Breathing exercises are among the most scientifically supported grounding techniques. In fight-or-flight mode, your breathing becomes shallow to prepare your body for danger. Breathing exercises have been shown to increase oxygen flow, which helps slow your heart rate and decrease blood pressure, combatting anxiety and panic. Breathing exercises help you catch your breath and remind your body that you are not in real danger. One popular technique is diaphragmatic breathing, or belly breathing.
Belly breathing:
1) Place one hand on the middle of your chest and the other hand on your
lower stomach.
2) Inhale by slowly breathing through your nose while drawing your breath to your stomach.
3) Feel your stomach expand and move your hand outward while your chest remains still.
4) Exhale through pursed lips and let your stomach fall downward slowly.
5) Do this for 3-5 minutes as your body calms and your mind focuses on breathing instead whatever is going on around you.
Box breathing exercise:
1) Literally imagine a box and that your breath is tracing the edges of it
2) Inhale for 4 counts (breath traces one side of box), hold for 4 counts (imagine pausing at the corner of the box), exhale for 4 counts (breath traces the next side of the box), hold for 4 counts (imagine pausing at the corner of the box)
3) Repeat 5 times.
Mantra Breathing
A popular Kundalini meditation uses the Sankrit phrase sat nam, meaning "truth is my essence."
1) On an inhale, chant "sat" ("saaaaat" with a long "a") either verbally or mentally.
2) As you exhale, chant "nam" ("naaaam" with a long "a").
3) You'll notice your focus to the mantra and breath and away from the racing thoughts.
4) Any mantra will work: you can choose "peace," "om,' "light," or whatever word or phrase aligns with you and your current situation.