Here are 5 simple ways to quiet your mind:
1. Meditate
The single most effective way to still your mind is meditation. Meditation is the practice of focusing your attention to help you feel calm and give you a clear awareness about your life. There are many types of meditation and relaxation techniques that have meditation components; all share the same goal of achieving inner peace.
2. Breathe deeply
Deep diaphragmatic breathing is a very effective, yet simple method for overcoming stress and quieting your mind; one that can be done anywhere, anytime! When you take shallow breaths, it reduces the amount of oxygen that reaches your brain cells and reduces your overall brain function. Taking deep breaths relaxes your muscles, relieves tension, and helps your brain function better.
3. Practice gratitude
Did you know that practicing gratitude causes real changes in your brain that enhance brain function and make you feel better? If you want your brain to work better, practice being grateful for the good things in your life. Writing down your grateful thoughts makes the practice that much more powerful.
4. Write it down
Try journaling or otherwise putting your thoughts on paper. This process gives those stressful thoughts a home – another place they can live besides your brain. Once those thoughts are expressed, they often no longer feel the need to wreak havoc on your brain so that you can mentally relax.
5. Exercise
Physical exercise is perhaps the single most important thing you can do to keep your brain healthy over time? Physical exercise not only boosts blood flow and other positive nutrients to the brain – it actually stimulates “neurogenesis,” the ability of the brain to generate new brain cells – especially the cells that help the brain self-regulate and calm down!