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Five senses

A calm exercise for when your head is full or you feel restless. Step by step, you notice what you see, feel, hear, smell and taste.

Five senses

Five senses

5 things you see

First breathe in and out slowly a few times.

Look around you. Find five things you see. Name them out loud or in your head.

For example a lamp, a colour or your own hand.

Count along, if you like

E-powermentFive senses: the 5-4-3-2-1 exercise

First breathe in and out slowly a few times. Take the time you need for each step.

  1. 5 things you see

    Look around you. Find five things you see. Name them out loud or in your head. For example a lamp, a colour or your own hand.

  2. 4 things you feel

    Notice what you feel. Find four things. For example your feet on the floor, the chair under you, your clothes on your skin or something in your hand.

  3. 3 things you hear

    Listen. Find three sounds, close by or far away. For example a car outside, the ticking of a clock or your own breathing.

  4. 2 things you smell

    Find two things you smell. Can you not smell anything? Then think of a smell you like.

  5. 1 thing you taste

    Find one thing you taste. Have a sip of water if you like. Can you not taste anything? That is fine too.

Does it make you more restless? Then stop. e-powerment.nl/en/tools/vijf-zintuigen

How it works

This exercise is also called 5-4-3-2-1. You go through your senses: your eyes, your skin, your ears, your nose and your mouth.

  1. Sit down or stay standing where you are. Breathe in and out slowly a few times.
  2. Find five things you see. Name them out loud or in your head. Then press Next.
  3. Then find four things you feel, three you hear, two you smell and one you taste.
  4. Want to count along? Then tap the circles. There is no time limit.
  5. Finished? Stay sitting for a while.

What the exercise is for

Sometimes your thoughts go in all directions, or you feel tense or restless. The exercise is meant to bring your attention back to the present: to what you see, feel and hear right now. Care workers also call this grounding.

The exercise is not a treatment.

You can do it anywhere

You can do the exercise almost anywhere: at home, on the bus or in a waiting room. Nobody has to notice, because you can name everything in your head. Do you know the steps? Then you no longer need this page.

Good to know

  • Can you not find something, for example a smell? Then just carry on.
  • Does it make you more restless? Then stop. You can also try Breathe (a breathing exercise).
  • Do you often feel tense or restless, or does it get in the way of your daily life? Talk about it with your GP or a care worker.

Sources

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