Six Ways to Reduce Anxiety and Build Resilience Naturally

Life in Boulder Colorado is full of beauty and adventure, but even in a place surrounded by mountains and sunshine, stress can build up. Chiropractic adjustments are a powerful way to balance your nervous system, but what if you can't make it to the chiropractor that day and you need to do something fast to get your body out of fight or flight mode?

Here are six easy resets that help your system shift out of overwhelm and into calm. These work for kids, parents, teens, and anyone who wants healthier energy and more emotional resilience.

1. Humming or Chanting OM

Humming creates gentle vibration through the chest, throat, and head. That vibration stimulates a nerve called the vagus nerve which plays a major role in relaxation and emotional regulation.Just thirty seconds of humming or chanting OM can noticeably soften tension. Kids love this one because it feels silly and fun. Parents love it because it works.

Try this: sit or stand tall. Inhale slowly. On the exhale hum or chant OM for as long as you comfortably can. Repeat three to five times.

2. Get Outside and Look Into the Distance

Because we live in Boulder this one feels completely natural. When you look far into the distance your visual system relaxes. This signals safety to the brain and reduces the fight or flight response.

You can do this by:

Walking outside

Looking out across the plains

Climbing to a lookout spot

Standing on a hill or mountain trail and letting your eyes rest on the horizon

This is one of the quickest ways to reset a stressed brain.

3. The Thirty Second Sensory Grounding Reset

When anxiety rises the brain gets stuck in internal loops. Sensory grounding pulls you back into the present moment.

Try the thirty second reset:

Notice five things you can see

Notice four things you can touch

Notice three things you can hear

Notice two things you can smell

Notice one thing you can taste

This instantly reconnects the brain with the body and stops the stress spiral.

4. Temperature Contrast with Sauna or a Hot Bath

Temperature changes activate the nervous system in a healthy way. A sauna session or a hot bath relaxes muscles and shifts the body toward recovery. The gentle rise in temperature followed by cooling afterward improves circulation and boosts parasympathetic activity which is your rest and heal mode.

For kids this can be as simple as a warm bath and a cooler rinse at the end. For parents a sauna session once or twice a week can create incredible mental clarity.

5. Dance or Move Like Nobody Is Lookin'

Movement changes brain chemistry fast. When you turn on music and move your body your brain releases feel good chemicals that naturally counter anxiety.

This is especially powerful for kids who do not have a verbal outlet for stress. A two minute dance party in the living room can completely shift the energy in your home.

No choreography. No structure. Just movement and fun.

6. Box Breathing

Box breathing is a simple pattern that calms the autonomic nervous system and lowers stress. It is used by athletes, first responders, and anyone who needs to stay steady under pressure.

Try this:

Inhale for four seconds

Hold for four seconds

Exhale for four seconds

Hold for four seconds

Repeat for four to eight rounds

This is a fantastic tool for anxious teens, overwhelmed parents, or kids who need support with emotional regulation.