Top 20 'Nervous-System-Grounding' Mental Health Practices to Start at Home When You're Stuck in Survival Mode - Goh Ling Yong
Do you ever feel like you're just... surviving? Like every day is a race to the finish line, fueled by coffee and cortisol, with a constant, low-grade hum of anxiety in the background. Your shoulders are permanently attached to your ears, your jaw is clenched, and the idea of "relaxing" feels like a foreign concept. If this sounds familiar, you're likely stuck in survival mode.
This isn't a character flaw or a lack of willpower. It's a physiological state. When we're under chronic stress, our sympathetic nervous system—the "fight-or-flight" response—gets stuck in the 'on' position. Our bodies are flooded with stress hormones, preparing for a threat that, in our modern world, is often a looming deadline or a difficult conversation, not a saber-toothed tiger. To find our way back to a state of calm, safety, and connection, we need to learn how to communicate with our nervous system in a language it understands: the language of the body.
This is where grounding comes in. Grounding practices are simple, intentional activities that help you get out of your head and into your body, anchoring you in the present moment. They signal to your nervous system that the perceived threat has passed and it's safe to power down. The best part? You don't need a yoga retreat or a silent meditation dome to do them. You can start right now, at home, with these 20 powerful, nervous-system-grounding practices.
1. Deep Belly Breathing (Diaphragmatic Breathing)
This is the foundation of nervous system regulation for a reason. Shallow, rapid chest breathing is a hallmark of the stress response. In contrast, slow, deep belly breathing directly stimulates the vagus nerve, a crucial component of our parasympathetic ("rest-and-digest") nervous system. It's like a manual override switch for your body's relaxation response.
Imagine a small balloon in your belly. As you inhale slowly through your nose, focus on inflating that balloon, letting your abdomen expand. Your chest should move very little. Then, exhale even more slowly through your mouth, letting the balloon deflate completely. The long, slow exhale is the most important part of signaling safety to your brain.
Try This: Place one hand on your chest and the other on your belly. Practice the 4-7-8 technique: Inhale for a count of 4, hold your breath gently for a count of 7, and exhale slowly for a count of 8. Repeat 3-5 times and notice the immediate shift in your body.
2. The 5-4-3-2-1 Sensory Scan
When you're stuck in an anxiety spiral, your thoughts are often racing about the past or worrying about the future. This technique forcefully pulls your attention back to the present by engaging all five of your senses. It’s an incredibly effective way to interrupt anxious thought loops.
Wherever you are, pause and gently notice:
- 5 things you can SEE: The pattern on your rug, a crack in the ceiling, the way light hits a water glass.
- 4 things you can FEEL: The texture of your shirt, the cool surface of a table, your feet on the floor.
- 3 things you can HEAR: The hum of the refrigerator, a bird outside, the sound of your own breathing.
- 2 things you can SMELL: The scent of your coffee, the soap on your hands, an open window.
- 1 thing you can TASTE: Take a sip of water, notice the lingering taste of toothpaste, or pop a mint in your mouth.
3. Cold Water Exposure
Have you ever splashed cold water on your face when you felt overwhelmed? There's real science behind that instinct. Immersing your face in cold water triggers the "mammalian dive reflex," an ancient physiological response that slows your heart rate and redirects blood flow to your vital organs, conserving oxygen.
This powerful reset button calms your system almost instantly. You don't need to take an ice bath to get the benefits. Simply filling a bowl with cold water and submerging your face for 15-30 seconds can make a profound difference. You can also try holding ice packs on your wrists or the back of your neck.
4. Somatic Shaking or Tremoring
Animals in the wild literally shake off a stressful encounter. Humans have this same innate ability to discharge stress hormones and release stored tension through shaking, but we've often socialized ourselves out of it. Intentionally shaking can help complete the stress cycle and release that "stuck" energy.
Find a private space and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. Start by gently bouncing from your knees, letting your arms and shoulders be loose and floppy. Let the shake move through your whole body. You can put on some music and just let your body move—there's no right or wrong way to do it.
While this can be done alone, some people find it helpful to be guided by a professional initially to feel safe exploring this release. At our practice, Goh Ling Yong often emphasizes that these somatic experiences are about reconnecting with your body's own wisdom.
5. Apply Deep Pressure
Deep pressure stimulation, like the feeling of a firm hug, has a profoundly calming and organizing effect on the nervous system. It activates the parasympathetic response, lowering heart rate and blood pressure. You can achieve this effect on your own, anytime.
A weighted blanket is a fantastic tool, but you can also simulate the feeling yourself. Try the "butterfly hug" by crossing your arms over your chest and placing your hands on your opposite shoulders. Squeeze firmly. You can even gently tap your shoulders, alternating left and right. Another option is to wrap yourself tightly in a heavy blanket or lie on the floor and have a pet lie on top of you.
6. Mindful Walking
Walking is a form of bilateral stimulation (engaging both sides of the body), which can be very regulating. To turn it into a grounding practice, slow down and bring your full attention to the physical sensations of movement.
Whether you're inside your home or out in a park, focus on the feeling of your feet making contact with the ground. Notice the sensation of heel, to ball, to toe. Pay attention to the subtle shift of weight from one leg to the other. Match your breath to your steps—perhaps inhaling for three steps and exhaling for four. This brings your focus out of your racing mind and into the rhythm of your body.
7. Sip a Warm, Soothing Drink
The simple act of preparing and sipping a warm, caffeine-free beverage is a multi-sensory grounding ritual. The warmth in your hands, the steam on your face, the aroma, and the soothing sensation in your body all send signals of safety and comfort.
Herbal teas like chamomile, lavender, or peppermint are excellent choices. As you sip, do it mindfully. Don't scroll on your phone or watch TV. Just focus on the experience of drinking. Notice the temperature, the flavor, and the feeling of the warm liquid moving down into your belly.
8. Hum, Chant, or Sing
Your vagus nerve runs up through your neck and is connected to your vocal cords. Using your voice—through humming, singing, chanting, or even gargling—creates gentle vibrations that tone this nerve, promoting a state of calm.
You don't have to be a great singer. Put on your favorite song and sing along loudly in the car or the shower. Or, for a more meditative practice, simply close your eyes and hum a low, sustained "ommm" or "vmmmm" sound. Feel the vibration in your chest and throat. It’s a wonderfully simple and effective self-soothing tool.
9. Engage with Different Textures
Focusing on the sense of touch is a quick way to ground yourself in your physical environment. When you feel your mind spiraling, intentionally seek out different textures and pay close attention to how they feel.
Keep a "grounding object" in your pocket, like a smooth stone or a small piece of soft fabric. You can also run your hands over different surfaces around you: the rough bark of a tree, the cool smoothness of a kitchen counter, the soft fur of a pet, or the nubby texture of a couch cushion. Describe the sensations to yourself in your mind.
10. Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR)
When you're chronically stressed, you might not even realize how much tension you're holding in your body. PMR is a practice that teaches you to recognize the difference between tension and relaxation by systematically tensing and then releasing different muscle groups.
Lie down comfortably. Start with your feet. Tense all the muscles in your feet and toes, holding for 5 seconds. Then, release completely, noticing the feeling of deep relaxation for 15-20 seconds. Work your way up your body: calves, thighs, glutes, abdomen, back, hands, arms, shoulders, neck, and face. This practice leaves your entire body feeling heavy, loose, and deeply relaxed.
11. Scent Anchoring
Our sense of smell is directly linked to the brain's emotional and memory centers. You can use this powerful connection to create a "scent anchor"—a specific smell that you associate with a state of calm.
Choose a calming essential oil like lavender, bergamot, frankincense, or ylang-ylang. When you are feeling relatively relaxed (perhaps after some deep breathing), put a drop on your wrists or a cotton ball and inhale the scent deeply. Over time, your brain will build a strong association between that smell and a feeling of peace. Then, when you're feeling stressed, you can smell your anchor scent for a quick route back to calm.
12. Mindful Eating
So often, we eat while distracted, barely tasting our food. Mindful eating turns a meal into a grounding meditation. It involves paying full, deliberate attention to the experience of eating and drinking.
Try this with a single raisin or a piece of chocolate. First, just look at it, noticing its color and texture. Then, feel it in your fingers. Smell it. Place it in your mouth without chewing and just notice the sensations. Finally, chew it very slowly, paying attention to the explosion of taste and the change in texture. This practice anchors you firmly in the present moment.
13. Gentle Stretching
Stress and trauma get stored in the body as physical tension. Gentle stretching and slow, mindful movement can help to release this stored energy and reconnect you with your physical self.
You don't need a full yoga class. Try a simple Cat-Cow pose. Get on your hands and knees. As you inhale, drop your belly and look up, arching your back (Cow). As you exhale, round your spine, tuck your chin to your chest, and press the floor away (Cat). Syncing your breath with this gentle spinal movement is incredibly soothing for the nervous system.
14. Listen to Bilateral Music
Bilateral music is a type of sound therapy where music or tones alternate between the left and right ears. This back-and-forth stimulation is thought to promote a state of relaxation and help regulate the nervous system, similar to the effects of EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy.
You'll need headphones for this to work. You can find many playlists of bilateral music or binaural beats on YouTube or Spotify. Put on a pair of headphones, close your eyes, and simply listen for 5-10 minutes, allowing the sounds to wash over you.
15. Do a "Brain Dump" Journal Entry
Sometimes, the sheer volume of swirling, anxious thoughts is what keeps us in survival mode. A "brain dump" is the act of getting all of those thoughts out of your head and onto paper, without any judgment, editing, or concern for grammar.
Set a timer for 10 minutes and just write whatever comes to mind. Your fears, your to-do list, your frustrations, your random ideas—let it all pour out. The physical act of writing can be very grounding, and externalizing your worries often makes them feel much more manageable. You don't ever have to read it again; the purpose is the release.
16. Hold a Piece of Ice
This technique is a powerful pattern-interrupt for moments of intense emotional distress, panic, or dissociation. The strong, sharp, and unavoidable sensation of the cold ice forces your brain to focus on the immediate physical reality, pulling you out of an emotional spiral.
Simply grab a piece of ice from the freezer and hold it in the palm of your hand. Focus all your attention on the sensation—the intense cold, the feeling of it melting, the water dripping down your hand. It's not meant to be comfortable, but it is incredibly effective at bringing you back to the here and now.
17. Connect with Nature (Even from a Window)
Humans have a deep, innate connection to the natural world. Interacting with nature, a practice sometimes called "ecotherapy," has been shown to reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and improve mood.
You don't have to go on a major hike. Simply step outside and feel the sun or the breeze on your skin for a few minutes. If you can't go outside, look out a window and mindfully watch the clouds drift by or the leaves rustle on a tree. Even tending to a houseplant—touching its leaves, watering it—can be a powerful grounding practice.
18. Gentle Rocking or Swaying
Think about how we soothe a baby—by rocking them. This gentle, repetitive, rhythmic movement is deeply wired into our nervous systems as a signal of safety and comfort. As adults, we can use this same principle to self-soothe.
You can do this in a rocking chair, or simply by standing and gently swaying from side to side. You can also sit on the floor and gently rock back and forth. Close your eyes, focus on the rhythm of the movement, and allow it to calm your body and mind.
19. Widen Your Gaze (Peripheral Vision)
When we're in a "fight-or-flight" state, our vision tends to narrow and become hyper-focused, scanning for threats. Deliberately softening and widening your gaze sends a powerful signal to your brainstem that you are safe.
Instead of focusing on a single point in front of you (like your phone screen), relax your eyes. Allow yourself to become aware of the peripheries of your vision without turning your head. Notice the space to your left, your right, above, and below. This "panoramic vision" helps to activate the ventral vagal part of your nervous system, which is associated with feelings of safety and social engagement.
20. Hand-on-Heart Self-Compassion
Often, when we're struggling, our inner critic goes into overdrive, which only adds another layer of stress. This practice combines gentle touch with self-compassion to soothe your system.
Place one hand over your heart and, if it feels comfortable, the other on your belly. The warmth and gentle pressure are calming in themselves. Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. Silently offer yourself a few words of kindness, as you would to a dear friend. Try phrases like, "This is a moment of suffering," "It's okay to feel this way," or "May I be kind to myself."
Finding Your Way Back to Safety
Navigating life from a state of constant activation is utterly exhausting. The good news is that you hold the power to guide your nervous system back to a state of balance and safety. These practices aren't about adding more to your to-do list; they are about creating small, sacred pauses in your day to reconnect with your body and honor its needs.
Don't feel like you have to do all 20. Pick just one or two that resonate with you and try to incorporate them into your daily routine. The key is consistency. Over time, these small acts of self-regulation build new neural pathways, making it easier and more natural for your body to return to a state of calm. You can, and you will, find your ground again.
What's your go-to practice for grounding yourself when you feel overwhelmed? Share your favorites in the comments below—your tip might be exactly what someone else needs to hear today.
About the Author
Goh Ling Yong is a content creator and digital strategist sharing insights across various topics. Connect and follow for more content:
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