Self-soothing is a crucial skill for managing stress and anxiety. When faced with an extremely stressful situation, you may feel the urge to ignore or get rid of the feeling. Instead, by self-soothing, you can face your feelings by providing comfort for yourself and calm your mind in the moment. An effective way to do this is to utilize what you already have, your senses.

The first step to self-soothing is to acknowledge your emotions. Label your feelings with a name so that you can provide yourself with more clarity with what you are experiencing. If your feelings are muddled, make sense of them by pinpointing the different feelings (eg. fear, stress, anger). Once you have identified what it is that you are feeling, notice where your body feels it. Is it in your stomach? Are your hands shaking? Is your shoulder tense? Once you have identified the location of where that labeled feeling makes you physically feel, you can start to focus on which one of your senses may be the most useful in calming yourself down. Here are a couple of ways you can use your senses to self-soothe:

Sounds: Use sounds that can relax you or give you peace. This can be natural sounds such as rain, or even your favorite singer. When you start to recognize a pattern of particular sounds or songs that calm you down, start to compile a playlist. Additionally, visualizing the sound itself can also help comfort you. Think of your favorite serene noises and you can find yourself relaxing
Sight: Surround yourself with sights that inspire feelings of tranquility. Study has shown that regular walks and the scenery of nature can improve mood, even if they are just pictures. If the flickering candle provides you a sense of peace, light the candle!
Touch: Grab a soft cushion and either hug it or wrap yourself in it. The texture and the warmth of the blanket can be very comforting. You can even use objects like a smooth stone to soothe yourself. By focusing on the texture, temperature, and weight of an object, you shift your focus from the negative thoughts. Self-touch can also be a great source of self-soothing, as it can reduce cortisol responses to stress.
Smell: Think of your favorite relaxing scents. Wear your favorite perfume or cologne if that scent is attached to a comforting memory. Bake or cook your favorite food. You can even use an oil diffuser.
Taste: Your taste can be utilized in the same method as your sense of touch. You can focus on the textures of food or even certain flavors of them. A hot drink, such as an herbal tea can also be a source of comfort. \

Overall, using your five senses to self-soothe is a simple yet effective way to manage your stress and anxiety. You can create an environment of comfort which allows you to shift your focus away from your stressors, and instead, on how your body feels in the present moment. Next time you feel that you are becoming overwhelmed, give these techniques a try!

Reference:

Lancaster, Vanessa. “How to Self Soothe Using Your 5 Senses.” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, 19 Jan. 2023, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/not-where-i-want-to-be-in-life/202301/how-to-self-soothe-using-your-5-senses.