Anxiety self-help: Break the cycle

Choose a natural object to watch for a minute or two. This could be a plant, flower, insect or even the moon or clouds. Just notice the object you have chosen, and really look at it for as long as you are able to concentrate. Look at this object as if you are seeing it for the first time, and allow yourself to really engage with the object and its purpose in the natural world.

Take a few minutes to try this grounding exercise to feel more connected and grounded in the present moment.

• 5 things you can see – Name 5 things that you can see around you e.g. I can see my laptop, a tree outside the window, a pen, a shoe and my phone.
• 4 things you can touch – Name and describe 4 things that you can touch. I can feel the warmth of my socks against my feet; the smooth, hard roughness of a wall; the sharp coldness of a key; or feel the warmth of the sun on my skin.
• 3 things you can hear – Name 3 things that you can hear, close by and in the distance. I can hear the ticking of a clock; the traffic in the distance; or people talking outside.
• 2 things you can smell – Name 2 things that you can smell. You may need to move around to find something to sniff e.g. food or a plant. If that’s not possible, just think of two of your favourite smells if you don’t notice a particular smell.

Breathe in and out slowly

This should allow you to feel in the present, more grounded and in your body. Notice how your breath gets deeper and calmer.

Research shows that lengthening your exhale when you breathe may calm down your central nervous system, allowing you to manage stress and anxiety better. 

1. Rest your tongue lightly along the ridge of tissue located behind your front, upper teeth; or to rest gently on your lower jaw. Allow it to rest here throughout the exercise.
2. Exhale completely before you start a new cycle of breath
3. Close your mouth, inhale quietly through your nose as you count to three. Let your stomach and chest fill up with breath.
4. Pause. Hold your breath for a count of two.
5. Exhale completely through your mouth, making a ‘whoosh’ sound, as you count to four. Let your stomach and chest release.
6. Steps 3-5 make one full breath cycle. Repeat four more times for five total rounds. Try practising these steps twice daily or when needed to break out of a cycle of anxiety.

When people are under stress and feeling anxious, their gaze is generally more intense and narrow. This is good in situations where you need to be particularly focused due to safety, but less so in day-to-day life when feeling more generally anxious. When you are feeling anxious, try to soften your gaze to see more of what’s going on in your peripheral vision. This helps to send a message to your nervous system that you are not in danger, and so it helps your body to calm down. This is a handy anxiety management tip for social or public situations, as you can do it unnoticed.

Putting off a task can often increase your anxiety. If you’ve been avoiding something that is making you feel anxious, take action and do it now.  Carry out the task a step at a time - which helps to make it more doable.