Mind racing, overwhelmed, anxious? Try these grounding techniques

The next time you feel overwhelmed, anxious, disconnected, or as though your mind is racing, consider trying one of these grounding techniques.

By engaging the senses, these techniques can help redirect attention away from spiralling thoughts, and can instead provide a sense of stability and a calmer state of mind. The ability to feel grounded can facilitate self-awareness, emotional regulation, and a sense of resilience in moments of stress or challenge.  

• Run cold or warm water over your hands, or splash onto your face. Describe how it feels to yourself.

• Touch and compare various objects around you: a notebook, a cup, a scarf, a pen. Notie their textures, their colour, their weight.

• Clench your hands tightly into fists then release the tension. Repeat this for 30 seconds.                                                                          

• Sit down and feel the weight of your body in the chair. Notice the pressure of it against your limbs, the feel of your feet on the ground, your back against the chair.

• List things in a category. Try naming characters from a book or film, vegetables, names beginning with C, board games, colours, or any category you like.