A quick sensory awareness exercise to help during moments of anxiety or panic.
The 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique is a powerful tool for managing anxiety, panic attacks, or overwhelming emotions by connecting you with your five senses. This exercise can quickly bring you back to the present moment when your mind is racing with worries or fears.
Grounding techniques work by interrupting the cycle of anxiety and redirecting your focus to your immediate environment.
This exercise can be done anywhere, whether you're at home, work, or in public. You can do it sitting or standing, with your eyes open.
Follow the step-by-step guide below, taking your time with each sensory experience.
Look around you and name five things you can see in your surroundings.
Try to choose objects you wouldn't normally notice, like a pattern on the ceiling, a particular piece of furniture, or a small object on a shelf.
Say each one out loud or to yourself: "I see the blue book. I see the wooden chair..."
Notice four things you can physically feel or touch right now.
This might include the texture of your clothing, the smooth surface of a table, the feeling of air on your skin, or the chair supporting your body.
Touch each item if possible and acknowledge the sensation: "I feel the soft fabric of my shirt..."
Listen carefully and identify three sounds you can hear.
These might be external sounds like traffic, birds, or people talking, or internal sounds like your breathing or stomach gurgling.
Acknowledge each sound without judging it as good or bad: "I hear the fan blowing. I hear music playing in the distance..."
Focus on two scents you can detect right now.
If you can't smell anything in your immediate environment, you can move to another location or recall your two favorite pleasant scents.
Name them to yourself: "I can smell coffee brewing. I can smell the scent of my hand lotion..."
Notice one thing you can taste right now.
This might be the lingering taste of your last meal, your toothpaste, or even just the taste in your mouth.
If you can't taste anything, you can briefly touch your tongue to your teeth or take a small sip of water.
Acknowledge this taste: "I can taste mint from my gum..."
Now that you've completed the 5-4-3-2-1 sequence, take a deep breath in through your nose and out through your mouth.
Notice how you feel compared to when you started the exercise.
You can repeat this exercise as many times as needed until you feel more grounded and present.
Please log in or create an account to mark this exercise as complete and track your progress.
Explore more exercises in the "Anxiety Management" category: