Time Travelers

You deserve a positive and productive experience with your medical provider, and we hope to make that possible for you!
This website was created for patients who may experience anxiety and distress at a medical appointment. By practicing these techniques both in and outside the doctors' office, you can develop a toolkit to conquer your fears before you step into the waiting room.
To get started, simply scroll below and learn as many exercises as you need.

4-7-8 Breathing

To begin this exercise, sit or lay down with a straight back.
Place the tip of your tongue against the tissue just behind your upper front teeth and keep it there throughout the exercise.

1. Breathe in through your nose for four seconds
2. Hold your breath for seven seconds
3. Breathe out through your mouth for eight seconds

*Repeat this cycle four times.

Belly Breathing

To begin this exercise, you can either sit or lay down in a comfortable position.

1. Place one hand on your stomach and the other hand on your chest.
   Imagine there is a balloon in your stomach that you are filling (by expanding the stomach) and deflating (by gently flatten the stomach muscles).


2. Breathe in through your nose for a slow count of five.
   You should feel your stomach rise as you inhale.


3. Exhale slowly over a count of five.
   You should feel the balloon in your stomach deflating. The hand on your chest should remain mostly still.

Box Breathing

Before starting this exercise, you should sit or lie down in a comfortable position that makes it easy to breathe freely.

1. Breathe in through the nose while counting to four. Continue inhaling for the entire 4 seconds.
   Your breath should be slow and steady.
2. Hold the breath in your lungs for another count of four.
3. Exhale through the mouth while counting to four.
   As with the inhale, the exhale should be slow and steady.

5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Technique

Before starting this exercise, sit in a comfortable position and take several deep breaths. Once you find your breath, go through the following steps:

5: Acknowledge FIVE things you see around you. It could be a pen, a glass of water, or anything in your immediate surroundings.

4: Acknowledge FOUR things you can touch around you. It could be your hair or the ground under your feet. Notice the texture of the four things you touch. Is it soft? Rough? Flexible or hard?

3: Acknowledge THREE things you hear. This could be any external sound. You may notice the loudest sounds first, such as someone talking or a car honking. Challenge yourself to listen to the quiet sounds that tend to be in the background. Notice which sounds brings you a sense of comfort or calm.

2: Acknowledge TWO things you can smell. If at first you don’t feel like you can smell anything, simply try to sense the subtle fragrance of the air around you or of your own skin.

1: Acknowledge ONE thing you can taste. Consider popping in a piece of gum or a mint or taking a sip of your drink.

Body Scan Meditation

Before starting this exercise, find a comfortable position and take several deep breaths. Once you find your breath, go through the following steps:

1. Get comfortable. Lying down is preferable but if that's not possible, sitting comfortably is also an option.
2. Take a few deep breaths. Let your breathing slow down. Start breathing from your belly instead of from your chest, letting your stomach expand and contract with each breath.
3. Bring awareness to your feet. Now slowly bring your attention down to your feet. Begin observing sensations in your feet. Move your feet or wiggle your toes. If you notice pain, acknowledge it, and gently breathe through it.
4. Breathe into the tension. Focus on any uncomfortable sensations. Visualize the tension leaving your body through your breath and evaporating into the air.
5. Scan your entire body. Continue this practice with each area of your body, gradually moving up through your feet until you reach the top of your head. Notice how you feel and where you are holding your stress. Continue to breathe into any tightness, pain, or pressure you are feeling.

Updated on March 16, 2023