Everyone experiences anxiety at some point in their life. But some people experience it more frequently than others, sometimes because of an underlying anxiety disorder. Anxiety describes persistent worry and fear that interferes with your daily life. Almost 1 in 5 adults experienced some form of anxiety in the past year. Women are more likely to have an anxiety disorder than men. There are many different underlying causes, so it’s important that you seek help if you’re struggling with symptoms.

If your anxiety is severe or you experience frequent panic attacks, you may need to see a psychiatrist. They can prescribe medication to ease symptoms and help you work through your anxiety. But many people don’t need medicine to control their anxiety. 

Cognitive behavior therapy, coping strategies and other tools are great for managing anxiety and depression. Mental health professionals like therapists and psychologists can help you utilize these tools on your journey to mental wellness. They can even help you learn how to use your senses to ease anxiety symptoms, whether your anxiety is mild or more complex. 

Everyone experiences anxiety differently

Anxiety disorders run the gamut from generalized anxiety and social anxiety to panic disorder and phobias. These might be hereditary or triggered by a stressful or traumatic event. 

You probably know if you experience anxiety, but you need to see a doctor to get a formal diagnosis for any anxiety disorder. Once you get a diagnosis, you’ll be on your way to better understanding your symptoms and triggers. 

If you have generalized anxiety disorder, you probably feel worried about everyday life and situations. When you don’t cope well with stressors, like money, health, family or work, you are more likely to experience this type of anxiety. It can also be a sign for some conditions that increase hormone production, like hyperthyroidism. Common symptoms include trouble sleeping, muscle tension and nausea, but some people experience symptoms that mirror other mental health disorders. 

Social anxiety disorder causes deep fear of social interactions. Someone with this disorder worries about being humiliated or judged socially. They might avoid conversations or speaking in front of groups and become isolated as a result. 

Anyone can experience a panic attack, which is an episode of intense fear accompanied by physical symptoms like a racing heart, a feeling of doom and hyperventilation. Up to 3 percent of people who experience panic attacks develop a panic disorder. People who have panic disorder experience panic attacks repeatedly and without warning. 

When someone goes to extreme lengths to avoid uncomfortable or scary situations, they are coping with a phobia. Specific places, events and objects can trigger panic from a phobia. Common phobias include fear of spiders, water and small spaces. 

While some people experience worse anxiety when they try to relax, most others find that it helps ease anxiety symptoms. Identifying any triggers you might have can help you discover coping strategies that work best for you. 

Your senses can sometimes contribute to anxiety

Coping with anxiety is tough, especially when sensory stimulation often contributes to feelings of anxiety. You have five senses: sight, hearing, taste, touch and smell. Certain stimuli can overwhelm some people through sensory overload. Common sensory inputs that can lead to anxiety or overstimulation include:

• Excessive noise
• Bright or dim lights
• Uncomfortable clothing
• Unpleasant or unwelcome physical contact
• Strong odors

Avoiding stimuli that induce feelings of anxiety is the first step to using your senses to manage anxiety. After you identify these triggers, you can find ways to ease your anxiety through your senses.

Ways to calm anxiety through your senses

Sensory experiences are a great way to ease anxiety. There are relaxation techniques for each of your senses, but you’ll have to experiment to figure out what works best for you. Here are some ideas to get you started.

Sight

Looking at travel photos is a great way to help manage anxiety. When you view photos of vacation destinations, it helps ease your anxiety by activating your parasympathetic system to induce feelings of relaxation. 

Depression is closely related to anxiety, but some people only get depressed during certain times of the year. People who have seasonal affective disorder experience periods of depression during the winter months, since daytime grows shorter and we have less exposure to sunlight. Light therapy can help combat these feelings by simulating sunlight. 

Sound

Sound is a powerful tool for battling anxiety, and there are a few ways you can use it to your advantage. Noise machines that play soothing sounds increase relaxation for over 60 percent of adults, while guided meditation works even better, with two-thirds of adults reporting higher levels of relaxation. 

Studies also show that music therapy significantly reduces anxiety, as well as symptoms for several other mental health disorders. 

Touch

Using your hands to experience soothing sensations or initiating physical contact with a person or pet is another way to use your senses to ease anxiety. Petting a dog or cat, getting into a cool pool of water or initiating physical contact with another person are all ways you can use touch to reduce anxiety. In fact, studies show that hugs reduce stress and anxiety for women due to a surge in oxytocin.

Smell

People use aromatherapy for all sorts of remedies and benefits. Several scents may help reduce anxiety and stave off stress. For example, jasmine is thought to help you relax so you can sleep and makes your sleep more restful. Lavender may help you relax in general.

Sense of smell is so important that people who lose their sense of smell are more likely to have depression and vice versa.

Taste

Your last sense is taste, and just like your other senses, you can use it to reduce anxiety and stress — especially when you’re drinking tea. Certain varieties of tea contain several ingredients that reduce anxiety, including l-theanine, caffeine and antioxidants. You can try reducing anxiety by having tea throughout your day.  

When things get really tough, you can use all five of your senses to reduce anxiety together in a process called grounding. The simplest way is to employ the 5-4-3-2-1 method:

5. Identify five things you can see.
6. Touch four things in close proximity to yourself.
7. Focus on three sounds outside of your body.
8. Find two things that you can smell.
9. Taste something or acknowledge something you can already taste in your mouth.

Using your senses to reduce anxiety is an easily accessible coping mechanism that is beneficial for everyone, even those who don’t have an anxiety disorder. Try it out when you start feeling anxiety to see how it works for you.

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