Meditation: Escape Your Mind's Trap

Overthinking can be detrimental to our mental health and can take us away from the present moment. Meditation is a powerful tool to help us get out of our heads and back into the present. It involves quieting or focusing the mind through a range of techniques and can help us recognise our thoughts without reacting to or building upon them. Mindfulness meditation, for example, involves being aware of your internal feelings as well as your external senses. This type of meditation has been found to bring benefits in areas such as depression, anxiety, and chronic pain.

Meditation doesn't require you to clear your head of all thoughts. Instead, it's about observing your thoughts and choosing which ones to engage with. It's a practice that can be done at any time and place and is a great way to enhance mental clarity, mental and physical awareness, and emotional peace.

Focus on your breath

Focusing on your breath is one of the most effective ways to get out of your head and back into the present moment. This method is supported by mental health professionals and backed by scientific research.

The idea is simple: focus your attention on your breath. Notice the natural rhythm and flow of your breath and how it feels as you inhale and exhale. You can do this while sitting, standing, or walking, with your eyes open or closed. If you are just starting out, you may find it easier to focus with your eyes closed.

The breath is a powerful anchor that you can return to at any time when you start to feel stressed or overwhelmed by negative emotions. When you focus on your breath, you are taking an active role in tricking your brain into relaxing. By purposefully slowing down your breathing, you signal to your body that there is no danger and that it doesn't need to worry. This leads to lower cortisol levels, a slight increase in serotonin, and an overall sense of relaxation.

• Find a comfortable position, either sitting, standing, or lying down.
• Close your eyes if that helps you focus better.
• Notice the natural flow of your breath—the inhale and exhale.
• You don't need to adjust your breath; just observe it. You may find it helpful to focus on the rise and fall of your chest or the sensation of the breath passing through your nostrils.
• If your mind wanders, that's okay. Gently bring your attention back to your breath.
• Stay focused on your breath for 5-7 minutes.
• When you're ready to finish, take a moment to notice your body and how it feels, then offer yourself some appreciation for taking this time to focus on your breath.

With regular practice, you will find it easier to focus on your breath in your daily life. This will help you manage stress, anxiety, and negative emotions.

Try an intense workout

A physically demanding task will benefit you both physically and mentally. Taking part in physical activity requires focus and determination, which can help shift your mindset onto something more positive and enable you to get out of your head.

An intense workout will not only separate you from your thoughts but will also encourage higher levels of dopamine and serotonin. Dopamine is a chemical released when you take part in pleasurable activities such as eating, drinking, sex, and exercise. This increase in dopamine is what makes you feel good after exercising. Serotonin, on the other hand, is responsible for feelings of happiness, joy, and peace. These feelings may arise when you accomplish your goals, such as a pay rise, a successful job interview, or an intense workout.

The combination of these two chemicals, along with the distraction that takes place during an intense workout, makes it a very productive method to help anyone get out of their head and stop the constant stream of thoughts.

However, it is important to note that exercise headaches are a possible side effect of strenuous exercise. These are usually harmless and can be prevented with medication. However, in some cases, they may be caused by underlying problems and may require emergency medical attention. Therefore, if you experience a headache during or after exercise, it is important to consult a healthcare provider.

Be mindful in everyday life

Mindfulness is about being aware of your surroundings and your internal state of being. It involves focusing on the present moment, tuning into physical sensations, being fully aware of everything you do, and letting go of thoughts of the future or past anxieties.

Mindful Wakeup

Start your day with a purpose. Before checking your phone or email, sit in a relaxed posture, close your eyes, and connect with the sensations of your body. Take three long, deep, nourishing breaths, then let your breath settle into its own rhythm. Ask yourself: "What is my intention for today?" and set an intention for the day. Throughout the day, check in with yourself and revisit your intention.

Mindful Eating

Before eating, pause and take a few deep breaths. Bring your awareness to the physical sensations in your belly and ask yourself how hungry you are. Listen to your body and eat according to your hunger. Slow down and continue to breathe deeply as you eat. Only eat what you love and make mindful choices about what to eat based on what you truly enjoy.

Mindful Pause

Create new patterns to shift into a slow brain state and rewire your brain. For example, put your yoga mat in the middle of the room so you can't miss it, or use sticky notes with variety or humour to remind yourself of a new intention. You could also create "if this, then that" messages to create easy reminders to shift into slow brain, such as "if office door, then deep breath".

Mindful Workout

Before working out, be clear about your aim. Envision how you want to guide your session. For example, if you're going for a bike ride, you might say, "I am going to breathe deeply and notice the sensation of the breeze and the sun and the passing scenery." Warm up with some simple moves, then settle into a rhythm, coordinating your breath and movement. Challenge yourself, then cool down and notice how your body feels.

Mindful Driving

Take a deep breath to bring more oxygen into your body and widen the space between the stimulus of the traffic and your heightened stress reaction. Ask yourself what you need in that moment and give yourself what you need. Scan your body for any tension and soften or adjust as needed. Look around and recognise that all the other drivers are just like you—they want to feel safe, have a sense of ease, and be happy. Offer them the same conditions you wish for yourself.

Regular Mindful Breathing

Focus your thoughts on the breath coming in and leaving your body. You might focus on the sensation of the air as it enters and leaves your nostrils, or the rising and falling of your breath in your belly or chest. If you notice your mind wandering, gently bring it back to the breath. Set a reminder on your phone or make a plan to spend some time focusing on your breath every day.

Focus on Your Senses

When washing, focus on the sensation of warm, soapy bubbles on your skin and the smell of the soap. When walking, pay attention to how your feet feel connecting with the pavement and the sway of your arms and body as you move. When eating or drinking, focus on the textures, flavours, and sensations that come with each mouthful.

Mindfulness While You Wait

Instead of looking at your phone, take a few deep breaths and focus on what's around you. What interesting things can you see? What can you hear and smell?

Schedule a Daily Meditation Session

Take time to sit still and meditate. You might devote 5 minutes, 20 minutes, or longer to sit quietly in a comfortable spot and tune into a mindful state. Many people use guided meditations to help them get into the zone.

Do activities you enjoy

Doing activities you enjoy is a great way to get out of your head and into your body. Stress and overthinking often go hand-in-hand, so creating opportunities to reduce stress and enjoy the present moment can help to decrease the need or space to ruminate on other things.

• Yoga: This form of exercise can be relaxing and help you cultivate mindfulness while pushing the limits of your flexibility and strength.
• Running, walking, or hiking in nature: These activities can help get you out of your head while also getting you out into nature, which has been shown to have many mental benefits, including reducing rumination.
• Swimming: Swimming can be a way to relax and cool down, and it can also be intense exercise depending on your preferences.
• Playing a musical instrument: This can help to distract you from your thoughts and has been shown to have many mental benefits.
• Playing with a pet or animal: Interacting with animals can be therapeutic and help to reduce stress and anxiety.
• Arts and crafts: Engaging in creative activities can help to distract you from your thoughts and provide a sense of accomplishment.
• Meeting a good friend for coffee or lunch: Socializing with loved ones can help to take your mind off things that may be bothering you.
• Watching a new TV series or movie: This can be a fun and entertaining way to distract yourself from negative thoughts.

Remember, the key is to find activities that you truly enjoy and make time for them in your daily life. By doing so, you can help reduce obsessive or negative thoughts and improve your overall well-being.

Spend time in nature

Spending time in nature is a great way to get out of your head and back into the present moment.

Benefits of Spending Time in Nature

Research has shown that spending time in nature can help to relieve stress and anxiety, improve your mood, and boost feelings of happiness and well-being. In fact, spending just 120 minutes a week in nature can improve your health and well-being. If you're feeling depressed, a stroll in the woods can help to lift your mood, and even just the view of a forest from a hospital room can help patients who are feeling down. Nature presents scenes that gently capture your attention, calming your nerves instead of frazzling them.

How to Incorporate Nature into Your Life

• Add a daily walk on a local hiking trail to your routine.
• Go for a bike ride around your neighbourhood.
• If you're going on vacation, spend as much time outdoors as possible. Try walking or sleeping under the stars.
• Use nature to recalibrate your body and mind. Exposure to natural light can help to synchronise your internal circadian clock to the rising and setting of the sun.
• Try "earthing" or "grounding", which involves physical contact with the earth, such as walking barefoot outdoors, which has been found to improve self-reported health and mood.
• Build contact with the outdoors into your daily schedule. Try going for a walk after lunch and dinner, or find routes that maximise your views of nature, such as parks or forests.
• If you can't easily get outdoors, try bringing nature indoors with houseplants, or opening your windows to let in fresh air and the sounds of nature.

Why Nature Helps Us Get Out of Our Heads

Humans evolved in the great outdoors, and our brains may benefit from a journey back to nature. Despite our technological advancements, we still have a deep connection with nature, and research shows that if we don't nourish that bond, we may be affected in many ways.

So, if you're feeling stuck in your head, try spending some time in nature. It could be just what you need to find some clarity and peace of mind.

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