How to Calm Anxiety: 7 Techniques That Actually Work
Anxiety is part of a healthy nervous system—it’s your body’s way of preparing for challenge. But when it spikes or hangs around, it can feel exhausting. Below are seven evidence-informed, practical tools you can use in the moment and over time. Try them like a menu: keep what helps, leave what doesn’t.
1) Lengthen the exhale (60–90 seconds)
When you breathe out longer than you breathe in, your heart rate naturally slows and your body shifts toward “rest and digest.”
How to:
Inhale through the nose for 4.
Exhale through the mouth for 6–8 (like gently fogging a window).
Repeat for 10–15 breaths.
Optional: add one or two “physiological sighs”—a short inhale, a tiny top-up sip, then a long, slooow exhale.
Use when: you feel keyed up, racing thoughts, shallow breathing.
2) Grounding 5–4–3–2–1 (1–3 minutes)
Anxious attention collapses around worries. Grounding widens it back to the here and now.
How to:
5 things you can see
4 you can feel (clothes, chair, floor)
3 you can hear
2 you can smell
1 you can taste / or one kind thought toward yourself
Tip: Look for detail (shades, textures). Detail tells the brain “we’re safe enough to notice small things.”
3) Reset with temperature (30–60 seconds)
A brief cool stimulus can nudge the nervous system down a notch.
Options:
Rinse hands/face with cool water.
Hold a wrapped ice pack or a chilled can to the sides of the neck or palms.
Step outside into fresh air.
Safety: Avoid extremes; if you have cardiac issues or migraines, use mild cool only.
4) Tense–release scan (2–5 minutes)
Anxiety lives in the body. Progressive Muscle Relaxation discharges that tension.
How to:
Working from feet to face, tense a muscle group for 5 seconds, release 10 seconds.
Notice the difference between “on” and “off.”
Common sets: feet & calves → thighs & glutes → fists & forearms → shoulders → jaw & brow.
When: winding down for sleep or after a stressful call/meeting.
5) Name the story (cognitive defusion)
You don’t have to argue with anxious thoughts; just label them and come back to action.
How to:
Silently say: “I’m having the thought that… [I’ll mess this up].”
Then ask: “Given this worry is here, what’s the next small helpful action?”
Examples: open the document; send the one email; put on shoes and step outside.
Why it works: Creates space between you and the thought, reducing its grip.
6) Move your body (3–10 minutes)
Short bursts of movement change chemistry fast.
Try: brisk walk, a flight of stairs, 20–30 bodyweight squats, dancing to one song, or a gentle yoga flow. If energy is low, do shoulder rolls + neck stretches and stand by a window.
Bonus: Regular movement improves sleep and baseline anxiety over time.
7) Worry on a schedule (the boundary tool)
If worries ping all day, give them a container.
How to:
Pick a daily 10–15 min “worry window.”
When worries show up, say: “Noted. I’ll bring this to my 7pm slot.”
At the slot, jot the worries, pick one you can act on, and park the rest.
Why it helps: Your brain learns worries will be addressed later, freeing attention now.
A 60-second “in-the-moment” routine
When anxiety surges:
Exhale long (6–8 counts) × 5 breaths.
Name the story: “I’m having the thought that…”
One small action: what moves you 1% forward?
Stick this on a note in your workspace or phone.
Everyday habits that quietly lower anxiety
Caffeine audit: Try a 2-week reduction or switch to half-caf before noon.
Sleep anchors: consistent wake time, wind-down routine, dim light in the last hour.
Steady fuel: regular meals; protein + fibre to avoid glucose dips that mimic anxiety.
Connection: two short, genuine check-ins per day (message, call, face-to-face).
When to seek extra help
Anxiety is persistent, worsening, or affecting work/study, relationships, or sleep.
Panic attacks, avoidance that’s shrinking your life, or you’re using alcohol/drugs to cope.
Any risk to yourself or others → seek urgent support (GP, emergency services, or local crisis helpline).
Therapy can help you understand why anxiety sticks around for you and build a plan that fits your life. Medication is useful for some people—your GP can advise.
If you’d like support
I’m a doctorate-qualified Counselling Psychologist (13+ years) based in Dublin, offering online and in-person sessions. I also run a limited Student Daytime Clinic (reduced fee). If you’d like a once-off Clarification Session to create a personalised anxiety plan, you’re welcome to get in touch.
