Slow your breathing: inhale through your nose for 4 seconds, hold for 2 seconds, exhale for 6–8 seconds; repeat for 3–5 minutes
Do a quick body scan: notice shoulders, jaw, chest, belly; relax one area at a time
Grounding (5-4-3-2-1): name 5 things you see, 4 you feel, 3 you hear, 2 you smell, 1 you taste
Try a cold stimulus: splash cool water on your face or hold something cold for 30–60 seconds
Use a calming phrase silently: repeat something steady like “This will pass” or “I’m safe right now”
Reduce stimulation: step away from stressful input (screens, news, notifications) for 10–20 minutes
Change your posture: sit with feet on the floor, straighten your back, unclench your jaw
Engage your senses: listen to calm audio or focus on a neutral task for a few minutes
Do light movement: stretch, take a short walk, or do slow mobility for 5–10 minutes
Practice progressive muscle relaxation: tense each muscle group for 5 seconds, then release for 10 seconds
Limit caffeine and nicotine; drink water
Eat something small if you haven’t (low blood sugar can worsen anxiety)
Set a worry boundary: write the concern on paper, then schedule a specific time to revisit it later
Use “name it to tame it”: label the feeling as anxiety and remind yourself it’s a temporary stress response
Break tasks into the next smallest step and do only that step
Try a brief mindfulness reset: observe thoughts as passing events without arguing with them for 1–3 minutes
Contact support: text or call someone you trust and say you need a quick check-in
If anxiety feels overwhelming or you have thoughts of self-harm, seek urgent help immediately (local emergency number or a crisis hotline)