6 Tips to Channel "Nervous Energy" Effectively

People refer to a particular feeling they sometimes have as “nervous energy.” As you probably know, this term is not a true clinical term. In the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition no such disorder appears. What individuals refer to as nervous energy is clinically known as having elevated or anxious mood. With elevated mood, the individual often feels hyperactive and is propelled to action; with anxious mood, the individual feels nervous, edgy, or uncomfortable.

If your mood is elevated or anxious, there are behaviors you can engage in to feel more relaxed and to feel more emotionally balanced. (What we think of as "emotional balance" is known clinically as emotional regulation, the state in which we feel we have good control over our emotional responses to stimuli. We feel balanced or "in sync.") Try one or all of the behaviors listed below the next time you feel elevated, anxious, or dysregulated. Many of these behaviors have been researched, and I also include a few behaviors that anecdotally have helped previous patients of mine.

1. Do a five-minute bonus self-hygiene routine.

Taking five minutes to practice a few self-hygiene behaviors is an effective activity to reduce anxiety or elevated mood because such behaviors require mental focus, and focusing on something helps to distract from any thoughts or feelings that were previously causing stress or anxiety. In addition, these behaviors are purely solitary, reminding you that you are mentally organized and have the capacity to take good care of yourself, even when stressed or uncomfortable.

Why not use this extra energy to brush and floss your teeth, wash your face with a washcloth, clean your ears, apply moisturizer, and trim your nails? Instead of allowing your nervous energy to waste your time or cause you to wallow in your dysregulated emotional state, use the time to take care of yourself and to complete hygiene tasks now so you don’t have to do them later.

2. Go through your email account and clear out unnecessary emails.

This is one of those annoying activities many people avoid. The next time you have nervous energy, open your email account and clear out your inbox of unnecessary items. Create a new folder or two to keep emails organized. The next time you open your inbox, you will feel more relaxed.

3. Engage in some type of physical activity, even if just for a few minutes.

The benefits of exercise are indisputable. The effectiveness of traditional cardiovascular exercise in reducing stress and anxiety is well documented. Go for a run, swim, dance in your living room, box, or take a cardio class. You can do many cardiovascular exercises in your own home. You can find online yoga classes ranging from just a few minutes to hours.

4. Try a meditation exercise where you have to do (almost) nothing.

Recent research shows that a particular meditation technique is effective in reducing stress. The U.S. Army Research Laboratory (2018) found that a type of meditation (Yoga Nidra, in which the individual lies in corpse pose) can significantly reduce stress.

5. Try coloring in an adult coloring book or color free-form.

The popularity of adult coloring books raises the question of why adult coloring books were not used to the same extent a decade or two ago. Nevertheless, research (Mantzios & Giannou, 2018) has found that adults engaging in a coloring activity (specifically, coloring mandalas, geometric figures representing the universe in Hindu and Buddhist symbolism) decreased both state anxiety and trait anxiety in just 30 minutes.

Given the research findings, you may want to purchase such an adult coloring book and try this activity when you have uncomfortable nervous energy. But if you don't have those resources on hand, take some blank paper and draw or color whatever comes to mind.

6. Write a helpful behavior menu for anxious or elevated mood moments.

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This tip sounds silly or trivial, but the truth is that people often don’t stop to consider all their behavioral choices when they are preoccupied. In other words, you probably know logically that any of these tips can be helpful and effective, but you will be more apt to use one or two if you can select from a list in the moment, as if reviewing items on a food menu when you go out for dinner.

You should review your list when you have elevated or anxious mood, and ask yourself, "Which of these do I feel like trying at this moment?" You may surprise yourself how much more likely you are to try something healthy or good for you when you use this “menu” approach.

The ultimate point

The next time you feel anxious, stressed, or have a little too much energy, channel that energy into activities that will relax or focus you, or that are productive. Too often, we waste time when we are in this state; we feel uncomfortable and simply wait for the "nervous energy" to pass. Instead, reframe the experience to use the time wisely, either to relax or to check items off your to-do list, which will give you a satisfying sense of organization right away.