Exercises To Calm Your Anxious Thoughts

Exercises To Calm Your Anxious Thoughts

If you’ve ever felt like your brain just won’t switch off, you know how exhausting anxiety can be. Racing thoughts, constant "what ifs," and the weight of overthinking can feel so overwhelming. But here's the good news: you can train your mind to calm down. It's not about stopping anxiety altogether (because, let’s face it, that’s not realistic), but about learning how to manage it in healthier ways.

Dr. Daniel G. Amen, a well-known psychiatrist and brain health expert, highlights the importance of learning to calm your anxious thoughts in his book Change Your Brain, Change Your Life. According to Dr. Amen, our brains can get "stuck" in anxious patterns, but with the right exercises, we can rewire those pathways to promote relaxation and clarity. And the benefits? Reduced stress, better focus, improved mood, and a greater sense of overall well-being. And who doesn’t want that!!!!!

Try These Simple Exercises to Calm Your Anxious Brain:

1. Mindful Breathing:
   One of the quickest ways to ground yourself is through deep, mindful breathing. Focus on inhaling slowly for four counts, holding for four counts, and exhaling for four counts. Repeat for a few minutes, and you’ll start to feel your body relax. Dr. Amen suggests that this type of breathing helps signal your brain that it’s safe to slow down.

2. Body Scan:
   Lie down or sit comfortably and slowly move your attention through your body, from your toes to your head. As you mentally check in with each part, notice any tension and consciously relax it. This helps you stay present and out of your head, reducing the physical tension that comes with anxious thoughts.

3. Grounding Techniques:
   When your mind races, it can be hard to stay in the present moment. A simple grounding technique is the “5-4-3-2-1” exercise: name 5 things you can see, 4 you can touch, 3 you can hear, 2 you can smell, and 1 you can taste. This brings you back to the present and helps break the cycle of spiraling thoughts.This keeps you here and now, not in the often anxious future. 

4. Positive Affirmations:
   Counteracting anxious thoughts with positive, reassuring statements can shift your mindset. Repeating calming mantras like “I am in full control” or “This is just my temporary.” Over time, affirmations can retrain your brain to focus on more balanced, rational thoughts, that are often in the here and now.

The Bottom Line?
The more you practice calming techniques, the more you'll activate your brain's relaxation response and disrupt those anxious thought patterns. Therapy such as CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) is particularly useful and effective at helping you on your way to calming and combatting your anxious thoughts. 

Amen, D. G. (2021). Change Your Brain, Change Your Life.