Healthy Coping Skills for Anxiety

In the moment

Slow the exhale

A longer exhale signals safety to your nervous system. Try box breathing (4 in, 4 hold, 4 out, 4 hold) or the physiological sigh (two quick inhales through the nose, one long exhale through the mouth).

Ground with the senses

Name 5 things you see, 4 you can touch, 3 you hear, 2 you smell, 1 you taste. This shifts the brain from thinking to sensing.

Change your temperature

Cold water on your face or wrists. A cool shower. Splashing cold water triggers the dive reflex and slows your heart rate.

Move

A brisk two-minute walk, jumping jacks, or push-ups burns off adrenaline your body was preparing for a threat.

For anxious thoughts

• Name it: "I'm noticing an anxious thought."
• Test it: Is this a fact or a fear? What is the evidence?
• Widen it: What is another way to see this? What would I tell a friend?
• Shrink it: What is the smallest next step I can take?

Daily habits that reduce baseline anxiety

• Sleep 7–9 hours on a consistent schedule.
• Cut back on caffeine, especially after noon.
• Move your body most days.
• Limit alcohol — it worsens next-day anxiety.
• Get outside light in the morning.
• Eat regular meals with protein and fiber.
• Keep a short daily wind-down routine.

Longer-term tools

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) — reshapes anxious thinking patterns.
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) — building a valued life alongside anxiety.
• Exposure work — gently reclaiming what anxiety has taken.
• Medication when appropriate — discussed with a prescribing provider.

When to reach out

If anxiety is interfering with sleep, work, relationships, or daily life for more than a few weeks, or if you are having panic attacks, thoughts of self-harm, or using substances to cope — reach out. Anxiety responds very well to treatment, and short courses of therapy make a real difference.