A little bit of movement can go a long way.

Anxiety doesn’t affect only your thoughts. It can show up in your body, too. Common physical symptoms of anxiety may include rapid heartbeat, muscle tension, shortness of breath, and stomach discomfort.

The good news? There are lots of ways to calm your physical reactions to anxiety.

  • Try the 4-7-8 breathing technique
  • Inhale for 4 seconds
  • Hold for 7 seconds
  • Exhale slowly for 8 seconds
  • If you have a bathtub in your home, fill it up with warm water
  • Grab a book or something else to read, hop in
  • You can also play music while in the tub
  • If you’d prefer, you can take a warm shower instead
  • Put on soothing spa or lofi music
  • Put on a playlist of your favorite decade of music
  • Try listening to a new artist or genre of music
  • Put on some music, and try dancing or moving your body in a way that feels good
  • Shake it out
  • Jump up and down or do jumping jacks
  • Try the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding method
  • Identify 5 things you can see around you
  • Then 4 things you can touch nearby
  • Then 3 things you can hear
  • Then 2 things you can smell
  • And finally, 1 thing you can taste

These strategies may help ease your physical symptoms of anxiety in the moment by shifting your attention and slowing your breathing down.

If you’re experiencing chronic anxiety, you may want to reach out to your healthcare professional for additional solutions and a treatment plan.