Overthinking is one of the main problems plaguing many people nowadays. With heightened levels of stress in everyone’s life, it is not uncommon to see people losing sleep over the problems in their life, whether big or small. When the mind is unsettled, a lot of people struggle with racing thoughts, thoughts that spiral out of control and cause severe distress and even lead to depression. But it is very important to calm your mind and stop overthinking. Take a look at this article to know how you can do so.
Breathe
When you inhale slowly and deeply and exhale in a similar manner, your mind automatically calms down. The racing thoughts are interrupted and you get the opportunity to calm down. Proper and rhythmic breathing can lower your heart rate and help you relax. So if you suddenly find yourself worrying too much, just take a break and practice some simple breathing exercises and calm your mind and body.
Meditate
Meditating is one of the best and most effective ways to calm yourself down, especially when your thoughts are racing. However, meditating isn’t always easy and more so when you are stressed. Start by sitting in a calm and comfortable place. Then, count aloud to ten and keep repeating the digits. You can also chant a saying such as “Om” and keep repeating it. The target here is to silence your inner voice and allow yourself to disconnect completely from everything else.
Go for a walk
Distraction works well when you need to calm down. If you can’t control your emotions and thoughts, just leave the situation you are in and go for a walk, run or hike. Notice the small things around, things as simple as the birds flying, the cars zooming by or simply watch people walk by. Try to divert your mind and focus on thoughts on the things around you.
Stop living in the past or the future
A wise person once said that living in the past makes you depressed and living in the future makes you anxious. Truer words have never been spoken! Rather than living in the past or the future, live in the present and focus on the life you have currently. You cannot change the past or manipulate the future, so don’t lose your sleep worrying about things that are beyond your control.
Listen to music
Music acts as a great distraction and if it is your favourite song, it can quickly cheer you up. Remember to listen to peppy music that makes you happy when you’re feeling depressed and listen to relaxing music when you are very stressed. Choosing the correct track makes a difference, so choose wisely.
Speak to a friend
Venting out your emotions proves to be very helpful at times. So if you are very burdened with stress or a particular problem is bothering you, speak about it to a good friend or you could even speak to a therapist and find a lot of solace.
