How to Quiet Your Mind
Below are some activities which
may quiet your mind and help you feel calm. Try some out that you think will
work for you. Don’t pick something you wouldn’t like. Try something for at
least three times before you decide to keep it or discard it. Like a
smorgasbord, you can pick a different way to calm yourself on different days,
or you can pick one you really like and do it every day. This is for you, so
make it your own. It takes regular practice to develop the skill of
self-calming and quieting your mind.
Breath
We
do this all the time, but to use your breathing to find stillness, be more
careful and conscious about it. Pay attention to the rhythm. If you take short,
quick breaths, try to move toward slower, deeper ones. Put your hand on your
belly: You should feel it rise and expand as you draw air in and fall as you
let it out. Shoot for about six breaths a minute.
Watch Fish Swim
People
with home aquariums say they feel calmer, more relaxed, and less stressed when
they gaze at their fish, and science backs it up. It isn't just the water,
although that alone helps. A study using a tank hundreds of times larger found
that the more types of marine life that were added, the happier people got. Heart
rates and blood pressures dropped, too.
Mindfulness
Focus
your mind on the present. Let go of the past and the future. Let your mind’s
eye scan over your body from head to toe. Be aware of each part of your body.
The scan involves systematically sweeping through the body with the mind,
bringing an affectionate, openhearted, interested attention to its various body
parts. Pay attention to your breathing.
As you inhale think of yourself taking in fresh healthy air. As you exhale
think of getting rid of anything your body doesn’t need. Stay in the moment. Do
this for 9 minutes.
Exercise
Just
5 minutes of aerobic exercise, like a brisk walk, could start to calm your
mind. It releases endorphins -- chemicals that make you feel good and can help
improve your mood, focus, and sleep. High-intensity interval training (HIIT)
can give you a big dose of them in a short time. After warming up, alternate
20- to 30-second bursts of pushing yourself hard (like doing sprints, squats,
or fast weightlifting) with equal amounts of rest.
Listen to Music
It
literally calms the activity in your brain. Fewer neurons fire in your amygdala
(the part of your brain that responds to fear), which may lead to fewer signals
sent to other parts of your brain. Music is a good thing to try if you're
distracted by pain. Listen closely, not just as background. The more you
notice, the less you'll dwell on your other thoughts.
Help Someone
It
lights up parts of your brain that make you feel pleasure and connection. Doing
something nice for someone lowers stress and lessens feelings of loneliness. It
may even boost your heart health and immune response. Fun fact: When you spend
money on other people, your body releases more endorphins (the same chemicals
from exercise) than when you spend on yourself.
Go Outdoors
Being
in and around nature often makes people think more clearly and feel more
relaxed and refreshed. Your brain doesn't have to work as hard in a greener
environment. In one study, after 20 minutes in a park, children with ADHD were
able to concentrate better. Spending time outside can also bring down your
heart rate, blood pressure, stress hormones, and even muscle tension.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Use
the connection with your body to soothe your mind. Pick a body part -- foot,
leg, mouth, eyes -- and tense it for a few seconds. Then release and relax for
10 seconds or so. Notice how that feels different. Switch to another part, and
keep going until you've done your whole body. This can also improve sleep and
may even ease headaches and stomachaches.
Hang Out with a Dog
Whether
it's a member of your family or a therapy dog, a friendly pooch can make you
feel less anxious, tense, confused, and restless. When you pet and play with
them, it seems to lower levels of stress hormones. One reason could be that
your body releases oxytocin, a hormone that plays a role in bonding and trust.
(Although not studied as much, cats can calm you, too.)
Guided Imagery
Think
of a favorite spot, real or imagined, that makes you calm and happy: perhaps a
beach at sunset, a comfy chair in front of a fireplace, or a stream in the
forest. Focus on details. Can you smell pine needles, for example? See bubbles
in the water? Hear the gurgle and splashing? There are audio recordings and
apps that can help you through this process.
Hatha Yoga
This
mix of challenging poses and controlled breathing helps you turn your awareness
to being in the present moment instead of judging yourself and others. There's
also evidence that a regular practice lessens anxiety and takes the edge off
your natural stress response. Plus, it's exercise that builds your strength and
flexibility. Go to a class, and you'll get the benefits of socializing with
other people, too.
Get Creative
Activities
like coloring books, knitting, scrapbooking, and pottery offer an escape for a
busy mind. Simple, repetitive actions, especially -- like kneading dough -- can
help you redirect your thoughts and tune out the chatter in your head. Let your
inner child play! The key is to enjoy the process and not worry so much about
the result.
When
you find your mind racing full-speed or spiraling down a rabbit hole, change
your focus: stretch, daydream, walk around, get a snack, or chat with a friend.
Take at least 5 minutes to recharge and reset. You'll be more centered and
clear-headed. If you're going to be working intently, set a timer or use an app
to remind you to stop every 90 minutes or so.
Dig in the Dirt
It's
not just the great outdoors and the exercise at work here. The soil itself has
microorganisms that might help you focus and lift your mood. Gardeners are less
depressed and anxious, and they feel more connected to their communities.
Biofeedback
This
technique teaches you to control your reactions to stress. Working with a
therapist, you're hooked up to a computer that shows your brainwaves. You could
track your heart rate, skin temperature, and breathing, too. This lets you see
in real time what happens when you're triggered and when you try to counteract
it. Over time, you'll figure out how to calm your body's response on your own.
Writing
Write
the things for which you are grateful, the positive things that happened in the
last few days, a letter to a friend. Don’t worry about grammar. You can correct
that later. Let your inner self come out through your pen or pencil or
keyboard.
Add your own ideas to calm
yourself and try them out. Enjoy the experience.
- Some of the above ideas
came from WebMD.
Clothing and Setting:
Loose,
comfortable clothing.
Lie
down on a bed, couch, recliner, carpeted floor, etc. (small or no pillow).
A
room with few or no distractions, e.g., turn off the phone.
Music
may help or distract.
Relaxation:
Muscles
- Compare tense and relaxed states. See below.
Go
through all of the muscles twice listed on the sheet at least two sessions.
When
you know a muscle or muscle group is relaxed, you don’t need to do the tension.
When you tense and relax all of the muscles twice on the sheet it will take 25 minutes.
As you don’t tense the muscles you know are already relaxed the time will diminish to five minutes and then to two minutes.
Eventually,
you can do the relaxation in the presence of others without them being aware.
Imagery:
Always
include relaxing imagery. Examples might be lying on the beach, lying under a shade
tree, lying on your bed, etc.
Not
all enjoyable imagery is relaxing, e.g. sexual imagery, skiing, motorcycling.
Be
aware of as many senses as possible: touch, sight, sound, smell, etc.
Desensitization: For specific
anxieties, phobias and localized pain.
Construct
a hierarchy: Have several specific scenes in each category of situations which cause you anxiety.
Relax,
imagine a scene low on the hierarchy. If you start to feel tense, stop
imagining the scene and return to relaxation. Then
repeat until you can stay relaxed in the scene for
30 seconds.
Then
go to the next scene in the hierarchy.
Use
imagery first, then move from imagery to real life experiences.
Muscle Groups, Tension, Relaxation
When practicing, lie down on a couch, bed, recliner, carpeted floor or other comfortable place. Wear comfortable, loose clothing. Reduce distractions and interruptions.
TENSION STATE MUSCLE GROUP RELAXATION STATE
1. Clench fists Hands & Fingers Open hands, rest in lap or at side
2.
Arms stretched out forward, Lower
Arms Open hands, rest in
lap or at palms down, side fingers up & back
toward shoulders
3.
Hands by shoulders, make a muscle Upper
Arms Open hands, rest in
lap or at side
(like Popeye)
4. Lift should as if trying to touch ears Shoulders Drop shoulders to a
comfortable resting
position
5a.
Touch chin to chest Neck Bring head to a
comfortable resting
position
b. Push head back against back rest Neck Bring head to a
comfortable resting
position
c. Move head as if saying “yes” & “no” Neck Bring head to a comfortable together resting position
d. Message muscles on back & side Neck Bring head to a
comfortable
of neck resting
position
6.
Wrinkle forehead and squint Forehead
& Eyes Smooth forehead
& stop squinting
7.
Bite down firmly on back teeth Cheeks
& Jaw Drop jaw, part
lips
8.
Press lips firmly together Lips Part lips
9.
Press tongue against roof of mouth Tongue Rest tongue in floor of
mouth
10. Arch back, create space at small Back Allow back to rest comfortably of back
11.
Two deep breaths, hold breath Breathing Breath naturally, note air flow
12.
Tighten stomach muscles as if Stomach Relax stomach muscles
13.
Tighten buttocks muscles Buttocks Relax buttocks muscles
14.
Lift legs 6 inches off “ground” Upper
Legs Rest legs
comfortable on “ground”
15.
Pull toes toward knees Lower
Legs Return toes to
comfortable position
16. Turn toes under as if Feet & Toes Return toes to comfortable digging into sand position
___________
Repeat
in your mind such key words as “relax,” “calm,” “at ease,” “enjoyable,”
etc. Imagine yourself in a special
relaxing place. When you know a muscle
group is relaxed don’t tense that muscle group, just enjoy the relaxation.
Deep Muscle Relaxation and
Desensitization References
Benson, H., & Stuart, E.
(1992). The Wellness Book: The Comprehensive Guide to Maintaining Health and
Treating Stress-Related Illness. Secaucus, NJ: Birch Lane Press.
Cash, T. F. (1991). Body-Image
Therapy: A Program for Self-Directed Change. In New York: Guilford
Publications. Audio Tapes.
Davis, M., Eshelman, E. R.,
& McKay, M. (1995). The Relaxation & Stress Reduction Workbook (Fourth
ed.). Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications.
Epstein, G. (1989). Healing
Visualization: Creating Health Through Imagery. New York: Bantam.
Jacobson, E. (1974). Progressive
Relaxation. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.
Klein, A. (1989). The Healing
Power of Humor. Los Angeles: Jeremy P. Tarcher.
Linden, W. (1990). Autogenics: A
Clinical Guide. New York: Guilford Press.
Loehr, J., & Migdow, J.
(1986). Take a Deep Breath. New York: Villard Books.
Schwartz, M. S., et al. (1987).
Biofeedback: A Practitioner's Guide. New York: Gilford Press.
Wolpe, J. (1982). The Practice
of Behavior Therapy (3rd ed.). New York: Pergamon Press.
For videos on progressive
relaxation, go to your browser and type videos on progressive relaxation.
Review them and keep using the one you like the best.
More about Mindfulness.
"Mindfulness means maintaining a
moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and
surrounding environment.
Mindfulness also involves
acceptance, meaning that we pay attention to our thoughts and feelings without
judging them—without believing, for instance, that there’s a “right” or “wrong”
way to think or feel in a given moment. When we practice mindfulness, our
thoughts tune into what we’re sensing in the present moment rather than
rehashing the past or imagining the future.
Though it has its roots in
Buddhist meditation, a secular practice of mindfulness has entered the American
mainstream in recent years, in part through the work of Jon Kabat-Zinn and his
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program, which he launched at the
University of Massachusetts Medical School in 1979. Since that time, thousands
of studies have documented the physical and mental health benefits of
mindfulness in general and MBSR in particular, inspiring countless programs to
adapt the MBSR model for schools, prisons, hospitals, veterans centers, and
beyond.
Why Practice Mindfulness?
Studies have shown that
practicing mindfulness, even for just a few weeks, can bring a variety of
physical, psychological, and social benefits. Here are some of these benefits,
which extend across many different settings.
• Mindfulness is good for our
bodies: A seminal study found that, after just eight weeks of training,
practicing mindfulness meditation boosts our immune system’s ability to fight
off illness.
• Mindfulness is good for our
minds: Several studies have found that mindfulness increases positive emotions
while reducing negative emotions and stress. Indeed, at least one study
suggests it may be as good as antidepressants in fighting depression and
preventing relapse.
• Mindfulness changes our
brains: Research has found that it increases density of gray matter in brain
regions linked to learning, memory, emotion regulation, and empathy.
• Mindfulness helps us focus:
Studies suggest that mindfulness helps us tune out distractions and improves
our memory and attention skills.
• Mindfulness fosters compassion
and altruism: Research suggests mindfulness training makes us more likely to
help someone in need and increases activity in neural networks involved in
understanding the suffering of others and regulating emotions. Evidence
suggests it might boost self-compassion as well.
• Mindfulness enhances
relationships: Research suggests mindfulness training makes couples more
satisfied with their relationship, makes each partner feel more optimistic and
relaxed, and makes them feel more accepting of and closer to one another.
• Mindfulness is good for
parents and parents-to-be: Studies suggest it may reduce pregnancy-related
anxiety, stress, and depression in expectant parents. Parents who practice
mindfulness report being happier with their parenting skills and their
relationship with their kids, and their kids were found to have better social
skills.
• Mindfulness helps schools:
There’s scientific evidence that teaching mindfulness in the classroom reduces
behavior problems and aggression among students, and improves their happiness
levels and ability to pay attention. Teachers trained in mindfulness also show
lower blood pressure, less negative emotion and symptoms of depression, and
greater compassion and empathy.
• Mindfulness helps health care
professionals cope with stress, connect with their patients, and improve their
general quality of life. It also helps mental health professionals by reducing
negative emotions and anxiety, and increasing their positive emotions and
feelings of self-compassion.
• Mindfulness helps prisons:
Evidence suggests mindfulness reduces anger, hostility, and mood disturbances
among prisoners by increasing their awareness of their thoughts and emotions,
helping with their rehabilitation and reintegration.
• Mindfulness helps veterans:
Studies suggest it can reduce the symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
(PTSD) in the aftermath of war.
• Mindfulness fights obesity:
Practicing “mindful eating” encourages healthier eating habits, helps people
lose weight, and helps them savor the food they do eat.
How to Cultivate Mindfulness?
Jon Kabat-Zinn emphasizes that
although mindfulness can be cultivated through formal meditation, that’s not
the only way. “It’s not really about sitting in the full lotus, like pretending
you’re a statue in a British museum,” he says in this Greater Good video. “It’s
about living your life as if it really mattered, moment by moment by moment by
moment.”
Here are a few key components of
practicing mindfulness that Kabat-Zinn and others identify:
• Pay close attention to your
breathing, especially when you’re feeling intense emotions.
• Notice—really notice—what
you’re sensing in a given moment, the sights, sounds, and smells that
ordinarily slip by without reaching your conscious awareness.
• Recognize that your thoughts
and emotions are fleeting and do not define you, an insight that can free you
from negative thought patterns.
• Tune into your body’s physical
sensations, from the water hitting your skin in the shower to the way your body
rests in your office chair.
To develop these skills in
everyday life, you can try these exercises used in Kabat-Zinn’s MBSR program
and elsewhere:
• The body scan, where you focus
your attention along your body, from the toes to the top of your head, trying
to be aware and accepting of whatever you sense in these body parts, without
controlling or changing those feelings.
• The raisin exercise, where you
slowly use all of your senses, one after another, to observe a raisin in great
detail, from the way it feels in your hand to the way its taste bursts on your
tongue. This exercise is intended to help you focus on the present moment, and
can be tried with different foods.
• Walking meditation, where you
focus on the movement of your body as you take step after step, your feet
touching and leaving the ground—an everyday activity we usually take for
granted. This exercise is often practiced walking back and forth along a path
10 paces long, though it can be practiced along most any path.
• Loving-kindness meditation,
which the GGSC’s Christine Carter explains in this post, involves extending
feelings of compassion toward people, starting with yourself then branching out
to someone close to you, then to an acquaintance, then to someone giving you a
hard time, then finally to all beings everywhere.
Over the years on Greater Good,
we’ve identified successful programs for cultivating mindfulness; here are some
highlights.
• Jon Kabat-Zinn’s Mindfulness
Based Stress Reduction Program (MBSR), in which students meet for two-to-three
hours per week for eight weeks, practicing at home between classes; it has
helped tens of thousands of people build mindfulness.
• Mindfulness-Based Cognitive
Therapy (MBCT) adapts the MBSR model specifically for people suffering from
depression and chronic unhappiness. Developed by Zindel Segal, Mark Williams,
and John Teasdale, MBCT combines mindfulness practices with practices from
cognitive therapy, and it has been backed up by a great deal of research.
For more: Watch our videos of
Kabat-Zinn for his take on how to build mindfulness and check out these “Six
Mindfulness Exercises You Can Try Today” from Pocket Mindfulness."
Reference source: http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/topic/mindfulness/definition
Self-help Books on Anxiety
The Sky is Falling by Raeann Dumon
The Anxiety Cure by Archibald Hart
Beyond Anxiety and Phobia by Edmund Bourne
Panic and Anxiety Disorder by Linda Manassee Buell
Panic Free by Lynne Freeman
Living with Anxiety by Bob Montgomery & Laura Morris
Power Over Panic: Freedom from Panic/Anxiety Related
Disorders by Browyn Fox et al.
Overcoming Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Client Manual by
John White
Self-Coaching: How to Heal Anxiety and Depression by Joseph
J. Luciani
An End to Panic: Breakthrough Techniques for Overcoming Panic
Disorder by Elke Zuecher-White
Overcoming Anxiety: A Self-Help Guide Using Cognitive
Behavioral Techniques by Helen Kennerley Mastery of Your Anxiety and Panic by
Michelle G. Craske et al.
Healing Fear: New Approaches to Overcoming Anxiety by Edmund
J. Bourne
Brain Lock by Jeffery Schwartz & Beverly Beyette
Worry: Controlling It and Using It Wisely by Edward Hallowell
Happiness
Handbook: Strategies for a Happy Life by Timothy J. Sharp
Short Article About Anxiety
Set
yourself free by developing a growth mindset toward anxiety by Hans Schroder,
at https://psyche.co/ideas/set-yourself-free-by-developing-a-growth-mindset-toward-anxiety?utm_source=Psyche+Magazine&utm_campaign=11821d182a-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2021_06_21_06_22&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_76a303a90a-11821d182a-71949864
You may enjoy the work of Brene
Brown. She has books, videos and podcasts. Here’s a place to begin. https://brenebrown.com/podcast/brene-on-anxiety-calm-over-under-functioning/#close-popup
Audible’s 10 Best Audiobooks for Soothing Anxiety
https://www.audible.com/blog/playlisted/best-audiobooks-for-anxiety?source_code=GO1DH13310082090P1&ds_rl=1262685&ds_rl=1263561&ds_rl=1260658&gclid=Cj0KCQjw0emHBhC1ARIsAL1QGNd8wRIsTXgFM9Ibq2YeedvCOkkc02JtqqJrXpb6q4CnKZCZINOL1LgaAjm2EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds