Grounding Exercise – 5 4 3 2 1

Use this exercise to ground yourself and remind yourself you are in the present. This exercise can be done anywhere with your eyes open, at work, in the street, standing in the shopping queue, anywhere you need to use it. Some people prefer to lie down in a comfortable position and close their eyes,  this isn’t always possible, but if you would like to try it when you are at home, lie down and put your hand on your stomach, this way you will know if you are breathing deeply, as you should feel your hand rise and fall with each inhalation and exhalation. Let’s start by taking a deep breath. Inhale.      Breathe in slowly through your nose for 4 seconds. Pause.       Hold the air in your lungs for 4 seconds. Exhale.     Breathe out slowly through your mouth for 6 seconds. Now What are 5 things you can see around you? What are 4 things you can touch? What are 3 things you can hear? What are 2 things you can smell? What is 1 thing you can taste? Inhale.      Breathe in slowly through your nose for 4 seconds. Pause.       Hold the air in your lungs for 4 seconds. Exhale.     Breathe out slowly through your mouth for 6 seconds. Try to practice for at least 2 minutes,  however you will find 5 to 10 minutes is often far more beneficial, but just one deep breathing routine can help us so much by slowing our breath down.