While hooked up to magnetic resonance imaging machines MRIs , participants were asked to draw a series of images — some easy to illustrate, some difficult. The more difficult the images were to draw, the more the participants had to think, and the less creative their drawings were; on the flip side, the less thought involved, the more creative the drawings were.
In short, too much thinking seems to put a cap on creativity. Your energy levels might drop It takes a lot of mental energy to overthink.
David adds that when we overthink, and stress ourselves out, our bodies produce cortisol, the stress hormone. Over time, this constant release of cortisol can be depleting and cause burnout.
Your body needs to get into a state of calm in order to sleep — your heart rate needs to go down, as does your blood pressure and breathing. But, overanalyzing and obsessing actually becomes a barrier. Research shows thinking too much makes it tough to make decisions. It's very likely that you are wasting a lot of time looking for second opinions and researching your options, when ultimately, those little choices might not matter so much. Overthinking sometimes involves beating yourself up for the decisions you already made.
Or maybe you get upset with yourself for not seeing red flags sooner—because you believe they should have been obvious! And while a little healthy self-reflection can help you learn from your mistakes, rehashing and second-guessing is a form of mental torture. Overthinking can take a toll on your mood and may make it even more difficult to make decisions in the future. Research shows thinking less about a problem might actually be the key to developing better solutions.
Rather than sit and think about a problem for endless amounts of time, you can distract yourself for a bit. A brief distraction can give you a break.
And it may get your mind focused on something more productive. And, your brain might even develop a solution for you when you stop thinking about the problem. Overthinking may be a symptom of a mental health issue, like depression or anxiety.
On the flip side, it may also increase your susceptibility to developing mental health problems. They may also help you identify coping strategies that work for you, such as mindfulness or physical exercise. If you feel like your brain is on overdrive, talk to your physician. Your doctor may be able to refer you to a therapist who can help you put an end to overthinking.
Struggling with stress? Our guide offers expert advice on how to better manage stress levels. Get it FREE when you sign up for our newsletter. Rumination as a mechanism linking stressful life events to symptoms of depression and anxiety: longitudinal evidence in early adolescents and adults.
J Abnorm Psychol. Rumination—relationship with negative mood and sleep quality. Personality and Individual Differences. Psychological Science. Ok good. What steps can you take to get more clarity on the goals you need to pursue? But come to me with solutions, not problems. Learn to manage and regulate your emotions, thoughts, and mind. You can build the mental strength for it. Get your thoughts out of your head so you can raise your awareness of them and observe them.
Then shift your attention to the solutions you can create to relieve them. There are two ideas at play here: making a decision and taking action. This is the worst place to be in. Because if you get stuck in the same place, spinning around in the carousel of your thoughts, forward movement eludes you. What you need to do is practice making decisions and sticking with them. Chocolate or vanilla? Through the practice of being decisive, you automatically become a person of action.
A study that was published in Psychological Science revealed that the brain becomes both calmer and sharper after a person spends time in a quiet setting close to nature. Other research also concludes that walking in green spaces puts the brain in a meditative state.
Even a walk in a 5-minute walk in the park can have an immediate calming effect on the mind. Whenever you feel overwhelmed with thoughts, one of these three things can help you clear your head:.
It is scientifically proven to be an instant mood booster and stress-reducer. Sweating out your thoughts helps you think clearly. Silence and solitude are most often the keys.
Learn to manage your stress rather than have it manage you. Cart 0. Overthinking is exhausting. Here are 8 steps to help you stop overthinking.
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