Best protocols for reducing anxiety

For anxiety, the most directly useful options discussed are quick breathing and movement tools, plus regular practices that build resilience:

• For immediate relief: Do a physiological sigh—inhale through the nose, take a second, shorter inhale, then exhale slowly through the mouth. For a daily practice, repeat this pattern for five minutes; the episode describes it as reducing stress in the moment and reports benefits to mood and anxiety from the five-minute routine. 1 2
• Move forward: Walking, biking, or running—especially while allowing the surroundings to move through your visual field—was described as lowering amygdala activity and anxiety. 3
• Use a calming audio option: Listening to “Weightless” by Marconi Union for three minutes was associated in a cited study with reduced anxiety; the episode reports reductions of up to 65%. 4
• Make anxiety manageable in context: Identify both physical symptoms and what is triggering the anxiety. For example, Matt Abrahams suggests cooling down for blushing or perspiration, and using a present-focused activity such as deep breathing, walking, music, counting backward, or saying a tongue twister. He recommends preparing a personal anxiety-management plan. 5
• Support the baseline: Prioritize regular, sufficient sleep; the episode links poor sleep with greater autonomic dysregulation and heightened stress reactivity. 6

If anxiety is severe or persistent, these tools aren’t a substitute for professional care.