Grounding Techniques for Anger: Helping Seniors in La Mirada, CA Stay Calm

According to Psychology Today, older adults report positive emotions more often than younger adults. However, many are still prone to anger arousal due to life's circumstances, such as the loss of relationships, health, and cognitive abilities. These losses can contribute to depression, which can also lead to increased anger.

Anger isn't a good emotion to have for people of any age, especially since it can affect both your physical and emotional wellness. But luckily, coping with anger is possible with strategic methods.

This article will go over grounding techniques for anger that seniors in La Mirada, CA will find useful.

5-4-3-2-1 Sensory Check

The 5-4-3-2-1 sensory check is a classic grounding tool that works not only for anger, but for any sort of intense feeling. It works by pulling your attention away from racing thoughts back to the present by using your senses.

You'll identify the following:

5 things you can see
4 things you can feel (touch)
3 things you can hear
2 things you can smell
1 thing you can taste (or a favorite flavor you can imagine)

You can either speak these things out loud or silently. Either way, it'll interrupt anger's mental loop by engaging the "here-and-now."

Mindful Movement

Mindfulness practices are always excellent for grounding from anger. They allow you to release anger safely through slow and simple motions.

Mindful movement requires you to do 1-3 minutes of:

Shoulder rolls
Neck turns
Ankle circles
Gentle seated twist

You can also do a 5-minute slow walk. Make sure to sync your steps with your breaths.

Whatever you do, the movements will burn off stress hormones and restore mental flexibility.

Box Breathing

Navy SEALS use box breathing, so that should prove how effective this technique is for calming your nervous system. What's great about it is that it's easy to remember and do.

To do box breathing, follow these steps:

Inhale for 4 seconds
Hold for 4 seconds
Exhale for 4 seconds
Hold for 4 seconds
Repeat for 4-6 cycles

It helps to trace an imaginary square with your finger as you do the exercise. The even counting will focus your attention and slow physiological arousal.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation

As you might already know, anger lives in the body as tightness. When you're agitated, you're likely tensing up and not even realizing it. So if you practice stress relief for seniors, you can reduce irritability and tackle problems effectively.

One way to do this is through progressive muscle relaxation. Start with your feet and gently tense them for 3 seconds, and then fully relax for 6-8 seconds. Move upward through the body, with the next parts being:

Calves
Thighs
Hands
Arms
Shoulders
Face

By alternating tension and release, this teaches your body the feeling of letting go.

Name It to Tame It

One of the most effective relaxation techniques is to name your feelings. Often, we're afraid to face them, and when we bury things, they can become worse in the future.

Stop this from happening by labeling your emotions. This can actually lower their intensity and draw power away from them.

To practice this technique, say, "This is anger. I also notice frustration and tight shoulders." This moves activity away from the emotional centers of the brain to the thinking areas, and this can ease overwhelm.

STOP Skill

If you need something short and memorable for heated moments, then learn the STOP skill, as it gives you a quick reset.

"STOP" stands for:

Stop (freeze your action)
Take a breath
Observe (body, feelings, thoughts, surroundings)
Proceed with one small, wise action (e.g., sit down, sip water, speak softly)

It'll do wonders for calming situations since it inserts a pause between trigger and reaction.

Body Scan

Another way to make yourself aware of tense spots in your body and ground yourself during angry moments is to do a body scan.

Slowly scan from your head to your toes. If you find any tight areas, then breathe into them for two breaths, and then release on the exhale.

This exercise moves your attention from thoughts to sensations, and as a result, relaxation will follow.

Humming or Soft Vowel Tones

A study done by Trivedi et al., published in the National Center for Biotechnology Information, found that humming can lower stress and heart rate. So it couldn't hurt to hum or do soft vowel tones when you're aggravated.

First, inhale gently, then hum on the exhale. Or you can say a long, soft "ooh" or "aah." Either way, repeat it for 5-10 breaths, and you'll find yourself calming down.

Guided Imagery

Guided imagery can lead your mind to rest somewhere peaceful. Here are the steps:

Close your eyes and picture a calm location
Engage all senses (note what you see, hear, feel, and smell)
Breathe there for 1-3 minutes

When you have positive imagery in your mind, it'll compete with the angry thoughts and signal safety.

One-Thing-Only Focus

Anger splits the mind into multiple tasks; it's common for people to feel like their thoughts are everywhere. But if you do the one-thing-only focus technique, it'll bring your mind back to one task.

Just choose a simple activity to focus on, such as:

Sipping tea
Folding a towel
Watering one plant

It may seem silly, but describe the steps as you do them, such as, "I lift, I pour, I set down." Single-tasking (as opposed to multitasking) will reduce metal clutter and restore control.

Try These Grounding Techniques for Anger

It may feel like anger is an unruly creature that can quickly take over your life, especially if you've recently gone through loss or other stressful things. However, grounding techniques for anger can help you regain control, which can then reduce conflicts and ruined relationships.

So don't let anger take over your life. Not only is it unpleasant, but it can also unnecessarily cause damage to your health. Putting the above techniques into practice can turn things around fast, so don't be afraid to use them, even if it feels strange at first.

Get in touch with us today to hear more about independent living in La Mirada, CA. La Mirada Heights has three gorgeous gardens and various community spaces where you can relax and socialize.