5 Easy Grounding Techniques During Quarantine

In times of stress, the best way to calm the ego is to DISTRACT it! 

Here are 5 of my favorite ways to drop into the present moment and give myself a quick break.  You can set a timer for 3-5 minutes or however long you have.

1) Conscious breathing: 

You can sit or lie down for these exercises.  If you are anxious or worried, start lying with feet pressing down to the ground and knees towards the sky to release tension in the low back.  Place your right hand on your belly and left hand on your heart.  Your goal is to draw out your exhale and start to regulate the oxygen output from your red blood cells.  Inhale through the nose very slowly for a count of 5, and exhale slowly out of the nose for a count of 7.  As you increase your "breath hunger," your heart rate variance will communicate with your vagus nerve and your brain, helping to balance out emotions and racing thoughts. When you need to (your body will tell you), start to increase the amount of air you intake and expel.  Anything equal to or greater than 5-5 second ratio is proven to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, but you can also practice a "square" breath by breathing in for 3, holding at the top of your inhale for 3, exhaling for 3, holding at the bottom of the exhale for 3, and repeat.   10 breaths a minute provide a coherent breath for the cardiovascular system.

2) Shake it out:

Begin by standing with your feet wider than hip width; bend your knees and take some exaggerated shoulder shrugs.  Inhale up, exhale down is the go to rule for most movements.  Take a few big bounces and let your mouth open and jaw relax with your tongue soft.  Use a few forward folds to find tension in your body and release it with any movement or motion that feels natural.  I like to spiral my whole body, from the toes to the knees, around my spine and chin, and wiggle my ears. No one is watching or judging!  Make a noise or pretend you are jumping rope—Make it work for you! 

3) Turn on some music: something that you like to sing along to is ideal.  This way, you can harmonize, hum, and use your voice to move stuck energy.  Throw on some old school hip hop or your favorite pop song--anything that brings you joy.  This is also one that gives great goose bumps https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QagzdvzzHBQ&list=RDQagzdvzzHBQ&start_radio=1

4) Check out some comedy--find a popular stand up comedian like Jim Gaffigan or Ali Wong, who have awesome clips on Spotify and Youtube.  It takes less than a few minutes to laugh, and now you fake it till you make it!  When you have more time, Netflix and HBO just came out with a ton, too.  If you're feeling more angry, watch a Roast--they are brutal.

5) Make a quick 5 Senses check list

5 things you can see

4 things you can feel

3 things you can hear 

2 things you can smell

1 thing you can taste

This may sound silly, but it is a good trick for your mind to focus on your surrounding and bring you back into the present moment.

If you have a long car ride or are cleaning the house, many podcasts deal with mental health. Armchair Expert with Dax Shepherd is a great one because you can look through all the episodes who have different guests, and pick your favorite.  If you can go for a walk and listen to something while getting out of the house, give it a try!