Seven ways to cope with anxiety, from breathing to working with worry

CareOps editorial team · October 9, 2026 · 7 min read

General information and service guidance published by CareOps. This is not an individual diagnosis or treatment plan.

Translated from our Korean guide. Korean public services, insurance, and helpline numbers refer to South Korea. For urgent help elsewhere, contact local emergency services or a crisis line in your country.

Even though nothing special is happening, my heart is pounding and the worst scenes replay in my head. The more I promise myself not to be anxious, the more anxious I become. It is faster to calm down anxiety from the body than to suppress it with thoughts.

What Happens to Your Body When You Are Anxious

Anxiety is not a breakdown, but an alarm. When your brain detects danger, your heart beats faster, your breathing becomes shallow, your muscles stiffen, and you feel uncomfortable. Getting ready to fight or run away. The problem is that this alarm goes off for things like an announcement, a message, or tomorrow's schedule.

In this state, it is difficult to change your mind and say, ‘It’s okay.’ Because your body is telling you it’s dangerous. So let's change the order. Body first, thoughts second.

Countermeasures you can try right now

1. Long exhale: Breathing method when anxious

Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds, and exhale slowly through your mouth over 6 to 8 seconds. That's about six breaths per minute. A paper reviewing studies on slow breathing (Zaccaro et al., 2018) concluded that this type of breathing is associated with leaning the body toward relaxation and lowering anxiety.

There is also a simpler way. Inhale once through your nose, take another short inhale, and exhale long through your mouth. People who practiced this type of breathing for 5 minutes a day for a month felt better and their breathing rate decreased more than those who meditated for the same amount of time (Balban et al., 2023).

2. 5-4-3-2-1 grounding

Now, look for five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you smell, and one thing you can taste. It's a way to get out of the 'what if' in your head and bring your attention to the here and now.

3. Move your body

Anxiety is a state that prepares the body to move. Walking briskly for 10 minutes or going up and down the stairs uses up that energy and relieves tension.

4. Naming your emotions

Let’s go one step further from ‘I’m anxious.’ Are you nervous, at a loss, or afraid? If you put your emotions into words, you will be less attracted to them. You can practice with Emotion Diary.

What to do when you're still worried

5. Set aside time to worry

Once a day, at the same time and in the same place, set aside 30 minutes of worrying time. If I feel worried at any other time, I put it off and say, ‘Let’s do it at 7 p.m.’ It's not about banning worry, it's about giving it a place. In a 1983 study (Borkovec et al.), people who used this method spent less time worrying during the day. However, do not do it in bed.

6. Divide between worries that can be solved and worries that cannot be solved

7. Check your caffeine and sleep

Caffeine makes your heart beat faster and creates the same physical sensations as anxiety. In an analysis of several experiments (Klevebrant & Frick, 2022), caffeine equivalent to about five cups of coffee caused panic attacks in about half of people with panic disorder and increased anxiety in healthy people. During periods of high anxiety, try reducing your coffee intake or moving it to the morning. It's also common to feel anxious the next day when you don't get enough sleep.

Habits that increase anxiety

• Avoiding — If you avoid something that makes you anxious, it's comfortable for now, but you learn that you're safe because you avoided it, so you become more scared next time.
• Continue to check and search — Reassurance is short-lived, and the distance to check increases.
• Pressure with alcohol — When I drink, it subsides, but when I wake up, my anxiety rises.
• Trying to get rid of anxiety — Anxiety rises and falls like waves. It's quicker to let it pass by.

When to Look for Anxiety Disorder

Anxiety exists in everyone. Generalized anxiety disorder is diagnosed when excessive worry about various things continues almost every day for over 6 months, is difficult to control, and occurs when three or more of the following occur together.

• Feeling restless or restless
• Getting tired easily
• I can't concentrate and feel dizzy
• Increased irritability and irritability
• Tension in muscles such as shoulders and neck
• Difficulty falling asleep or waking up frequently

If you have ever suddenly felt suffocated and fearful of dying, read Panic Attack Symptoms and How to Deal with It. The UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines recommend cognitive behavioral therapy for generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorder.

This article provides general information, not diagnosis or treatment. For urgent help, contact local emergency services or a crisis line in your country. In South Korea, the suicide prevention helpline is 109 (24 hours), and the mental health crisis line is 1577-0199.