Grounding is a practice that can help you move away from negative and challenging emotions and even unwanted memories. It is a mental health technique involving activities that “ground” you or make you feel more physically present. In times of intense anxiety or stress, the practice can create distance from negative feelings and reorient you to the here and now.
Learn more about this technique, including how to practice grounding and the mental health benefits it can provide.
What Is Grounding?
Grounding is the term for a therapeutic practice that involves focusing on the present moment and distracting yourself from anxious feelings. Grounding for mindfulness is often used in therapy settings to help calm the nerves, though it can be equally effective to use alone when one does not have access to a mental health professional.
You can use grounding techniques to distance yourself from distressing feelings in nearly any situation, and they’re especially helpful for:
- Anxiety
- Stress
- Depression
- Mood
- Dissociation
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Overall well-being
8 Ways to Practice Grounding
Grounding in therapy can take many forms, though the techniques all involve reconnecting the human body to the earth, centering on the present moment and using the five senses to calm the mind and body.
Here are eight ways you can practice grounding.
1. Try the 5-4-3-2-1 Game
The 5-4-3-2-1 game is about using all five of your senses to calm the body. It can help you focus on your physical surroundings to distract your mind from distressing thoughts. Follow these steps to practice this grounding technique:
- Name five things you can see in the room with you: First, you will want to focus on five things you can see, such as pictures, art, stars or simply the walls around you.
- Name four things you can feel: Next, self-soothe through touch. This might involve feeling the ground beneath your bare feet, touching a soft blanket, petting an animal or feeling the chair on your back.
- Name three things you can hear: Ideas for self-soothing through sound include listening to your favorite song, the sounds of nature, fingers tapping on a keyboard or people talking around you.
- Name two things you can smell: You can self-soothe through smells, such as a scented candle in the room, the scented soap on your hands or food aromas. Inhale the fragrance slowly and deeply and try to note its qualities.
- Name one thing you can taste: Ideas for self-soothing through taste include something sweet, savory or sour.
2. Walk Barefoot
One of the easiest ways to ground yourself is to walk barefoot. The practice is especially comforting on a warm, sunny day. Whether on grass, sand or mud, letting your skin touch the earth beneath you can provide therapeutic grounding energy to soothe you in stressful moments.
3. Lay on the Ground
Increase your skin-to-earth contact by simply lying on the ground. You might do this in your own home, in the grass at a park or in the sand at the beach. Just ensure you take proper precautions before practicing this grounding technique, and never lie down somewhere you could be injured.
4. Submerse Yourself in Water
Water can be equally effective as the physical earth when used for grounding. You might wade in a clear lake, visit the community pool or swim in the ocean to reconnect to the present moment and soothe yourself.
Even just placing your hands in water and taking note of its temperature on your palms, fingertips and the backs of your hands can be helpful. Try warm water first and then cold. Switch from cold back to warm and take note of the difference.
5. Pick up or Touch Items Near You
Simply picking up objects around you can reconnect the body to its surroundings. Take note of the things you touch — are they soft or hard? Warm or cool? Heavy or light? Focus on the texture and color of each item. As you observe each object, challenge yourself to think of specific colors, such as burgundy, indigo or turquoise.
6. Savor a Food or Drink
Another excellent grounding technique involves taking small bites or sips of food or your favorite beverage. Let yourself savor each bite or sip, focusing on how it tastes and smells, including the flavors that linger on your tongue.
7. Take a Short Walk
Going for a short walk can help you reconnect to nature. Studies have shown the benefits of immersing yourself in nature, including:
- Reduced stress
- Attention restoration
- Improved memory
- Decreased mental distress
- Improved happiness and well-being
As you walk, concentrate on your steps or even count them to get your mind off any feelings you may be experiencing. Note the rhythm of your footsteps and how it feels to place one foot after the other onto the ground. Moving the body and taking in your physical surroundings as you walk can immensely benefit your mental health.
8. Exercise or Stretch
Exercises and stretches can be effective grounding techniques. As you try these exercises, pay close attention to how your body feels with each movement, and note how the floor feels beneath your feet. A few examples include:
- Jogging in place
- Jumping jacks
- Jumping up and down
- Stretching different muscle groups one-by-one
Why Is Grounding Helpful?
Grounding is helpful because it allows you to distance yourself from distressful feelings. In moments of immense stress or anxiety, grounding can enable you to shift your focus to the current moment and physical surroundings.
While it is mainly under-researched, a few scientific studies explore the benefits of grounding for reconnecting the human body to the earth. Studies have been conducted on its effects on inflammation, muscle damage, chronic pain and mood. Experts also believe grounding can function as an immune system defense to restore the body’s natural defenses.
One study discovered that grounding reduced participants’ stress, pain, depression and fatigue caused by their physically and emotionally stressful careers. Overall, researchers determined that grounding techniques effectively support patients’ health and quality of life.
Many of these studies are small and require further research. Even so, many health professionals believe in the benefits of grounding in therapy to soothe the body and reconnect with nature.
Contact MV Psych for Mindfulness Techniques in Andover, MA
There are several ways to practice grounding and reconnect the human body to the present. Everyone is different, and you might try each technique to see which provides the most benefits for you.
For assistance with your mental health goals, turn to the highly qualified team at Merrimack Valley Psychological Associates. No matter what brings you in, our providers offer a variety of counseling services to support a range of mental health challenges.
We can help you reclaim the present moment through grounding and mindfulness techniques to overcome worrisome thoughts and feelings. We provide a calm, welcoming environment and friendly assistance every step of the way. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help.