Mood & Anxiety

Practical Ways to Feel Calmer

Practical ways to manage mood and anxiety involve easy to achieve daily habits, to reset your nervous system which helps you regain control over mood and anxiety symptoms.

Evidence based practices can include the following, which will help empower you to find calm and balance

Grounding Techniques

“Regulate your body first, then your mind”

Grounding techniques are useful when your thoughts feel out of control, grounding techniques bring you back to the present moment.

5-4-3-2-1 Method: Look around and list:
 5 things you can see
 4 things you can feel
 3 things you can hear
 2 things you can smell
 1 thing you can taste
Box Breathing: Slowly inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, exhale for 4 seconds, and hold again for 4 seconds. Repeat this 4 times.

Sensory: Splash cold water on your face, inhale a soothing scent like lavender.

Calm Your Nervous System

“Your nervous system can’t stay in survival mode when you intentionally activate your calming system”

Mood & anxiety often involve an overactive stress response. Deliberately activating the parasympathetic nervous system helps reduce emotional intensity.

Box breathing
Progressive muscle relaxation
Gentle movement or stretching
Spending time outdoors or engaging the senses