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Techniques to De-Stress

And no Yoga is involved, we promised!

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Feeling overwhelmed? Mind racing? Stressed about exams and assessments?

You’re not alone - and we’ve got your back.

Grounding techniques are simple ways to bring yourself back to the present moment when things get a bit too much. Think of them as mini mental resets. Here are a few you can try next time your brain's doing cartwheels.

The 5-4-3-2-1 Technique

Not just a countdown - it’s a chill-out cheat code. This one’s perfect when you need to slow down and reconnect with your surroundings.

Start by taking five deep breaths. Then notice:

🖐 5 things you can see
👂 4 things you can hear
🤲 3 things you can feel
👃 2 things you can smell
👅 1 thing you can taste

That’s it. You're back in the moment. Super simple, super effective.

Mindful Breathing

Your breath is a free, always-available tool to calm down your body’s stress response. Try these two easy ones:

🌬 Deep Breathing

  • Sit comfy and close your eyes.

  • Rest a hand on your belly.

  • Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds.

  • Pause.

  • Exhale through your mouth.

  • Feel your hand rise and fall - it means it’s working.

🖐 Finger Breathing

  • Spread one hand out like a starfish.

  • With the other hand, trace up and down each finger.

  • Breathe in as you trace up, and out as you trace down. Bonus: it looks like you’re just admiring your nails 💅

Body Scan

This one’s all about tuning into your body and noticing what’s happening right now.

  • Take a few slow breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth.

  • Mentally scan your body from head to toe.

Notice:
💪 Any tension (jaw clenched? shoulders near your ears?)
🪑 How your body feels supported - by your chair, your bed, your feet on the ground
🧥 What your clothes feel like against your skin, or any other sensations

No judgement - just noticing.

Mental Distractions

Sometimes your brain just needs a change of scenery - even if it's mental. Try one of these to shift your focus:

🧠 Categories: Pick a category (fruits, TV shows, whatever) and try to name one for every letter of the alphabet.
🔢 Countdowns: Count backwards from 100. Want a challenge? Try counting in 7s.
📛 Name Game: Pick someone you know and try spelling their name backwards. Weirdly satisfying.

These are all quick, easy, and completely free ways to help ground yourself when life gets a little loud. Try a few and see what works for you - and remember, it’s okay to not be okay. But you’ve got tools, and you’ve got this.

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