How to calm down: 10 ways to feel less anxious

Our bodies don’t always react the way we want them to. For instance, imagine you’re sitting in class or a meeting at work when you suddenly experience a panic attack. That tightness in your chest, the racing, negative thoughts, and the feeling of being in danger—these feelings flood you, even though you aren't in any real danger.

Chronically feeling this stress can really wear you down over time, leading to poor physical and mental health.

It’s helpful to have a few strategies available to calm yourself down when you’re feeling anxious. Having these in your back pocket can go a long way towards improving your overall health, wellness, and quality of life. 

Fortunately, researchers have been studying what causes anxiety and how to tame it for a long time. Here’s a look at how to calm down and feel less anxious, according to science.

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When your brain thinks you might be in danger (whether that’s a real danger or danger as perceived by the brain), it activates processes in your nervous system that get you ready to run or fight. This is called the fight-or-flight response. Anxiety is one of these processes. While anxiety may just seem like a nuisance, it stems from a process meant to prepare you for potentially threatening events (Chand, 2021).

Everyone experiences anxiety occasionally. It’s a normal part of life. In the past, it helped our ancestors avoid predators, like saber-toothed tigers. In the present, it can give you a boost of energy or help you focus on complex tasks at work or school.

Some people experience it much more often for reasons we don’t totally understand. Their brains overestimate the danger around them and trigger anxiety when it isn’t needed or helpful. Too much anxiety can interfere with your well-being and have negative health effects (Chand, 2021).

The first step in calming down anxiety is to recognize it. Each person’s anxiety symptoms are unique, but researchers have found many commonalities. These symptoms can be changes in how you think, feel, or act (Chand, 2021). 

If you have anxiety, you may experience some of the following symptoms (Chand, 2020):

• Trouble concentrating

• Overthinking

• Poor memory

• Excessive worry

• Increased heart rate

• Rapid breathing

• Heart palpitations

• Feeling sweaty

• Feeling shaky or numb

• Feeling restless or agitated

• Trouble speaking

• Feeling like you want to run away or avoid a situation

• Feeling tense or jumpy

• Feeling overly impatient or frustrated

Once you recognize how you're feeling, you can choose self-care techniques that can help you to relax and control your stress responses.

If you have anxiety symptoms that are getting in the way of living your life, there are ways to get relief. Here are 10 different ways to calm down that are backed by scientific research.

1. Practice progressive muscle relaxation (PMR)

Progressive muscle relaxation is a technique used to teach your muscles to relax. It involves contracting and releasing various muscle groups in the body. A small clinical trial found PMR potentially effective for improving feelings of tension, anxiety, and anger (de Lorent, 2016).

2. Try meditation 

Mindfulness-based meditation involves learning to calm the mind with the goal of “detached observation" of the world around you. It is moderately effective in reducing anxiety symptoms and improving mood. Meditation can be helpful on its own or combined with other relaxation strategies (Saeed, 2019).

3. Breathe deeply

Breathing techniques, such as slow and deep breathing, pursed lips breathing, relaxation therapy, inspiratory muscle training, and diaphragmatic breathing, have been shown to help you calm down. A small study looking at people hospitalized with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) found that controlled breathing exercises significantly improved their anxiety (Valenza, 2014).

4. Exercise regularly

Regular physical activity has long been known to be essential for healthy living. A group of researchers set out to look at how exercise affects the mental health of recreational athletes. They found that people who met recommended activity levels (moderate-intensity activity for 150 min/week) reported fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression. So get outside, get some fresh air, and get those endorphins flowing (Siefken, 2019).

5. Try aromatherapy 

The next time you’re feeling a little anxious, try a dab of lavender essential oil. A review of aromatherapy in people with cardiovascular disease found that using lavender oil (known for its stress-relieving effects) resulted in lower blood pressure, heart rate, and anxiety levels. You can try it in massage oils, pour some in your hot bath, or just try smelling it (Lopes, 2020).

6. Chew some gum 

Did you know there’s been extensive scientific research done on the effects of chewing gum on your behavior? While much of it has been for alertness and increasing attention, it has also been studied for reducing stress levels. Several studies suggest that chewing gum is associated with lower self-reported anxiety levels in stressful situations (Smith, 2016).

7. Listen to music 

Music is one of the best-known ways to calm down. It's simple, affordable, and non-invasive. Researchers looked at using music to reduce pre-surgery anxiety. They found that people who listened to their favorite calming music before a surgical procedure had less anxiety, better blood pressure and heart rate values, and reported feeling more satisfied after surgery than those who didn’t listen to music (Kavak Akelma, 2020).

8. Take a bath 

Having a good, hot soak in the tub can help reduce anxiety. A small Japanese study found that while participants in both showering and bathing groups reported health improvements, the bathing group reported more significant improvements. They found that the people who had a habit of bathing in hot water reported having good self-reported health, sufficient sleep, low stress levels, and high self-reported happiness (Goto, 2018).

9. Do yoga 

Yoga is a form of mind-body fitness that involves physical activity, mindfulness, and breathing exercises. Several studies have reported its benefits for physical and emotional health. Regular yoga practice enhances strength and flexibility, improves heart and lung function, reduces stress and anxiety, and enhances overall well-being and quality of life (Woodyard, 2011).

10. Try acupuncture

While more coordinated research is needed, studies have shown that acupuncture can help treat anxiety. Evidence shows it's about as effective as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), a common type of talk therapy used for anxiety disorders (Errington-Evans, 2012).

If the above suggestions aren’t working for you, or you find yourself needing to use them all the time, consider reaching out for some extra help. Your healthcare provider can help you rule out any medical problems that might be causing your symptoms. They can also help you get a referral to talk with a therapist or social worker in your area.

You can also call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's national helpline. This is a free, confidential service that provides information and referrals for treatment and community support.

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Every article on Health Guide goes through rigorous fact-checking by our team of medical reviewers. Our reviewers are trained medical professionals who ensure each article contains the most up-to-date information, and that medical details have been correctly interpreted by the writer.

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Current version

July 08, 2021

Written by

Ellyn Vohnoutka, BSN, RN

Fact checked by

Steve Silvestro, MD

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About the medical reviewer

Steve Silvestro, MD, Ro

Dr. Steve Silvestro is a board-certified pediatrician and Associate Director, Clinical Content & Education at Ro.