Article content
Worries and fear are a bad demon that threatens our mental health. Some people, however, consider it a mere bad habit that can be unlearned.
Others think that worries are useful for learning from past experiences and preparing for new ones.
Whether good or bad, worries occupy our brain by making us focus on an uncertain future that we cannot control.
It is said that depression stems from focusing on past events we would like to change, while worries arise from focusing on a future over which we have no control.
Although we do not have control over the future when worrying, we can always take steps that prepare us for anything we fear.
In this article we will look at methods that will teach you how to train your brain to stop worrying.
1. Write down all your worries
This technique is said to be the most effective way to train the brain to suppress your worries.
If worries keep you from sleeping at night and force you to constantly think about something, write them down on paper, on your computer, or on your mobile.
This allows your brain to “breathe freely” by not having to expend energy remembering all the details of your worries.
If, for example, you don’t know what to offer your friends at a party, write on paper “What will I offer my friends?”
Writing is an effective way to send your brain a signal that your thoughts are important to you. Your brain will now know to reserve resources to solve the problem and will not create unnecessary worries or try to remember things that bother you.
2. Meditate
Meditation is an effective way to stop worries.
Researchers in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine studied the effects of meditation on our mental health. They found that this technique is particularly suitable for reducing anxiety and fear.
Although many people think they don’t have time for meditation or don’t know how to meditate, the practice can actually be extremely simple. Just close your eyes for 30 seconds or longer.
Letting go of all sources of stress from your mind is the first step in training the brain to stop worrying.
A few moments of consciously avoiding any disruptive noise in your life will allow you to focus on what is most important to you now and in the future.
3. Exercise regularly
Fear is the way the brain tries to survive by switching between “fight” or “flight” modes.
If a puma jumps at you, your adrenaline level will immediately increase.
The fear that grips you at a given moment is the same as worry. However, unlike fear, you experience worry for longer and at a lower intensity.
The same study published in Psychosomatic Medicine also found that exercise is a great way to dispel feelings of anxiety and nervousness.
If your body experiences fewer physical signs of stress, your mind interprets it as there being fewer reasons to worry, because the body is not in a state of heightened arousal.
Exercise gives your body a secondary reason for an increased heart rate and sweating, which during worries we feel at a lower intensity than during intense fear.
If you find yourself worrying about something, go for a 5 to 10-minute walk. Notice the images and sounds of nature around you and focus on the movement of your limbs and your breathing.
