How to quiet an anxious mind
During times of challenge, adversity or change, even the most carefree among us can turn into a "worry wart." And with today's fast-paced lifestyle, many of us feel anxious or worried a lot more often. Try some of these techniques to help keep anxiety in check.
Identify
Making a list of what's on your mind will help you identify all your worries, large and small – perhaps difficult relationships, the state of your health or finances, the weather, your job, even the performance of your favourite sports team. Once you see it in writing, you may notice there are some worries that are beyond your control, or hypothetical "what if" situations that may not come to pass.
On the other hand, once you acknowledge that you've been spending a lot of energy worrying about a specific situation, for example, you can assess the validity of your concerns – and figure out how to take concrete action. There might even be actions you can take to alleviate certain situations right away!
Discuss
You may find it helps to confide in someone you trust, such as a therapist or a good friend. Often, articulating your anxieties can provide clarity, and external feedback can offer an alternate view of the situation and lead you to possible solutions.
Alter
What can you do to change your internal dialogue – the voice you hear in your head, often a critical or anxious voice? Instead of thinking about what might happen or what could happen, focus your attention on the here and now: how you feel, what's working, what isn't – and what you can do to change it. Over time, you may find that worrisome little voice grows quieter.
Educate
The more you know, the better prepared you will be to take action and improve the situation. Suppose you are concerned about your financial health, for example. Pull together the details of your finances. Make an appointment with a financial advisor. Borrow personal finance books from the library for ideas on how to better manage your money. By educating yourself about an issue, you can turn useless, generalized worry into a positive action plan.
Distract
Despite good intentions, we humans are quite poor at multi-tasking – but you can use that to your advantage. When your mind is racing with too much stress, try to busy your brain with a hobby. Whether it's gardening or woodworking, knitting or bongo-playing, an enjoyable pastime forces your mind to focus on the task at hand. If worry keeps you awake, try giving your brain a distracting task, such as a Sudoku or crossword puzzle, until you feel sleepy.
Educate
Learning how to relax your body can help ease your mind. Some techniques to try:
- Deep breathing can help calm your nerves and even lower blood pressure.
- Meditation can help you de-stress and take your mind off your worries. Regular meditation practice may also help lower blood pressure and increase grey matter density in the brain.
- Progressive muscle relaxation involves tensing and releasing one muscle at a time, starting with your toes and working upward.
It's normal for anxiety levels to ebb and flow. If you experience excessive worry for six months or longer, or if you feel your worry is controlling your life, talk to your health care professional.