Why Mindfulness is an Important Anxiety Tool - And 6 Exercises to Try

Jul 11

If you’ve ever Googled “how to calm down” at 3am or spiraled into overthinking mode while trying to “just relax,” you’re not alone. Anxiety has a way of pulling us out of the present moment and into a tornado of what ifs, worst-case scenarios, and imaginary arguments we haven’t had yet. (Just me?)

That’s where mindfulness comes in.

Now before your brain screams Ugh, not another person telling me to meditate, hang with me. Mindfulness isn’t about sitting cross-legged on a mountaintop in total silence (well, it can be — but if that’s not your jam, it doesn’t have to be). It’s about understanding how to calm your brain, and your nervous system, on a biological level, and how to use certain techniques to manage anxiety and feel more grounded.

What Is Mindfulness, Really?

At its core, mindfulness is the practice of bringing your attention to the present moment, on purpose, without judgment. It’s not about being calm or having an empty mind. It’s about noticing what’s happening right now — in your body, in your thoughts, in your environment — instead of mentally time-traveling to the past or future (a favorite anxiety pastime, right?).

When anxiety takes the wheel, it often sends your brain into hyperdrive: scanning for danger, catastrophizing, planning five backup plans for things that may never happen. Your nervous system goes into overdrive, and suddenly your body thinks you're being chased by a bear when you're actually just answering an email.

Mindfulness helps interrupt that cycle.

The Science Behind Mindfulness and Anxiety

Here’s where things get cool. Practicing mindfulness actually changes your brain. Studies have shown that regular mindfulness practice can:

Reduce activity in the amygdala, the part of your brain responsible for fear and stress responses
Increase gray matter density in areas related to emotional regulation and attention
Lower cortisol (your body’s main stress hormone)
Improve your ability to observe your thoughts without reacting

In simpler terms: mindfulness strengthens the parts of your brain that help you stay calm, focused, and emotionally regulated, while quieting the anxiety alarm bells.

This is why mindfulness is considered by experts to be such an important anxiety tool. It doesn’t make anxiety disappear entirely (we’re not magicians), but it gives you a way to respond to it instead of being hijacked by it.

Here’s what mindfulness helps with when you’re struggling with anxiety:

Interrupting overthinking: You pause the cycle of spiraling thoughts and come back to the here and now.
Grounding in your body: Anxiety keeps you stuck in your head, but mindfulness brings you back into your physical body.
Reconnecting to safety: By focusing on the present, you remind your brain and body that you are not currently in danger.
Slowing down reactivity: You get a little more space between the anxious thought and the panicked reaction.
Creating internal compassion: Mindfulness invites you to notice your experience without judgment, which helps reduce self-criticism.

And yes — it takes practice. You won’t do one breathing exercise and suddenly never feel anxious again. But with repetition, mindfulness helps build a more regulated, responsive nervous system.

6 Mindfulness Exercises to Help Calm Anxiety

Here are six tools you can try that don’t require special equipment, tons of time, or a meditation retreat in the woods.

1. Try the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique

This one’s a classic, and for good reason. It brings you out of your mind and into your senses. Here’s how to do it:

Name 5 things you can see
Name 4 things you can feel (and touch them)
Name 3 things you can hear
Name 2 things you can smell
Name 1 thing you can taste

This helps when anxiety makes you feel untethered, dissociated, or like you’re spiraling. You’re literally grounding yourself in your body and environment.

2. Do some box breathing

If anxiety has your breath feeling shallow or tight, try this. It’s a favorite among therapists, Navy SEALs, and stressed-out humans everywhere. How it works:

Inhale for 4 seconds
Hold for 4 seconds
Exhale for 4 seconds
Hold for 4 seconds
Repeat for a few rounds

Box breathing helps regulate the nervous system and brings a sense of rhythm to your body. You can do it anywhere — before a meeting, in traffic, or when you’re trying to fall asleep.

3. Practice mindful observation

Pick one object — a candle, a tree, a pet, your coffee mug — and spend a few minutes simply observing it. Notice colors, shapes, textures, movement. If your mind wanders (it will), gently bring it back. This simple exercise strengthens your attention and helps quiet anxious thinking by anchoring you in the present moment.

4. Do a mindful body scan

Your body holds a lot — tension, anxiety, exhaustion — and we often disconnect from it entirely. A body scan invites you to slowly move your attention through your body, from your feet to your head, noticing any sensations without trying to change them. You can try this in silence or use a guided version (search “body scan meditation” on YouTube or Insight Timer). Even 5 minutes can help bring you back into yourself.

5. Engage in mindful walking

Next time you go for a walk, try slowing it down and making it intentional. Feel your feet on the ground. Notice your breath. Observe the way the wind moves through the trees or the sound of your shoes on pavement. Mindful walking combines movement (which helps regulate anxiety) with mindfulness (which helps slow your thoughts). It’s a two-for-one.

6. Try noticing without fixing

This one is subtle but powerful. Set a timer for 3–5 minutes. Sit quietly and just notice what’s happening inside — thoughts, feelings, physical sensations. Don’t try to solve anything. Don’t try to change anything. Just observe. This builds the muscle of being with your internal experience instead of reacting to it, which is a key skill for managing anxiety.

You don’t have to meditate for 30 minutes a day to benefit from mindfulness. (Honestly, most people don’t. I sure as hell don’t.) Even short, 2-minute practices sprinkled throughout your day can shift how you respond to anxiety.

Anxious brains can learn to feel safe again. Mindfulness is one way to help them get there.

Want a deep dive into mindfulness? Sign up for my FREE mindfulness mini-course here!