Grounding - What is it and How can we Use it to Reduce our Dizziness?

By Cheryl Wylie, MSc (PT)

Grounding refers to techniques that help individuals stay connected to the present moment, alleviate anxiety, and reduce the symptoms associated with concussions and vestibular disorders. Grounding exercises for vertigo often involve focusing on the physical sensations, surroundings, or breathing to bring attention away from distressing thoughts.

Below are some examples of grounding techniques for dizziness we use often in vestibular physiotherapy:

Focus on your Senses

• Sight: 20/20/20 rule – every 20 minutes look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds

• Touch: touch different textures, place hands in water, hold a piece of ice

• Hear: listen to nature sounds or music that makes you calm or happy

• Smell: place peppermint oil under your nose or on your wrist that you can smell throughout the day

• Taste: keep tictacs or mints handy to pop in your mouth when needed

• 5-4-3-2-1 Exercise: Acknowledge and describe five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste.

Breathing

• Diaphragmatic breathing: place a hand on your belly and focus on breath with your belly, feeling your hand rise and fall with each breath. Work to keep your shoulders and chest relaxed.

• Box breathing: breath in for 4 seconds, hold 4 seconds, breath out 4 seconds, and hold again 4 seconds

• Long exhale: Take a breath in and then as slow as possible push all the air out. Then, simple let your lungs do their work inhaling air.

• Alternate nostril breathing: use your right thumb to close the right nostril and inhale slowly through the left. Pinch your nose with your right thumb and ring finger and hold. Release your right thumb so your right finger is left closing the left nostril and exhale through the right nostril, waiting a moment before you inhale again. Repeat this alternating which nostril is used for inhale and exhale.

Body Awareness

• Body Scans and Yoga Nidra: starting with your right big toe, bring focus and attention to it and allow focus to relax the body part. Move slowly up your right leg, focusing on each part as you go. Move to your torso, right arm, head, left arm, left leg and ending at your left big toe.  

• Long Sitting: sit on the floor with your back against the wall and your feet stretched out in front of you. As you breath in, slide one knee close to your chest, and on the exhale extend it again. Repeat on the next breath with the opposite leg.

Weighting

• Use Weighted Items: place a cooling weighted blanket on your lap or try a weighted neck heating pad on your neck and shoulders.

• Axial Compression: interlock your fingers and place your hands on your head, letting the weight of your hands provide a gentle compression force on your head.

• Wear a Backpack: wear a backpack with a little weight in it when out in public spaces or busy visual environments to provide grounding and symptom management

Mental Games

• Categories: think in categories such as fruits and vegetables, movies, etc. and try to list alphabetically

• Recite: Recite something meaningful to you, such as a poem, lyrics to your favourite song, a short story from your childhood, etc. If it has a visual association, even better.

• Describe what is around you: be as descriptive as possible and describe your environment. Remember to think about all the senses of your environment as you describe it (what you see, how it smells, what it feels like, etc.)

• Practice self-kindness and self-talk: Remind yourself that you are safe and give yourself grace during times when you need it the most.

Effective grounding methods for dizziness aim to bring individuals back to the "here and now" and away from overwhelming or distressing thoughts that are associated with vestibular symptoms. At Healing Vertigo we will work together to find the best grounding practices for you. Reach out to us if you have any questions about stabilizing your dizziness with grounding and how it can be used to help with your vestibular or concussion disorder.