Can’t turn your brain off? Here’s how to calm your body when your mind won’t slow down.
Hi, I’m Dr. Tom McDonagh from Good Therapy SF and I’m going to show you how calming your body can help slow a racing mind.
So the fastest way to interrupt spiraling thoughts is to focus on your nervous system and not your thoughts. We do that with a couple different options. First, you can try box breathing. Inhale for four seconds, hold for four seconds, exhale for four seconds and hold for four seconds and repeat.
Or you can try to use progressive muscle relaxation. This is where we tense and then release muscle groups throughout the body to create a sensation of relaxation.
So why does this work? When your body signals safety, your mind starts to follow. Calming the body helps shift you out of that fight or flight thinking.
So when your mind won’t stop, let your body lead the way. If you want more tools to manage anxiety, reach out to Good Therapy SF.
