How To Relax Your Mind and Slow Your Thoughts

How To Relax Your Mind and Slow Your Thoughts Happiness Print How to Relax Your Stressful Thoughts By Elizabeth Scott, MS twitter Elizabeth Scott, MS, is a wellness coach specializing in stress management and quality of life, and the author of 8 Keys to Stress Management. Learn about our editorial policy Elizabeth Scott, MS Updated on October 13, 2019 peter zelei/Getty Images More in Self-Improvement Happiness Meditation Stress Management Spirituality Holistic Health Inspiration Brain Health Technology Relationships View All When your thoughts seem to be swimming, you may wonder how to relax your mind. And because learning how to relax your mind can bring benefits for your health and wellbeing, its worth taking a few minutes to learn how. Strategies for Relaxing Your Minds Stressful Thoughts Here are some simple tips for how to relax your mind. Meditation Meditation helps you learn how to relax your mind in a few different ways. One meditation session can calm your physiology and relax your mind, but many sessions over time can help you to feel less stressed when you face stress in the future--you can become more resilient to stress with the help of meditation. Meditation can clear your mind from thoughts that are stressing you, and over time, regular meditation can lead you to be less reactive to stress, and more resilient in the face of your stressors. Mantra meditation, one of many useful meditation techniques, is a good place to start because its simple. Cognitive Restructuring Cognitive restructuring is a strategy that shows you how to relax your mind by changing habitual thought patterns that trigger your stress response. Because we react to stressors that are a perceived threat to our wellbeing, if we can alter our perceptions to be more optimistic (and more accurate), we can learn how to relax the mind and experience less stress. Cognitive restructuring techniques can help you combat common cognitive distortions. Gratitude Journaling Shifting your focus from what stresses you, to everything you have to be grateful for, is one of those how to relax your mind tips that works quite well. Research on gratitude shows that cultivating an attitude of gratitude brings many benefits, and maintaining a gratitude journal is an easy way to accomplish this shift in focus. After a few weeks, you should find yourself zeroing in on the things in life that help you feel grateful instead of stressed, and a more relaxed mind will follow. Talk to a Good Friend Gaining social support from trusted friends can help you to process what youre feeling, and supply you with an influx of new and helpful ideas for how to manage your stressors, which can help you know how to relax your mind by helping you feel less burdened by your stressors. Thats why maintaining a supportive circle of friends is important. Getting out of a rumination rut by talking things out with a trusted confidante can help you feel more relaxed and provide the clarity you need to take action. Learn About Stress Management Learning more about stress and stress management and having a toolbox of habits and strategies that relieve stress can help you feel more equipped to handle whatever comes.