Our bodies get rest every night, but our brains rarely do. We have thoughts bouncing around in our heads all day. At night we dream. Giving your brain a rest can do wonders for your mental and physical health.
Unfortunately, the natural state of your brain is to generate thoughts.
The only way to clear it is to actively do something to make that happen. Your brain will just continue to make noise if you try a passive approach.
Use these tips to clear your mind and give it the rest it deserves:
- Prayer. One of the reasons for prayer is to turn over your scattered thoughts to God. To give Him you past, present, and future. The other is to have a relationship with the One who created you. If anyone can help you clear your mind and put things into the right perspective it’s Him.
- Exercise. Strenuous exercise is a great way to clear your mind. There’s something about using your body that stops the chatter going on between your ears. Casual exercise won’t work in most cases. You need to really work. In fact, martial arts training is an excellent way to help clear your mind while you get a great workout and learn how to defender yourself.
- Walking. A nice walk, especially after dark or before sunrise can be very calming. The dark helps because you’re less visually stimulated. The repetitive nature of walking can be an effective way to clear out the cobwebs. Your brain is also busy moving your feet and maintaining your balance.
- Doing something exciting. It’s believed that many people are attracted to extreme sports like BASE jumping because of the clearing effect it has on the brain. If you leap off a skyscraper with a parachute on your back, you’re not worrying about paying the water bill at that moment.
- Doing anything scary or intense can accomplish the same thing. What would you consider to be an intense activity? Try it.
- Mowing the grass. A monotonous activity can also be helpful. This includes driving in low traffic situations, taking a shower, or washing the dishes. Your mind can partially shut down and relax.
- Mindfulness. Any activity can help to clear your mind if you focus fully on it. You can experience a mind clearing effect while changing your oil, reading a book, or doing laundry. Focus is one way to clear and calm your mind.
- Playing with a pet. Pets are soothing and enjoyable. Sitting on the deck with your dog or curled up on the couch with your cat can be a soothing activity.
- There’s something special about pets. They make few demands and are always happy with you. If only people were so easy!
- Declutter. Cleaning your home or workspace can do wonders for the thoughts racing around in your head. A clean and tidy space creates calm and serenity. If you declutter mindfully, you’ll be getting twice the benefit.
- Make lists. When you have a lot to do, your brain is working overtime to keep everything straight. Using a simple list can empty out your brain. You won’t believe how much this can help. Lists can release a lot of resources being used by your brain.
Try to clear your mind at least once each day. You’ll find over time that it will naturally calm down, but it takes time. Our brains are thought-producing machines that can run wild if not managed.
Clearing your mind is an active process. There are many ways to accomplish it. Experiment and discover what works for you. If you would like to give martial arts training a try CLICK HERE to see the options we have for you.