10 Things You Can Do to Regulate Right Now

This is going to be a quick post with some things you can do right now to help ground you and regulate overwhelming emotions. If you’re looking for the science behind grounding, you can read my previous blog post called Grounding & Your Nervous System.

When we are feeling overwhelmed or triggered, it can be helpful to engage in grounding exercises. This can help re-orientate our mind and bodies to the present, reminding ourselves that there is safety in the present moment. 

For some people, breathing exercises might make them more anxious. For this reason, if you try breathing exercises it's important to focus on the exhale, which is what stimulates our parasympathetic system. Breathing exercises won’t work for everyone, and it’s ok if this isn’t the right fit for you. 

1. 5 Senses Exercise

• 5 things that you can see and describe it (I try to imagine that I'm describing it to someone who can't see it - so noting the colour, shape, what texture it seems to be, etc.)

• 4 things that you can touch (describe how it feels - warm/cold, smooth/rough, soft/hard, etc.)

• 3 things that you can hear (again, trying to describe it to someone who can’t hear it. What is the sound? What does it sound like? Is it loud/quiet, pleasant/unpleasant, etc.)

• 2 things that you can smell (what does it smell like, pleasant/unpleasant, etc.)

• 1 thing that you can taste (if you don't have any beverages or food nearby, focus on your mouth and try to see if you notice any flavours)

2. Clench and Release

• Begin by tensing up all your muscles as much as you can - your shoulders, neck, arms, fingers, torso, legs, feet, and HOLD for 8 seconds

• Relax your muscles to the point that you feel like a rag doll, letting your head, shoulders, and arms droop, noticing how it feels different. HOLD for 8 seconds

• Repeat about 5x

3. Breath Work

• Inhale and count to 4, hold your breath and count to 4, and then exhale for 6 seconds.

• Repeat 5x

4. Breath and Counting

• Count backwards from 100 with each inhale and exhale (100 inhale, 99 exhale, 98 inhale, 97 exhale, ... and so on)

5. Reorientation Technique

This technique is to help us reorient to the present moment: the time and space which we are in now. 

• My name is…

• I am ... years old

• It is (day/month/year - or month/year)...

• I am in/at (location), (then describe your space)...

• State some facts about yourself in the present moment

  • E.g. I work at (place of work)... I live at (current address)... 

6. Reorientation Technique

This technique is to help us reorient to the present moment: the time and space which we are in now. 

• My name is…

• I am ... years old

• It is (day/month/year - or month/year)...

• I am in/at (location), (then describe your space)...

• State some facts about yourself in the present moment

  • E.g. I work at (place of work)... I live at (current address)... 

7. Cold Exposure

• You can go for a cold plunge or cold shower, or use an ice pack or cold compress placing it on your chest.

8. Connect with pets or loved ones

• Get a snuggle or a hug from a furry friend, your partner, or someone else who makes you feel safe and secure.

9. The Basic Exercise

• Sitting in a chair, lean back in the chair

• Interweave the fingers on both of your hands, and then place them behind your head

• Without moving your head, look to the right, remaining there until you spontaneously yawn or swallow

• Return your eyes straight ahead, and then repeat on the other side

10. Body Scan - Sitting Position (or you can follow this guided body scan)

We’re going to scan our bodies, noticing any physical sensations or feelings that come up. As these come up, we try not to focus on them or judge the feelings. We simply note them, and then allow the thought to pass by. If it’s helpful, you can create an imagine in your mind of sitting near a river, and watching the feeling or sensation flow down the river. We can come back to the thought or the feeling a little bit later if we need to.

• Starting at your feet, give your toes a wiggle and then feel the pressure of your feet against the ground.

• Move your attention up to your calves, noticing how they feel. Are they tense, relaxed, heavy, light, etc.? Internally name what you notice.

• Move up to your upper legs now, noticing any tenseness, pressure, temperature, lightness or heaviness, or if they feel relaxed.

• Next focus on how the seat feels against your sits bone, and notice gravity pulling you into your chair. 

• Move your attention up to your stomach and lower back, again, noticing any discomfort, pressure, temperature, lightness, heaviness, or relaxation.

• Next, moving your attention up to your chest and upper back, again, stoping to note what you notice, and then letting the thought go. Notice how your ribcage expands with each inhale, and contracts with each exhale.

• Next move your attention to your arms. Begin at your should scanning all the way down to your fingers. Again, noting anything sensations that you’re feeling. 

• Now, we’re going to move to our shoulders and neck, again, noting what we notice. Tenseness, temperature, heaviness, lightness, relaxation.

• Now shifting our attention all the way up to the tops of our head. Again, noting what we notice.