Can Meditation Reduce Anxiety Symptoms?

Written by Aiyana Smith, LCSW
Aiyana Smith is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Indigenous healer, and founder of Blossom Sustainable Development and Counseling Services.

Updated: 09/03/2026

Meditation for anxiety can reduce symptoms by gently bringing attention back to the present moment and creating space between you and anxious thoughts. With consistent practice, meditation can become a grounding ritual that supports calm, awareness, and connection with yourself. Meditation can complement professional mental health care, but it does not have to replace therapy when anxiety feels overwhelming.

Key Takeaways

• Meditation can help reduce anxiety symptoms for some people.
• Mindfulness meditation is one practical option to try.
• Short, consistent sessions can be easier to maintain than long sessions.
• Breathing exercises can work well alongside meditation.
• Meditation should feel supportive, not like another task to perform perfectly.
• If meditation increases anxiety, another grounding technique or professional support may be a better fit.

Table of Contents

• What type of meditation is best for anxiety?
• How often should I meditate to help with anxiety?
• How can I start meditating when my mind won’t slow down?
• Can breathing exercises be combined with meditation for anxiety?
• What should I do if meditation makes me feel more anxious?
• Frequently Asked Questions

What type of meditation is best for anxiety?

Mindfulness meditation is a practical place to start if you are looking for meditation for anxiety. It involves paying attention to the present moment without judging what you notice. You can focus on your breathing, sounds around you, physical sensations, or a simple repeated phrase.

The goal is not to clear your mind or stop anxious thoughts completely. Instead, you practice noticing when your attention drifts and gently bringing it back to the present. Over time, that practice can become a useful coping skill.

Research suggests that mindfulness-based approaches can help reduce anxiety symptoms, although results vary depending on the person, condition, and type of practice. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) reports that mindfulness-based approaches can be more effective than no treatment and may have benefits comparable to established treatments.

A randomized clinical trial of 138 adults with generalized anxiety disorder found that an eight-week mindfulness-based program was non-inferior to group CBT for reducing anxiety symptoms. The study evaluated a structured treatment program, so the findings do not mean that a few minutes of meditation alone will have the same effect as therapy.

How often should I meditate to help with anxiety?

A short daily meditation practice can be a reasonable starting point for managing anxiety. Consistency matters more than forcing yourself to complete long sessions.

If you are new to meditation, try starting with five minutes once a day for a week. Sit somewhere comfortable, notice your breathing, and return your attention to the breath whenever your mind wanders.

You do not need to feel completely calm for the practice to be useful. Meditation is practice in noticing what is happening without immediately reacting to every thought or sensation.

After a week, you can decide whether a longer practice feels helpful. A 10-minute session may work well for some people, while others may prefer several brief moments of mindfulness throughout the day.

How can I start meditating when my mind won’t slow down?

Start by allowing your mind to be busy instead of trying to force it to become quiet. An anxious mind may produce worries, plans, memories, physical sensations, and questions as soon as you sit down.

Choose one simple anchor. Your breath can be that anchor, but you can also notice your feet against the floor or the sounds around you.

When a thought appears, silently label it “thinking” and return to your anchor. When worry appears, you do not have to solve the worry during the meditation.

This approach can make anxiety meditation feel less like a test. You are not trying to win against your thoughts; you are practicing a different relationship with them.

If sitting still feels impossible, try mindful walking instead. Walk slowly and notice your feet, the movement of your body, and the sensations around you.

Can breathing exercises be combined with meditation for anxiety?

Breathing exercises can be combined with meditation as a simple way to focus attention on the present. The breath gives your attention something concrete to notice.

Begin by breathing comfortably rather than forcing unusually deep breaths. Notice the natural movement of your inhale and exhale and allow your attention to return to that movement when your mind wanders.

You can also pair a brief breathing exercise with another grounding practice. For example, take several comfortable breaths and then notice five things you can see, four things you can feel, and the sounds around you.

The best anxiety relief techniques are often the ones you can actually use when anxiety rises. A simple practice that feels accessible can be more useful than a complicated routine that becomes another source of pressure.

What should I do if meditation makes me feel more anxious?

If meditation makes you more anxious, stop or modify the practice instead of forcing yourself to continue. Meditation is not supposed to be a test of how much discomfort you can tolerate by yourself.

Try keeping your eyes open, shortening the session, or switching from stillness to mindful movement. You can also focus on external sensations, such as the feeling of your feet on the ground, instead of focusing closely on internal sensations.

If meditation repeatedly increases distress, consider talking with a mental health professional. NIMH notes that psychotherapy can incorporate mindfulness and relaxation techniques while also addressing the thoughts, emotions, and behaviors contributing to anxiety.

If anxiety is interfering with daily life, relationships, sleep, work, or your ability to function, meditation does not have to be your only strategy. Blossom Counseling Services offers anxiety therapy in Southampton, NY, for people who want support beyond self-guided coping skills.

About Blossom Counseling Services

Blossom Counseling Services is a team of Indigenous counselors committed to providing hope, wellness, and healing to folks struggling with anxiety. Based in Southampton, NY on the Shinnecock Reservation, Blossom Counseling Services supports individuals through therapy across New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Delaware. Through compassionate counseling, the practice helps people move from having little energy for life toward greater peace, meaning, wellness, and connection.

If anxiety has made it difficult to feel grounded and connected to yourself, Blossom Counseling Services can help you create space for greater peace, healing, and balance. You do not have to figure out your anxiety alone, and meditation can be one part of a larger path toward healing.

Contact Blossom Counseling Services to learn more about available support.