How to Take Your Brain
This article was reviewed by Daniel Z. Lieberman, MD.
Let’s be honest: We all have a lot on our plates.
Between work, personal life, and juggling your own needs (plus everyone else’s!), it can feel like your mind is constantly racing. And when your thoughts are moving a mile a minute, it can leave you feeling stressed and mentally drained.
If this sounds familiar, learning how to quiet your mind and clear the clutter could make a big difference in finding calm.
Keep reading for a quick explanation of what could be fueling your busy mind, followed by helpful tips to help you work towards a sense of inner peace.
What Does it Mean to Quiet Your Mind?
When you’re learning how to quiet your mind, the goal isn’t to completely erase every thought – that’s unrealistic. Instead, it’s about slowing down racing thoughts and learning how to cope when your brain feels like it’s overflowing.
But before you can get there, it helps to understand what it really means to quiet your mind. Let’s start by breaking down some root causes of cluttered thinking:
Racing thoughts can involve an overwhelming and uncontrollable rush of mental chatter that can be hard to handle. They can happen for a variety of reasons. For example, you might be busy and have lots to remember and keep up with.
Rumination describes a thought pattern where you focus on negative feelings, experiences, or worries over and over again.
Anxiety might have you fixating on something that triggers your nerves, and soon enough, that spirals into a flood of endless thoughts.
Why It’s Important to Quiet Your Mind
Racing thoughts and rumination, especially before bed, can make it tough to sleep and even lead to insomnia. And consistently not getting enough sleep may worsen symptoms of anxiety.
This creates a cycle of stress that’s hard to break.
Also, constant anxiety and stress can eventually impact things like your weight and heart health.
Translation? Quieting your mind is more than just a way to feel better in the moment — it’s an essential tool for maintaining your overall well-being.
10 Ways to Quiet Your Mind
Sometimes, it feels like your brain just needs a moment to chill. While you can’t literally tell it to take a break, there are some simple techniques that can help.
Let’s jump into some of them below.
1. Learn to Meditate
One of the goals of meditation is to hopefully relieve some of the symptoms and side effects of issues like stress and anxiety — which are two common concerns with cognitive disruption.
One large review of studies found that meditation can help to lower anxiety and stress, partly by bringing you back to the present moment. Another study found that 20 minutes of mindful meditation can lower overall brain activity — something that could be very helpful if your mind is racing.
If you’re not sure how to start, check out meditation apps. There are lots of options out there that can walk you through how to do a body scan to release tension or guided meditations.
2. Take a Deep Breath
In line with meditation, breathing exercises, like 4-7-8 breathing, may help promote calm and can improve how you regulate emotions.
If you find your mind racing, try taking a few deep breaths. After doing this, you may notice you feel a bit calmer and those racing thoughts have stopped — at least for the time being.
Check out our guide on how to relieve anxiety with relaxation techniques.
3. Try Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Progressive muscle relaxation is a great way to release tension and relax your body, one step at a time — starting from your head and working your way down to your toes.
Here’s how it works:
Start by focusing on a small body part, like your fingers or toes.
Tense the muscles as hard as you can for about 10 seconds.
Then, release and relax for twice as long without moving them.
Keep working your way through different muscle groups until you feel more relaxed.
The goal is to remind your body that you’re in control — not your racing thoughts.
4. Move Your Body
Need to chill? Consider going for a run, attending a yoga class, or hopping on your bike. Breaking a sweat can keep you mentally strong. Plus, regular physical activity might relax anxiety resulting from mental chatter.
Simply doing something that requires your focus and energy — like taking a walk, doing some pilates or cozy cardio in your living room — can help ease all that noise because you’re forced to think about the task at hand.
5. Go on a Social Media Break
If spending time on social media is adding to your mental clutter and making it harder to find peace, try taking a break from the online world.
Constantly scrolling and comparing yourself to others can trigger anxiety and keep the mind racing. Next time you catch yourself doom-scrolling, consider swapping your device for a book.
6. Listen to Music
Listening to music can be a great way to calm your mind and improve your mood. Research shows that music has a positive effect on mental well-being and can help temporarily ease anxiety.
While music isn’t a magic fix, it’s a helpful tool to add to your stress-relief toolbox — when you’re feeling overwhelmed, putting on your favorite tunes can provide a much-needed mental break and help quiet racing thoughts.
7. Pick Up a Hobby
Engaging in hobbies can be a great way to quiet a busy mind.
Creative activities like painting, playing music, or journaling allow you to express yourself and stay present, offering a mental break from stress. Doing something you enjoy can also be an act of self-care.
8. Stay Social (or Play With Pets!)
Spending time with others and catching up with loved ones can be a great way to ground yourself and reduce stress. Social interactions help you feel more connected, which can bring a sense of calm and balance.
And while people can be wonderful, don’t underestimate the power of pets!
Whether it’s a cozy cuddle with your dog or playing with someone else’s furry friend, animals offer unconditional comfort and emotional support.
9. Try Talk Therapy
If racing thoughts are making it hard to find peace and live calmly day-to-day, talking to a mental health professional might be a good next step. Therapy provides a supportive space where you can learn strategies to quiet your mind and manage stress.
One effective approach is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
https://www.apa.org/ptsd-guideline/patients-and-families/cognitive-behavioral
, which helps you identify thought patterns that fuel mental chatter.
By working with a therapist, you can shift these negative patterns, quiet critical self-talk, and replace it with a more compassionate inner dialogue.
10. Explore Medication Options
If an anxiety disorder is causing your mental chatter, anti-anxiety medications may help.
You’ll need a prescription for anti-anxiety medication, so talking to a healthcare provider to figure out what medication could work for you is a must.
Some medications doctors commonly prescribe for anxiety include antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), benzodiazepines, and beta-blockers:
SSRIs work by targeting the brain chemicals involved in regulating feelings of anxiety and mood. Examples include sertraline (Zoloft), escitalopram (Lexapro), fluoxetine (Prozac), and paroxetine (Paxil). Hers offers access to Balance Blend Rx, a compounded antidepressant that combines prescription SSRIs with the natural supplements vitamin B6 and L-theanine. L-theanine can promote relaxation, potentially boosting the effects of SSRIs, while B6 helps regulate the nervous system.
Benzodiazepines work quickly and doctors generally prescribe them as a short-term treatment for anxiety. That’s because long-term use significantly increases the potential for dependence and misuse.
Propranolol and other beta-blockers can lower the physical symptoms of anxiety by blocking stress hormones, but they don’t address the psychological symptoms.
How to Quiet Your Mind: Key Takeaways
Taking some of the steps above can help you break free from stressful thinking. Here’s what to remember about how to quiet your mind:
Start by making simple lifestyle changes. Things like taking a break from social media, exercising regularly, and practicing mindfulness might help bring you more peace.
Consider professional help. If you think your busy mind might point to an underlying anxiety disorder that’s interfering with daily life, it’s worth addressing with a mental health professional.
Treatments are available for anxiety that’s interfering with your life. Therapy and medication are two of the most effective treatments for anxiety, helping with both the mental and physical symptoms.
Using stress coping strategies in combination with medical advice from a healthcare professional is usually the best approach to quieting your mind.
This article originally appeared on ForHers.com and was syndicated by MediaFeed.org.
