21 Simple & Effective Ways To Ground Yourself, According To Mental Health Experts

But when those moments strike, knowing how to ground yourself can help you quickly get back to feeling at ease. So, we rounded up 21 expert-backed grounding techniques you can try the next time you need 'em.

Grounding and mindfulness techniques, then, "help your body to reconnect and return to being fully present," explains psychotherapist Babita Spinelli, L.P.

Mindful movement is extremely grounding and helps you to return to your body, according to Spinelli. As she tells mindbodygreen, you could move your body around very slowly, for instance, noticing each body part and micro-movement. "You can also stretch, dance, take a long walk, run, or jump up and down," she adds.

Breathwork is a powerful tool that can boost your energy up or calm you down, depending on what you need. In the case of grounding, de la Rosa recommends the 4-7-8 breathing method:

What makes 4-7-8 breathing so effective, de la Rosa notes, is how it can help you regulate your breathing. "It essentially helps your body feel safe and relaxed and can quell anxious thoughts," he says, adding, "After doing this exercise, you will notice that your breathing patterns changed, and you may notice less tension in your body."

"Engage all your senses, observe your surroundings without judgment, and appreciate everything around you that's bringing your body and mind into a state of calm," she says.

Even changing something about the environment you're in can help plug you back into the present moment, she adds, noting that playing white noise or relaxing music can also help shift your mind, silence unwanted thoughts, and remind your brain to take a break.

Engaging your senses might sound too simple, but it's an incredibly easy and effective way to get your body involved in the present moment so your mind can catch up.

Anything that's cooked, warm, cozy, and nutrient-dense is a good option, she previously told mindbodygreen, adding, "That could very easily be meat, starchy vegetables, [or] amazing oils and fats."

Not only are you breathing and engaging your vocal chords, but you're engaging your sense of hearing. Bonus points if you're singing along to music that feels grounding to you!

Here's our full guide on how to do a body scan meditation for more information.

And even if you're not into the idea of a freezing cold shower, a hot one can still be incredibly grounding.

Here's our guide to earthing to help you get started.

"Draw or describe [your anxiety] as a little gremlin puppet, an animal, or a cartoonish ghost. Then you can mentally narrate the story of your interactions with anxiety," she previously explained to mindbodygreen. By externalizing your anxious behaviors in this way, you're able to feel more in control of what you're feeling—and how you respond to it.

Sometimes putting pen to paper is all you need to feel more connected to the present moment, which is why Spinelli recommends journaling when you don't feel grounded. "Write down your feelings and allow them to flow uncensored. Describe them in detail," she says, adding, "You can also imagine what those feelings would look like (color, temperature, shape, etc.)."

For instance, she says, take a look around and find everything you can see that is blue. Once you've spotted all the blue things around you, repeat the exercise with the color green, yellow, and so forth, until you're feeling more grounded.

Think of a basic task you do every day, like cleaning up the kitchen or your skin care routine. Mentally run through each step of the process in detail, taking your time visualizing or talking out the steps.

Research has shown that humor is a protective factor against anxiety4, so if you're feeling ungrounded or anxious, lean on laughter and call up your funniest friend, or watch your favorite comedian's latest special. Laughing literally calms the nervous system5, plus it'll help take your mind off of whatever's making you feel ungrounded.

The idea is that positive thinking creates self-improvement, Yusim previously explained to mindbodygreen, and repeating your affirmations throughout the day can transform thought patterns and mental attitudes. "Together, with honest self-reflection and concrete action steps," she says, "positive affirmations can be a wonderful part of one's behavioral change regimen."

"Instead of trying to solely talk your brain into calming down, integrating the mind and body with nervous-system-regulating exercises or activities is a much more effective practice," she says.

"Verbally communicating with parts of yourself and emphasizing that you are safe and OK helps to bring you back to your body—speak to your different parts and ask what that part you may need in the moment," she suggests.

As Richmond tells mindbodygreen, spending time with loved ones or even pets can help bring your nervous system down from an elevated fight-or-flight state, which can certainly happen when you're feeling ungrounded. Whether you grab dinner with a couple of friends, or simply pet your cat for a few minutes, notice how interacting with others brings you back to the present moment.

Practicing gratitude (aka consciously reminding yourself of what you're grateful for) is a powerful practice in and of itself, but it can be especially helpful for grounding because it forces you to focus on things that make you happy. Not only are you then engaging your rational mind by coming up with a list, but you're thinking positive thoughts and reminding yourself of all you have to be grateful for.

Imagine yourself in this space, visualizing anything you can see, hear, feel, smell, or even taste. As you visualize, have your eyes closed but keep your feet firmly planted on the ground.

It's important to know how to ground yourself when you're feeling tense, frazzled, or otherwise disconnected. If feeling ungrounded is negatively impacting your quality of life, consider working with a mental health professional, but in the meantime, these 21 tips and tricks can help bring you down to Earth.