audio recording. The individual is preferably in a quiet space, and works on drawing attention to themselves, specifically their body sensations and their breath. They may also zone in on sounds they hear or any other sensory input present at the time, allowing themselves to bring themselves back to the present should they feel their mind start to wander.
Deep breathing is a way of utilizing your breath and normal bodily function to re-regulate your nervous system. Focus on breathing long deep breaths through your nose, expanding your diaphragm and holding for a few seconds and allowing the breath to escape through your mouth. Getting into a rhythm of breathing this way has shown to be effective in decreasing anxiety and become more present in the moment.
Body scans, similar to mediation, focus on taking note of your body, how it feels and what sensations are present. It is important to allow yourself to be free of judgement or question. Being aware of how your body feels and being open to any message your body may be trying to send can help you become aware of tension you may have been unknowingly carrying.
Grounding is a way of becoming reoriented with the space around you and engaging in the present moment. A common grounding technique is 5-4-3-2-1, this works by engaging each of the five senses to become more calm. You will want to find 5 things around you that you can see, 4 things you can touch (think about your clothes, accessories as well as space around you), 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell and 1 thing you can taste. Sometimes closing your eyes briefly can help you recognize things you may be tuning out or ignoring subconsciously.