That racing heartbeat. The shortness of breath. The overwhelming fear that something is wrong—even when everything seems “fine.” Anxiety attacks do not just affect your thoughts—they hit your whole body. If you have ever felt stuck in one, you know how hard it can be to feel grounded or in control.
Fortunately, you do not have to stay stuck. There are clear, research-informed ways to reduce anxiety symptoms in the moment—and there are professionals who can support you in making those techniques more effective. Chiropractic neurology offers a complementary, clinical approach that can help improve how you respond when anxiety hits.
Anxiety Feels Bigger Than Logic
In the middle of an anxiety attack, even the most logical thoughts often cannot break through the panic. That is because anxiety does not just come from thoughts—it shows up physically. The brain can send distress signals to the body, and the body can amplify those signals in return.
Many people find that breathing techniques, therapy, or medication help manage anxiety—but for others, something still feels “off.” This is where chiropractic neurology may help—by creating better sensory, cognitive, and postural integration that allows your body to respond more calmly to stress over time.
10 Practical, Science-Backed Ways to Calm Anxiety
Whether you are in the middle of a full anxiety attack or just feeling heightened stress, these 10 strategies are designed to help you reset—mentally and physically. They are most effective when practiced regularly and can be supported through professional care.
1. Deep Breathing (4-7-8 Method)
Breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 7, exhale for 8. This deliberate breathing slows your heart rate and shifts your attention away from panic.
2. Ground Yourself with 5-4-3-2-1
Engage your senses to reconnect with the present:
- 5 things you can see
- 4 things you can feel
- 3 things you can hear
- 2 things you can smell
- 1 thing you can taste
This technique interrupts mental spirals and helps anchor your awareness.
3. Acknowledge and Name the Experience
Say to yourself: “This is an anxiety attack. It’s uncomfortable, but it’s not dangerous. It will pass.” Labeling the experience reduces its intensity.
4. Use Cold Water to Reset
Splash your face with cold water or hold a cold compress to your neck. This stimulates a reflex that can naturally lower your heart rate.
5. Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Slowly tense, then release muscle groups, starting from your feet and moving upward. This helps release the physical tension that anxiety creates.
6. Fix Your Gaze on One Object
Focus your attention on a single item in the room. Study its shape, color, texture. This simple visual exercise can help interrupt racing thoughts.
7. Box Breathing
Breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4. Repeat. Known for its calming effect, this technique is used by Navy SEALs and athletes alike.
8. Repeat a Calming Phrase
Examples:
- “I’m okay.”
- “I’ve survived this before.”
- “This feeling is temporary.”
- Repeating a short, affirming statement can help redirect panic into clarity.
9. Visualize a Safe Place
Close your eyes and imagine a calm, peaceful setting. Visualize details using all five senses. Mental imagery helps create space between you and your anxiety.
10. Move Slowly and Purposefully
Stand up. Walk slowly. Stretch gently. Movement helps release built-up tension and gives your body something productive to focus on.
What Brain Areas Are Involved in Anxiety Attacks?
Anxiety may feel like it comes out of nowhere, but it originates from specific, interconnected areas of the brain. During an anxiety or panic attack, several brain regions become hyperactive or dysregulated, creating the intense physical and emotional symptoms many people experience. Understanding these regions can provide valuable insight into why anxiety feels so overwhelming—and how targeted therapies may help.
1. Amygdala: The Threat Detector
Often referred to as the brain’s emotional alarm system, the amygdala plays a central role in detecting threats—real or perceived. When triggered, it can send signals to other brain areas to initiate a “fight or flight” response, even if the danger is not immediate. Overactivity in the amygdala is closely linked with heightened anxiety and panic responses.
2. Prefrontal Cortex: The Regulator
The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is responsible for higher-level thinking, decision-making, and emotional regulation. In healthy function, it helps assess whether a perceived threat is real and applies logic to emotional responses. During anxiety attacks, communication between the prefrontal cortex and the amygdala may be reduced, allowing fear signals to go unchecked.
3. Anterior Cingulate Cortex (ACC): The Conflict Monitor
The ACC helps detect emotional conflict and regulate responses. It works closely with both the prefrontal cortex and the amygdala. Dysregulation in the ACC can lead to increased emotional reactivity and difficulty calming down after emotional arousal.
4. Insular Cortex (Insula): The Internal Sensor
The insula integrates internal sensations like heartbeat, breath, and gut feelings. When hyperactive, it can amplify awareness of physical symptoms such as shortness of breath or a racing heart—intensifying the sensation of panic.
5. Hippocampus: The Memory Integrator
The hippocampus is involved in memory and context processing. It helps distinguish between past and present experiences. When the hippocampus is underactive or overwhelmed, it may fail to remind the brain that a current experience is not the same as a past traumatic event—leading to disproportionate fear responses.
Why This Matters in Care
Understanding which brain regions are involved in anxiety helps guide clinical strategies. Techniques that enhance prefrontal activity or reduce over-sensitivity in the amygdala and insula may help decrease the intensity of anxiety over time. Chiropractic neurology, by engaging sensory, cognitive, and movement-based systems, may indirectly influence how these regions interact—offering support to people who experience anxiety attacks regularly.
How Chiropractic Neurology Helps You Get More from These Tools
Chiropractic neurologists work with people who experience challenges in focus, balance, coordination, and sensory processing—all of which can play a role in how you experience anxiety. While chiropractic neurology does not treat anxiety directly, it helps improve the physical and cognitive systems that make your anxiety management strategies more effective.
A major clinical approach used in chiropractic neurology is vestibular rehabilitation. This involves exercises and therapies designed to improve your sense of balance, spatial awareness, and motion control. When these systems are out of sync, they can contribute to feelings of disorientation, dizziness, or unease—common symptoms that often overlap with anxiety.
Treatment may include:
- Eye movement exercises to improve gaze stability
- Head and neck coordination drills to improve balance
- Standing or seated balance tasks to strengthen body awareness and control
- Sensory-motor integration tests that track how you respond to movement or light stimulation
By improving these systems in a controlled clinical setting, patients often report better concentration, reduced overwhelm in busy environments, and a greater ability to feel grounded. This makes calming techniques like deep breathing or visual focusing even more accessible when they are needed most.
Tools for Now, and Support for the Long Term
Anxiety may never fully disappear—but your response to it can become calmer, faster, and more reliable. With simple, practical tools and the guidance of professionals like chiropractic neurologists, you can gain real-world strategies to handle anxious moments and build lasting emotional resilience.
You do not have to “push through” anxiety. You can learn to respond differently—smarter, slower, and more steadily.
If you or someone you love is suffering from anxiety and you would like to learn how chiropractic neurology can help, contact the team at Georgia Chiropractic Neurology Center today. We look forward to hearing from you.
Written by Sophie Hose, DC, MS, DACNB, CCSP
Peer-Reviewed References
- Anderson, E., & Shivakumar, G. (2013). Effects of exercise and physical activity on anxiety. Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience, 15(2), 239–245. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3622477/
- Ma, X., Yue, Z. Q., Gong, Z. Q., Zhang, H., Duan, N. Y., Shi, Y. T., Wei, G. X., & Li, Y. F. (2017). The effect of diaphragmatic breathing on attention, negative affect and stress in healthy adults. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 874. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00874
- McPartland, J. M., Guy, G. W., Di Marzo, V., & Pertwee, R. G. (2020). Care and feeding of the endocannabinoid system: A systemic approach integrating nervous, immune, and endocrine function. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 115, 18–29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.05.004
- Zhou, Y., Lin, C., Zhao, X., Wang, H., & Li, Z. (2024). Modulation of sensorimotor rhythms and anxiety symptoms following multi-sensory vestibular rehabilitation: A randomized controlled trial. Brain Stimulation Research, 12(1), 55–64. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39595887