It is easy to become stressed and overwhelmed in day-to-day life with our busy schedules, and sometimes we forget to prioritise ourselves and our well-being. Here are a few tips to try that can help you to relax and calm those anxious thoughts.
| Tip | Why | What to do? |
| Breathe it Out | Breathing exercises are one of the simplest relaxation strategies, and can effectively calm your stressed-out body and mind anywhere at any time. | Sit or lay down in a quiet and safe place such as on your bed or the floor in your home and put one of your hands on your belly. Breathe in to a slow count of three, and then breathe out to the same slow count of three. |
| Release physical tension | When we feel mentally stressed, we often feel physically stressed as well | Releasing any physical tension can help relieve stress in your body and mind. Lay on a soft surface, such as your bed, a carpet, or a yoga mat. Tense up one part of your body at a time, and then slowly release your muscles. As you do this, notice how your body sensations change |
| Write down your thoughts | Getting things off your mind by writing them down may help you relax | When you feel stressed, take a few minutes to write down some short notes about how you’re feeling or how your day is going. You might do this in a notebook or in a notes app on your smartphone. Don’t worry about being poetic or spelling everything correctly |
| Make a list | Making a list about what you’re grateful for can help some people feel relaxed | Thinking about the positive parts of your life and writing them down may help you chill out. Try to think of three good things that happened to you today and write them down, even if they’re small things like getting to work on time or eating a delicious lunch |
| Visualize your calm | Have you ever heard the expression “find your happy place”? | Sit in a quiet and safe place, such as your bedroom, and begin to think about a place in the world where you feel most calm. Close your eyes and imagine all the details linked to that place: the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and tactile feelings |
| Connect to nature | Spending just a few minutes in nature when you feel stressed may help you relax | When you’re feeling stressed, take a step outside and go for a short walk, or simply sit in nature. But you don’t necessarily need to be in nature to feel its stress-reducing effects. Scientists have found that simply looking at images of natureTrusted Source with greenery for five minutes on a computer screen can help calm you down |
| How to Stop Overthinking | ||
| Tip | Why | What to do? |
| Step back & look at how you’re responding | The way you respond to your thoughts can sometimes keep you in a cycle of rumination, or repetitive thinking | The next time you find yourself continuously running things over in your mind, take note of how it affects your mood. Do you feel irritated, nervous, or guilty? What’s the primary emotion behind your thoughts. Having self-awareness is key to changing your mindset |
| Find a distraction | Shut down overthinking by involving yourself in an activity you enjoy | It can be hard to start something new when you’re overwhelmed by your thoughts. If finding a distraction feels daunting, try setting aside a small chunk of time — say, 30 minutes — every other day. Use this time to either explore potential distractions or dabble in existing ones |
| Take a deep breath | You’ve heard it a million times, but that’s because it works. The next time you find yourself tossing and turning over your thoughts, close your eyes and breathe deeply | Find a comfortable palce to sit and relax your shoulders and neck, place one hand over your heart and the other other your belly, inhale and exhale through your nose. Do this three times a day for 5 minutes |
| Meditate | Developing a regular meditation practice is an evidence-backed way to help clear your mind of nervous chatter by turning your attention inward. | All you need is 5 minutes and a quiet spot |
| Look at the bigger picture | How will all the issues floating around in your mind affect you 5 or 10 years from now? Will anyone really care that you bought a fruit plate for the potluck instead of baking a pie from scratch? | Just sit and think, you’ve got nothing to worry about |
| Do something nice for someone else | Trying to ease the load for someone else can help you put things in perspective. | Think of ways you can be of service to someone going through a difficult time |
| Recognize automatic negative thinking | Automated negative thoughts (ANTs) refer to knee-jerk negative thoughts, usually involving fear or anger, you sometimes have in reaction to a situation | Use a notebook to track the situation giving you anxiety, your mood, and the first thought that comes to you automatically. As you dig into details, evaluate why the situation is causing these negative thoughts. Break down the emotions you’re experiencing and try to identify what you’re telling yourself about the situation |
| Acknowledge your successes | When you’re in the midst of overthinking, stop and take out your notebook or your favorite note-taking app on your phone. Jot down five things that have gone right over the past week and your role in them. | If it feels helpful, refer back to this list when you find your thoughts spiraling |
| Embrace your fears | Some things will always be out of your control. Learning how to accept this can go a long way toward curbing overthinking | But look for small opportunities where you can confront the situations you frequently worry about. Maybe it’s standing up to a bossy co-worker or taking that solo day trip you’ve been dreaming of |
| Ask for help | You don’t have to go it alone | Seeking outside help from a qualified therapist can help you develop new tools for working through your thoughts and even changing your mindset |
This piece was brought to you by the experts at zealcbd.co.uk