Senses In The Now: A Technique to Reduce Anxiety and Worry
Who Can Benefit?
The “Senses In The Now” technique is particularly beneficial for individuals who struggle with excessive worry, generalized anxiety, or find that worry impacts their focus and time management. This mindfulness exercise helps ground you in the present moment, reducing anxiety and promoting calmness.
How to Practice Senses In The Now
When you feel overwhelmed by worry, use your senses to anchor yourself in the present:
- Identify Five Things You Can See: Look around and focus on five different things in your environment.
- Identify Four Things You Can Touch: Notice four different textures or objects you can physically feel.
- Identify Three Things You Can Hear: Listen closely and identify three distinct sounds around you.
- Identify Two Things You Can Smell: Pay attention to the scents in your surroundings.
- Identify One Thing You Can Taste: Notice any lingering taste in your mouth, or take a moment to taste something.
This exercise shifts your attention away from worry and brings you back to the present, helping to calm your mind.
The Science Behind Senses In The Now
Focusing on the present moment helps decrease self-focused emotional processing in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex. At the same time, it increases activity in the dorsolateral and ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, which helps regulate and calm the amygdala—the brain region responsible for feelings of worry and panic. By engaging these brain regions, the “Senses In The Now” technique can effectively reduce anxiety and promote a sense of calm.
Reference
Korb, A. (2015). The Upward Spiral: Using Neuroscience to Reverse the Course of Depression, One Small Change at a Time. New Harbinger Publications.