How To Stop Overthinking: Causes And Ways To Cope

The brain is constantly churning out all kinds of thoughts. “But thinking is a two-way street,” “While the brain may offer numerous or near-constant ‘thought suggestions,’ it’s ultimately up to us to decide if we accept them.”

You don’t have to take every alarming thought that pops into your head as truth. In fact, you can use those overthinking moments to question and fact check what’s true, so the worried thought doesn’t have as much power over you.

“When the brain is ‘at rest,’ the areas that light up are the problem solving areas and areas associated with self-referential thinking. So, when left to its own devices, the brain will overthink,” 

That means you have to train your brain to do otherwise—particularly if you’re overthinking at certain times, like before bed. It’s possible to reprogram that habit with other mind-clearing activities instead

Attention training is a meditation technique that can benefit people with anxiety and depression. The easiest way to practice it is to focus on something completely mundane and routine, such as washing dishes or folding laundry. “You simply direct your attention to the task in a way that may even feel hyper-focused and ‘zero in’ on observing yourself and any sensations that arise,”

That laser focus can help quiet other intrusive thoughts in your head.

You can also practice mindfulness in a more traditional sense, with grounding body scans. 

placing any thoughts you’re having on the back burner and focusing on your body. “Close your eyes and try to feel your heartbeat from the inside, clasp your hands and squeeze them tight or put both feet on the floor and try to feel each point of contact,

Journaling is a helpful way to get your thoughts out of your head so they’re not overwhelming you as much. Or, you could always jot down a to-do list. “Making a list or plan is more action-oriented, and that can calm our ruminating brain a bit, too,”

You can do it anywhere, from a piece of paper to your notes app on your phone.

Fresh air can do your mind plenty of good. If you’re able to get out in nature, even better. Studies show taking a 90-minute walk in a nature-filled environment can decrease one’s inclination toward rumination

. This response mostly has to do with the lack of noise and distractions in natural settings, as well as the ability for some people to quell their negative thoughts and appreciate something larger than themselves in their surroundings.