Are you struggling with a panic hangover? If you’ve survived a sympathetic nervous system surge, you are likely experiencing an adrenaline crash that leaves you feeling "weird," exhausted, and emotionally drained. This is post-panic recovery, and today we clear the brain fog to get your day back on track.
In this episode of Calming Anxiety, we use the science-backed 5-4-3-2-1 sensory grounding technique to stop dissociation and anchor you in the present. We also address the physical symptoms of air hunger by balancing your carbon dioxide levels through mindful respiration.
Inside this session:The 5-4-3-2-1 Reset: A sensory guide to stop the "weird" feeling and return to the room.
The script
Transcribed from the audio, so the odd word may be off. Tap any line while it plays to keep the words in step with Martin's voice.
The heart rate has slowed, the shaking has stopped, but now you are left with a panic hangover, that heavy, dissociated fog that makes you feel weird, exhausted and emotionally drained. You have just survived a sympathetic nervous system surge and your body is now an adrenaline crash. You aren't lazy and you aren't failing. You are in a post-panic recovery.
Let's clear the brain fog and get you back into your day. Welcome back to calming anxiety. I am here to help you move from surviving to thriving. If these spikes becoming a regular part of your life, especially during hormone or shifts or seasonal changes, it's time to build a stronger defense.
My anxiety circuit breaker course at calminganxiety.fm gives you the science back tools to lower your anxiety threshold. But right now, let's focus on reclaiming your energy. We are going to use a sensory grounding technique to stop the dissociation and anchor you in the present moment. This is the 5-4-3-2-1 method.
5. Find five things right now that you can see. Pen, a shadow, a leaf, but name them silently in your thoughts.
4. Find four things that you can touch. The texture of your sleeves, the coolness of a desk. Fill them now.
3. Listen for three distinct sounds. The hum of a fridge, a distant car, your own breath, the sound of my voice.
2. Find two things that you can smell, the scent of your coffee, the air in the room.
And one, one thing that you can taste. As you do this, notice that your air hunger, that feeling of not being able to take a deep breath. It's slowly dissipating. Your carbon dioxide levels are balancing.
You are back in the room. You are safe. Now take a deep, deep in breath and right at the very top, an extra sip of air to fully inflate the lungs. And then a long, slow sigh out.
Feel your shoulders, dropping away from your ears as you exhale.
Let's do that again. A deep, mindful in breath, fill the lungs right up and then an extra sip right at the very top. And then a slow, long release. A deep, audible sigh.
Your reset for the mind. Your coffee break for the song. Relax deeply and safely. And visualize your energy not as a spent battery.
It has a garden after the storm. The storm has passed and now the sun is coming out. It's warmth taking away the anger, the stress, the tension.
And within your beautiful imagination on every out breath, visualize these wonderful words repeating them to help with your emotional regulation. Visualize them in your thoughts and relax ever deeper. I am allowing my body to process this adrenaline crash with grace and patience.
The weird feeling I am experiencing is just my nervous system returning to baseline.
I am clearing the post panic fatigue and reclaiming my mental clarity.
I am safe in this aftermath and I choose to nourish my adrenal health.
Every breath I take is a neuro pathway reset moving me toward peace.
I am not my anxiety. I am the strength that survived it. And relax even deeper.
Feel the meaning, the intent of these simple words and the power that they give back to you. And then once more my friend, imagine and repeat. I am allowing my body to process this adrenaline crash with grace and patience.
The weird feeling I am experiencing is just my nervous system returning to baseline.
I am clearing the post panic fatigue and reclaiming my mental clarity.
I am safe in this aftermath and I choose to nourish my adrenal health.
Every breath I take is a neuro pathway reset moving me towards peace.
I am not my anxiety.
Here are your 3 daily caring tips for the panic hangover. 1. Hydrate with electrolytes.
An anxiety attack is physically taxing. Re-planish your minerals to help your muscles relax and stop post panic tremors. 2. The 20 minute grace period. After a spike, don't rush back into high stakes tasks. Give your prefrontal cortex 20 minutes to come back online while doing something with low stimulation. 3. Check your hormonal window.
If you are a woman age 20 to 50, track if these spikes happen during PMS or ovulation. Understanding the hormonal link can remove the fear that something is wrong with your mind. You are lovely and perfect as you are. You've navigated the storm and you're still standing.
That is a victory. For more help mastering your panic recovery, head over to calming anxiety FM and explore the anxiety circuit breaker course. Take care my friend. Smile often. And your song... be kind.