Best protocols for reducing anxiety

The strongest practical approach is to lower anxiety in the moment while supporting the conditions that help your nervous system regulate: use a physiological sigh, build supportive social connection, try structured expressive writing, and protect sleep and nutrition.

1. Quality in-person interactions: Spend time with people you recognize and trust; social connection can buffer long-term stress, while texting and other online contact may not provide the same kind of support. 1 2

2. Expressive writing: Write about a stressful experience for 15–30 minutes across four sessions, including what happened, how you felt, and any connections that come to mind. Start with a moderately stressful event rather than your most traumatic one; stop if the exercise causes distress that feels unmanageable. 3 4 5

3. Consistent sleep, good nutrition, and social connection: Treat these as foundations. Regular, sufficient sleep supports autonomic balance and the circuits involved in fear and clear thinking; sleep regularity and a cool bedroom can support sleep quality. Nutrition and supportive connection also contribute to overall mental health. 6 7 8

For immediate stress relief, try a physiological sigh: inhale through the nose, take a second brief inhale, then exhale slowly through the mouth. 9