Photo: Thinkstock

An eminent personage, a leader in his field, who had been teaching university classes for 30 years, once told me that he still felt like throwing up  every time he was about to teach a class. I found this confession at once reassuring and unsettling. You mean that jangling-butterfly-sensation never goes away, no matter how experienced you are? Rats. And, as it turns out, even big famous television stars, who perform for millions, who must see their faces on enormous posters all the time, who appear in national magazines and stare out at us from checkout lines all the time, yes, even those larger-than-life people get nervous.

San Francisco Chronicle TV Critic David Wiegand asked several Emmy nominee what they do to calm their pre-award-show jitters, and their answers ranged the gamut, from drinking "buckets"-worth of alcohol to drinking "small children's pools"-worth of alcohol. Mood-altering substance aside, some of the actors had some great advice to share.

-Mayim Bialik, of "Blossom," whoops I mean, "Big Bang Theory," said, "Music soothes the savage beast," recommending Adele and The Decemberists.

-"New Girl" Zooey Deschanel reminded us quite sensibly that actors are used to being nervous, but conceded that she "would just drink a glass of water and take a deep breath."

-And finally,  her fellow "New Girl" actor Max Greenfield dispensed some advice we could all do to follow, every day: "A case of presence. Yes. Not 'presents.' Presence. Yes, we want to bring ourselves into the present moment and say, 'Hey! Look at this. Look what's happening. Let's be grateful for this moment and take it all in.' You know what I mean?"

Mr. Greenfield, we do.

More relaxation tips -- and drink ideas! -- from the stars at SFGate.com.

Read More:
Meditation for Beginners
Three Unexpected Ways to Relax