In this digital age, we are constantly bombarded with breaking news and alarming headlines, a constant flow of information that our nervous systems were not designed to handle. It’s important and understandable to be informed, but it is even more important to manage and reduce stress that can build up in your body. Put your phone down and join us for a quick self-soothing and check in session. Start by setting a timer for however long you think is manageable, maybe 10 to 20 minutes, and let’s work through a few ways to regulate yourself between scrolling the media and reading “Breaking News” every day.
Start With the Basics: Hydration and Body Awareness
First, let’s get some water. Drinking water helps flush the stress hormones out of your body and stay hydrated. Check-in with your body – are you clenching your jaw? Relax the tension in your jaw and shoulders. If this is all you have time to do, that’s great.
Next, try massaging around your jaw. Take your right hand and make a “V” shape with your fingers. Think Star Trek if that’s helpful or however it is most comfortable. Do the same with your left hand. Now, place your hands right under your ear so two fingers are resting above and below the bottom of your ear. Now, right along your ear and down to your jaw just start massaging the area.
Grounding with the 5-4-3-2-1 Technique
- Try and list five things you see in front of you right now – maybe a computer, a phone, a picture, a lamp – whatever is nearby.
- Next, list four things you can feel - are your feet on the ground or are you sitting down, are you at a computer and can feel the keyboard under your fingertips, the heat or cold in the air, or the clothes you are wearing?
- What about three things you can hear? People moving around you, the noises of the street or building you are in, other noises going on in the background
- Now, two things you can smell. Is there a favorite lotion or body spray you are wearing,
- Lastly, one thing you can taste. What is a drink or a food you’ve had recently? These steps are all part of a grounding technique that you can use when you’re feeling disconnected from your body.
Breathing Exercises to Calm the Nervous System
Another technique to try is a breathing exercise. This technique is called box breathing. Breathe in for four counts, hold it for four counts, and breathe out for four counts. Do that a couple of times to get our chest to feel a little less tight. If you prefer, you can also breathe in for four counts, hold for seven counts, and breathe out for eight counts. Both techniques will help regulate your breathing and bring some extra oxygen to your brain.
Check in with yourself before and after trying these techniques, and ask yourself how you are feeling - is your chest still tight? Where do you carry stress in your body? Focus on that area and try to untangle the emotions there.
If you are still feeling stressed, see if you have anyone you can call if the grounding and breathing exercises aren’t working. Other self-soothing options can be journaling, or a distraction can help take your mind off the heavy stuff long enough for your body to reset.
None of these skills will stop the news headlines or protect you from being affected by world events, but the idea is that it will help you take your next breath. If your next breath can hurt a little less, and the grief or stress in your system is a little less overwhelming, we can better work on being there for each other and taking the rest of it in stride. You are not alone.
This blog article was contributed by Maggie Taylor, Crisis Responder at Southeast Regional Crisis Center (SERCC) in Rochester, MN. Nexus Family Healing is the operating partner of SERCC.
Nexus Family Healing is a national nonprofit mental health organization that restores hope for thousands of children, families, and adults each year through services in community mental health, crisis and stabilization, foster care and adoption, and residential treatment. For over 50 years, we’ve used innovative, personalized approaches to heal trauma, break cycles of harm, and reshape futures. We believe every child is worth it — and every family matters. Access more resources at nexusfamilyhealing.org/resources.