Exercises To Calm Your Anxious Thoughts

We all experience anxious thoughts—racing minds, worst-case scenarios, or that tight feeling in the chest. But here’s the good news: anxiety isn’t something you have to fight. It’s something you can regulate.

At The Orchard, we help people calm their nervous systems every day. Whether through breath, light, cold, or float—we see first-hand how physical practices can create mental clarity.

Here are some gentle, effective exercises to calm anxious thoughts—no equipment, no pressure, just you and a little space to breathe.

1. Box Breathing (a Navy SEAL favourite)

Used by elite performers and trauma therapists alike, box breathing is simple and powerful.

Try this:

Inhale for 4 seconds

Hold for 4 seconds

Exhale for 4 seconds

Hold for 4 seconds

Repeat for 1–2 minutes

It stabilises your breath, regulates your nervous system, and brings you back into the present moment.

2. Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR)

This technique helps release tension you didn’t know you were holding.

Start at your toes and work your way up

Tense each muscle group for 5 seconds

Release slowly and feel the difference

By anchoring attention in the body, PMR shifts you away from anxious loops in the mind.

3. The 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Technique

Anxiety often pulls us into the future. This exercise pulls you back into the now.

5 things you can see

4 things you can touch

3 things you can hear

2 things you can smell

1 thing you can taste or appreciate

This sensory scan short-circuits spiralling thoughts and grounds your awareness in the physical world.

4. Cold Water Reset

Splashing cold water on your face or placing your hands in cold water stimulates the vagus nerve—your body’s natural “off switch” for stress.

Want a stronger reset? Try our Cold Plunge Therapy at The Orchard. Just 2–3 minutes can reset your entire nervous system and lift your mood naturally.

5. Floatation Therapy (Effortless Peace)

Sometimes, the best way to calm anxious thoughts is to remove stimulation altogether.

In a float pod, your body is weightless, your senses are softened, and your mind has space to quiet down. Many of our clients report significant mood shifts, improved sleep, and a calmer baseline after just one float.

Add Molecular Hydrogen Therapy before or after for a powerful antioxidant and brain boost.

6. Guided Breath & Biofeedback (ReOxy Therapy)

If anxiety is chronic or fatigue is layered in, try a guided session of ReOxy Breathing Therapy—available at both Orchard locations. It uses personalised oxygen intervals to help your body and brain regulate more efficiently.

Final Thoughts

You don’t have to force anxious thoughts away—you can support your system to calm down naturally.

Try one of these exercises today. And if you need a deeper reset, we’re here to help with proven therapies that nurture both body and mind.