Tips for Resting your brain

Tips for Resting your brain

Are you feeling stressed, fatigued and drained? Today’s lifestyle can be seriously draining, dealing with several responsibilities at the same time is truly exhausting. Do you find your mind going into overdrive with tens of thoughts spinning through every second? Then the antidote might be quite simple; Resting your mind. If you cool down your discursive thinking (constant flow of thoughts), you will calm your mind, your body and even get solutions to some problems.

Here are a few tips to get you going.

1. Close your eyes for a few short minutes
One of the main cause of pressure in the brain is visual stimulation. The visual stimuli are actually processed by the largest cortical tissue which is the visual cortex. Closing your eyes and taking a deep breath for a moment helps reset your mind and improve your thinking. It is also a good practice when you need to get rid of clutter and focus on a thought.

2. Take a nature walk
Are you worked up? Get into your canvas and walk across the lawn and into your neighborhood. Nature has an effect of resetting our moods and relaxing your brain. Pluck flower on the way and smell it while strolling down to the local park. If you have some time, do a quick jog around the block, you will come back home feeling fresh and relaxed.

3. Put the smartphone away
It is unfortunate that people spend most of their free time on their phones, especially on social media. Phones do not help you relax but activate your visual context as your mind tries to absorb the messages therein. Put your smartphone aside for a moment and disable the notifications to avoid the temptation of looking at the phone after every few minutes. You can play with the pet, the kids or read your favorite book. These activities cause the mind to shut down and creates a relaxing mood.

4. Get enough sleep
Mother Nature put sleep in our daily routine to enable our minds to relax and energize. Good sleep quality is a vital ingredient for a relaxed mind. Avoid stimulants such as coffee and tea before going to bed. Moreover, allow at least six hours of uninterrupted sleep. Try to take a warm shower just before bed to relax your body, you will wake up feeling fresh and relaxed.

5. Engage in active resting techniques
Spiritual resting techniques and meditation are great ways to relax your mind, get rid of clutter and become aware of yourself. Try such some techniques such as yoga at home for a few minutes every day, follow it up with cool music at a low volume, it creates a sense of transcendence and awe.

Polly Sykes, Registered Psychotherapist, MEd, RP, is a Toronto Psychotherapist with extensive post-graduate training and experience in the treatment of Trauma, and the use of Emotion-Focused Therapy for both Individuals and Couples. The support of an experienced and highly-skilled Psychotherapist can be a powerful tool to help you face the challenges of life with more hope, more self-acceptance, and stronger relational bonds.