Applying ice to your neck can quickly calm your body

A wave of anxiety can strike when you least expect it. It might feel like your body has betrayed you at the worst possible moment – especially when you’re surrounded by friends or loved ones. But could the key to calming down be simply grabbing some ice cubes?

YouTubers on TikTok and Instagram claim that applying ice to the neck can stop anxiety. We spoke to mental health experts to find out if this viral hack is here to stay.

The truth is that touching ice or something cold can feel like a shock to the system, but when used strategically, it actually triggers physiological changes that help regulate stress.

“When you put ice in that side part of your neck, it triggers stimulation of the vagus nerve, and that in turn kicks off the body’s fight-or-flight mechanism – the crucial part is the cold exposure to your neck or even your chest said Ashwini Nadkarni, MD, associate medical director of Brigham Psychiatric Specialties at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and assistant professor at Harvard Medical School.

Why does cold help with anxiety?

The vagus nerve is the longest cranial nerve in the body, extending from the bottom of the brain through the neck into the chest and stomach. It is part of the parasympathetic nervous system. The parasympathetic nervous system controls involuntary functions such as heart rate and digestion and helps the body relax and recover.

“You can think of it as a counterforce to your sympathetic nervous system and that fight-or-flight mechanism. It is the “rest and digest power” in your body,” Nadkarni said. While the sympathetic nervous system controls our fight or flight response and prepares the body for possible physical exertion, the parasympathetic nervous system essentially acts like a brake.

“It’s like an accelerator and a brake, back and forth. Sometimes you can take it easy, sometimes it’s much gentler, but you’re constantly switching back and forth between these two systems,” Emily Casanova, PhD, assistant professor of neuroscience in psychology at Loyola University, told Verywell.

When your body is in fight or flight, ice touching your neck stimulates the vagus nerve and parasympathetic nervous system throughout the body and up to the brain. Once activated, it begins to counteract the fight-or-flight response.

This stimulation can create feedback loops in the body and brain, Casanova said. While the cold can help lower the body’s heart rate, the brain’s close monitoring of the body can actually help reduce anxiety as it absorbs the feedback.

“The main thing is to get the core temperature down, and (the ice on the neck) is going to cause that,” Casanova said. You can also do this by submerging your head in cold water, taking a cold bath or shower, splashing your face with cold water, or even drinking very cold water, Nadkarni added.

What are other ways to stop anxiety?

Try humming, laughing, or gurgling

According to Nadkarni, humming, laughing, and gargling with water are other effective ways to stimulate the vagus nerve in a way that truly interrupts a panic attack. Since the vagus nerve runs through both the larynx and the pharynx, the vibration of our vocal cords stimulates parts of the vagus nerve, effectively taking the body out of fight-or-flight mode.

Take a long, deep breath

“Breathing through a straw can actually stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system,” Casanova said. Simply pouting your lips and breathing slowly can help you slow down. As your brain continues to monitor your body, deep breaths can help your body regulate its heart rate and create a feedback loop that calls for relaxation and calm.

Sit down and put your feet up

Sitting down and putting your feet up can help your heart relax, promote relaxation, and effectively take your foot off the gas. “You want your heart to not have to work so hard,” Casanova said.