Grounding Strategies to Calm Your Nervous System

Feel Safe and Steady

 

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Grounding Basics

Grounding helps you find calm and stay present when you're feeling overwhelmed or triggered. It activates your body's relaxation response, making it easier to comfort yourself and feel steady. Try one of these simple grounding exercises to get started.

close-up image of a person pointing their toes

Finding Your Safe Space

Strong emotions can make us feel unsettled or even unsafe, especially if they bring up memories of past difficulties or traumas. Sometimes, these feelings can feel as vivid as the original experience, even though we’re not in danger now. This can happen when something in the news, your environment, or your personal life stirs up old feelings.

When this happens, grounding yourself in a safe space can help you reconnect with the present moment. Look for a spot that feels steadying or comforting to you. It might be:

  • Sitting on the floor and feeling the ground beneath you.
  • Standing in sunlight and letting the warmth remind you of the here and now.
  • Stepping outside to feel the air on your skin and hear the sounds around you.

Your safe space doesn’t have to be perfect or even quiet—just a place that helps you feel a little more anchored and secure. By intentionally creating a sense of safety, you give yourself the chance to regain balance and ease.

Look for Safety Cues

Wherever you are, you can help calm your nervous system by looking for safety cues. Notice secure surroundings, kind people, or objects with positive associations.

Gentle Movement

Natural movements like pressing, pulling, tapping, or holding can help calm your body when you’re overwhelmed, stuck in strong emotions, or feeling frozen. These are also simple ways to discharge everyday stress.

close-up image of a person pressing their hands together

Push

Push your palms together or into a surface while you breathe. Experiment with pressure and texture to see what you like best.

close-up photo of a person pulling a resistance band with their hands

Pull

Pull your hands against each other or against a resistance band while breathing. You can also use gentle pulling movements playing with putty or pulling an object toward you.

close-up view of two feet wearing colorful socks

Toe/Heel Breathing

From whatever position feels comfortable, point your toes as you inhale. Lower your toes as you exhale.

close-up of a person's bare feet pressing into the floor

Foot Press

Press your feet into the floor or other surface, either one at a time or together. Experiment with pressure, texture, and parts of your foot to see what you like best.

Butterfly Tapping  

Use your hands or fingers to tap gently on your face, body, or another surface. Gentle, rhythmic tapping can stimulate your nervous system and provide calming, grounding effects.

Butterfly tapping exercise:

  • Cross arms over torso, opposite hands on shoulders.
  • One at a time, tap shoulders with hands.
  • If it's more comfortable, you can tap your legs or knees instead.
  • As you tap, state a simple phrase to yourself such as, “I am ok.” “I can do this.” “I am safe.” 

 

Physical Comfort

Use soothing gestures with yourself to create a sense of being held, like hugging yourself, placing your hands on your heart, or wrapping up in a blanket. Offering yourself a little physical comfort can help you feel safe, calm, and grounded in moments of stress.

Squeeze Hug

How to practice the squeeze hug: 

  • Cross your arms over your chest like you are giving yourself a hug. 
  • Hold on to your upper arm and squeeze your arms toward your torso.
  • Find the right amount of pressure for you. 
  • Breathe deeply if it feels good.
  • Continue squeezing for a few minutes.

 

Breathing

Taking a few minutes for mindful, grounding breath doesn’t have to be complicated—just focus on slow, steady breaths. Breathing deeply sends a signal to your body that it’s safe to relax, helping you think more clearly and manage intense emotions.

Box Breathing

Belly Breathing 

 

Pursed Lips Breathing

4-7-8 Breathing

Using Your Senses

Any of your 5 senses and your self-talk can help you feel present and grounded. Use your senses to let go of worried thoughts or lessen painful emotions. If you like, you can also say something encouraging to yourself as if you were talking to a friend.

5-4-3-2-1 Technique

How to practice the 5-4-3-2-1 technique: 

Say aloud or in your head to yourself:

  • Five things you see around you.  
  • Four things you can touch  
  • Three things you can hear  
  • Two things you smell or taste  
  • Take One breath in and out.  

Repeat 1-3 rounds.  

More Ways to Use Your Senses

close up of a hand holding sand

Touch

  • Hold something with an interesting texture, like a smooth stone or soft fabric.
  • Run your hands under warm or cool water.
  • Run your feet across the floor or touch the surface you're sitting on.
a person looking at a moth on their hand

Sight

  • Count colors: how many red, orange, yellow, green, blue, or purple things do you see?
  • Focus on a specific object, noticing its color, shape, and texture.
  • Watch the movement of trees, clouds, or flowing water.
person listening to music through headphones

Sound

  • Listen to calming music, nature sounds, or white noise.
  • Listen as far out as you can. What's the furthest sound you can hear?
  • Choose one sound in your environment to focus on.
person wrapped in a blanket smelling a cup of coffee

Smell

  • Smell something comforting, like fresh cookies, coffee, or laundry.
  • Step outside and take in the scents of nature, like flowers or fresh air.
  • Use a favorite lotion or spray to connect with a familiar smell.
person sprinkling salt onto a bowl of noodles

Taste

  • Sip a warm or cold drink like tea or coffee.
  • Eat something sweet, sour, or crunchy.
  • Focus on the flavors and textures of a comforting food or drink.

Comforting Thoughts and Self-Talk

Our thoughts are deeply connected to our emotions and physical sensations, and when we’re upset, it’s easy to focus on the negative or feel frozen in painful emotions. If you’ve ever tried to “just stop worrying” or think positively, you know it’s not as easy as it sounds—our brains naturally focus on the negative when we feel threatened. What can help instead are simple, gentle strategies that bring comfort to your mind and remind you of the safety and strengths you have in the present moment.

Talk Yourself Through It

Say What's Happening

Talk yourself through what's happening. Naming your experience can help you feel more aware of what’s going on and less lost or frozen in painful feelings or memories.

  • I'm feeling...
  • I'm having the thought that...
  • I'm having an emotional reaction
  • This is a flashback
  • I'm overthinking

Name the Moment

Help the safety of this moment feel more real and anchor yourself to the here and now by naming what you know to be true right now: 

  • Name your location
  • Name the date
  • List people in your life
  • Tell yourself you are safe where you are and how you know

Trust that Feelings Change

Intense emotions can feel endless, especially if they remind you of times when you felt unsafe. Remember, feelings are temporary, and this isn’t the last emotion you’ll experience.

Find Comfort and Calm

a person tearing a piece of paper in half

Vent Safely

Here are just a few ways to release strong emotions safely: 

  • cry
  • throw a ball
  • stomp your feet
  • dance it out
  • hit a pillow
  • sing loudly
  • rip up paper, cardboard, or old magazines
  • create noise
the word breathe written in a notebook

Repeat Calming Words and Sounds

Hum, sing softly, or make calming noises like “ahhh,” “shhh,” or “vvv” to relax your body or repeat neutral phrases like “here,” “now,” or “okay”to anchor yourself. 

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Collect Comforting Memories

Make a list of times or moments that bring you comfort. If you're able, add photos, images, or other mementos to keep in a notebook or small box.