Do you need a vacation for your brain? Try grounding | Nutrition By Carrie

Are you feeling a little more stressed than usual lately? Yeah, me too. I’m not going to get into the finer details of everything that’s going on that might be making us feel a little anxious or even fried, because, well, you already know.

Even under more “normal” circumstances, it’s not unusual to be all up in our heads, caught up in our thoughts, worries and anxieties. So what can you do if you feel like you’re spiraling down and about to start circling the drain? You can get out of your head and into your body.

This is something I talk with my clients about a lot when their body dissatisfaction is flaring up and feeling all-consuming. You wouldn’t think that getting into your body would be an anecdote for feeling bad about your body, but the “into” is the key word.

When we are IN our bodies, we can feel more present, more solid, more anchored. And because your mind and body are connected and in constant communication, when you feel more anchored, that can help calm your nervous system, which includes your brain (obviously)

So how do you get into your body. Simple grounding exercises are a good way to start.

Grounding, soothing touch and body scans

When you “ground” yourself, you turn your attention to the places where your body contacts surfaces:

• Your feet on the floor
• Your butt and the back of your thighs in a chair
• The back of your body on the floor or bed

These become proxies for the ground, or earth. Hence “grounding.”

You can do these exercises practically anywhere, anytime. I’ll ground myself while sitting in my desk chair, sometimes as a precursor to a brief mindfulness meditation session. When a day has been a LOT, I might pull out my yoga mat and stretch out on the floor and imagine myself being supported by the earth, or even rooting into the earth.

Another way to pull your attention into your body is to tighten and relax your muscles. It’s a reminder that you’re here, in physical form — not just a floating head filled with thoughts like buzzing bees. You can also offer yourself comforting touch by gently but firmly placing your hands on the front of your thighs, your upper arms, or your upper chest

You can also turn your attention, and your physical senses, to the world around you by noticing and naming objects, textures, colors, smells or sounds.

Body scans are yet another way to get out of your head and into your body. There are various forms of body scans, but you essentially place your attention one body part at a time, starting at the head or the toes (your choice), and note what you feel there. Tension? Tingling? Energy? Tightness? Softness? Contraction? Expansiveness? Warmth?

Note: If you have a history of physical or sexual trauma, you might not want to do a body scan without guidance. Generally, grounding exercises are safe and beneficial for trauma survivors, because you’re simply connecting with the physical world. 

The call of grounding in nature

Research has found that even a 15-minute walk in green spaces can reduce our stress response, slowing our heart rate and lowering the levels of stress hormones circulating in our system. A 2019 study found that spending at least two hours a week (120 minutes) in nature is associated with an increase in life satisfaction and feelings of well-being.

Walking can also be a grounding exercise. You can notice your feet striking the ground, the feel of the breeze or sun on your skin, the sounds of birds or leaves rustling in the wind. Doing a slow barefoot walking meditation outside on grass or other safe surfaces can be a lovely, and literal, grounding exercise. You could also stand, sit or lay in the grass.

When you move more slowly, you notice more. One of my informal practices is to walk through my garden daily (even if I’m not actually gardening) to admire and check in on each plant.

It’s not just green space that’s good for well-being: blue spaces are also powerful de-stressers. Simply looking at water — crashing waves, flowing rivers, rippling lakes — relaxes our brains. And research has shown that having access to blue space can make us happier and more sociable.

A way to bring this home is to mindfully shower or bathe. This can be both grounding, because water is a natural element, and a way to slow down and be present. While I do some of my best thinking in the shower, I also like to turn my attention to how the water feels on my skin. You can even visualize the stresses of the day washing or soaking away.

The power of rest

Whether you do it or not, you know it’s important to get enough sleep. But are you getting enough rest? Sleep and rest are not the same thing, and they’re not interchangeable.

If you feel worn out or flirting with burnout, and you find it puzzling because you are getting enough sleep, rest might be what your body and mind are craving. Rest is a state of relaxation and leisure in which the body and mind are less active and stressed.

Grounding exercises and body scans are forms of rest. So are:

• Naps (if you’re a napper)
• Chatting with a friend
• Enjoying a cup of coffee or tea
• Meditation or yoga
• Reading good book or watching a show
• Listening to music or playing an instrument
• Playing a game or working a crossword puzzle
• Enjoying nature (I take periodic breaks during my workday to just gaze out my office window at my front yard, which increasingly looks like a Disney movie with all the birds, squirrels and chipmunks.)

When we rest, the body has an opportunity to recharge that’s similar to sleep in some respects, except we’re still awake and conscious. While we feel recharged, our body does not have the chance to undergo the same repair processes it does during sleep, because sleep is the only time are brain can fully be off.

We need both sleep and rest for physical and mental health, even if the reasons why are slightly different.

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Hi, I’m Carrie Dennett, MPH, RDN, a weight-inclusive registered dietitian, nutrition therapist and body image counselor. I help adults of all ages, shapes, sizes and genders who want to break free from disordered eating or chronic dieting, learn how to manage IBS symptoms with food, or improve their nutrition and lifestyle habits to help manage a current health concern or simply support their overall health and well-being. This post is for informational purposes only and does not constitute individualized nutrition or medical advice.

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