Use the 90-second rule to break free from anxiety loops

In her late thirties, neuroscientist Jill Bolte Taylor faced a hemorrhagic stroke that shut down the left hemisphere of her brain. During her recovery she made a startling observation: every intense emotion—fear, rage, grief—rose and fell within about 90 seconds. If no new triggers appeared, the biochemical storm simply dissipated.

Taylor called this the 90-second rule. She realized that after the initial surge of neurotransmitters floods her bloodstream, the body resets. Any continuation of panic or anger beyond that window reflected repeated mental activation, not fresh physiology. In other words, the mind kept rewriting the story.

Psychologists and neuroscientists have since confirmed that the amygdala’s alarm reaction follows a brief cycle before neurotransmitter levels normalize. Yet without awareness, we reflexively feed the loop by replaying the fearful scenario or rehearsing the worst outcome.

By watching the clock and refusing to engage for just 90 seconds, we step out of reactive autopilot and reclaim choice. This simple timing trick creates a pause when the brain’s alarm bells toll, giving the prefrontal cortex a chance to reassert control and plan a calmer response.

Start by noticing the moment a surge of fear or anxiety hits—your mind feels a rush, your chest tightens. Set a timer for 90 seconds and simply observe the sensations without trying to change them. Feel your pulse, note any tremors, watch the clock. Resist the instinct to fix or flee. When the alarm fades, take a slow, grounding breath and choose your next step—perhaps calming yourself with a mantra or moving on to another activity. That 90-second pause can shift the entire trajectory of your day.