10 Grounding Techniques for Summer Anxiety

Feeling anxious? Here are some techniques you can use to calm yourself.

Anxiety doesn’t take a vacation-even in the summer. In fact, the change in routine, travel stress, heat, and overstimulation can make anxiety worse for some people. Fortunately, grounding techniques can help bring you back to the present moment, reduce panic, and help you enjoy the season with greater peace of mind.

Grounding helps you reconnect with your body, and surroundings. These techniques are especially helpful when anxiety feels overwhelming or out of control.

1. 5-4-3-2-1 Sensory Exercise

Use your five senses to stay present. Find:

- 5 things you can see
- 4 things you can touch
- 3 things you can hear
- 2 things you can smell
- 1 thing you can taste 

Pro tip: Try this while sitting outside - nature offers rich sensory input.

2. Cold Water Reset

A splash of cold water on your face, or even dipping your feet in a stream, pool, or bucket of cool water, can regulate your nervous system. It triggers the “dive reflex,” which slows your heart rate and helps you calm down.

3. Box Breathing

A simple breath control technique:

- Inhale for 4 seconds
- Hold for 4 seconds
- Exhale for 4 seconds
- Hold for 4 seconds

Do this for a few rounds, especially when you’re in the shade or in a cool, quiet spot.

4. Touch-Based Grounding

Carry a smooth stone, seashell, or textured bracelet. Run your fingers over it while focusing on its texture and temperature. This helps bring your attention away from racing thoughts and channels into your body.

5. Mindful Walking

Go for a walk and describe your surroundings in detail:

- The feel of your feet on the ground
- The color of the sky
- The way leaves move in the breeze

Doing this silently or aloud can disrupt anxious thought spirals.

6. Lemon Slice Trick

Keep a slice of lemon or a sour candy with you. Pop it in your mouth when anxiety strikes. The intense taste shifts your focus and can snap your brain out of a spiral.

7. Name the Colors

Choose a color and look around to find everything that matches it. For example: “How many things can I find that are blue?” This playful activity shifts focus and grounds you in your surroundings.

8. Grounding with Scents

Scents like lavender, eucalyptus, or peppermint can be calming. Keep a small essential oil roller or scented wipe with you. Inhale slowly while focusing only on the smell.

9. Barefoot Grounding

Also known as “earthing,” walking barefoot on grass, sand, or dirt helps you feel physically connected to the earth. It’s calming, regulates mood, and promotes a sense of belonging in the present.

10. “I Am Here” Statements

Repeat simple affirmations to yourself:

- “I am safe.”
- “This feeling will pass.”
- “I am grounded in my body.”

Say them while focusing on your breath or while engaging your senses.                       

11. When to Use These Techniques

Grounding techniques are helpful:

-During panic attacks or waves of anxiety
-When transitioning from busy activity to rest
-Before or after social events
-While traveling or in unfamiliar places

Summer can be a beautiful time to grow in awareness and resilience. If you’re struggling to manage anxiety on your own, you don’t have to. Reach out to our team or schedule a consultation to learn how we can support you with anxiety, panic, and stress.

If you think you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 immediately and follow up with a professional.