Hopping off the Worry Train

Three Mind-Body Practices You Can Use for Feel Better

In an instant, we can find ourselves hopping onto the worry train. These days, it often feels like a bullet train, with tickets scattered everywhere, and plenty of opportunities to worry—both about the present and the future. It only takes one stressful thought to get on board. Once that happens, the worry thoughts can start to gain speed, and before we know it, our minds are racing with all the things we’re concerned about.

Our imaginations and minds are powerful tools—they can help us make sense of the world, create meaning, spark creativity, and make plans. But when things feel uncertain, unpredictable, scary, or chaotic, our minds can over focus on these worries. Perhaps our imaginations start creatively catastrophizing. 

Often, we are not even aware that we’ve gotten on the worry train. One clue is when worries crop up at night, making it hard to fall asleep. Other signs are when we find it harder to focus or notice that our breathing has become shallow. 

When our thoughts get stuck in a stress loop, so does our body. Thankfully, there are simple mind-body practices we can use to support ourselves during these challenging times: 

1. Slow down the train using a simple phrase: Name the emotion (worry). Use the phrase, “I feel (worried) and that’s OK.” Each time you say, “I feel (worried) and that’s OK,” you’re acknowledging the emotion and having less worry thoughts. Imagine the impact of reducing the number of stressful thoughts by just a thousand. Emotions are constantly arising, and it’s completely natural to feel them. 

2. Notice that you’re still breathing: Stress and worry often leads to shallow breathing. Place one hand above your heart and literally feel that you are breathing. As you inhale, feel your ribs lifting to make room for the breath. As you exhale, feel your ribs relax. Focusing your mind on the rising and falling of your ribs can help guide your breath into a deeper rhythm. 

3. Rest your mind on the word ‘REST’ as you fall asleep: If your mind is racing as you lay in bed, give it a simple focus—the word “rest.” Repeat the word slowly and gently as you breathe. Let it guide your mind and body toward relaxation. Each time you say “rest,” it gives your mind something to focus on, helping to quiet the mental noise. Feeling your breath and allowing the mind to rest can encourage both mental and physical rest, leading to deeper sleep. 

When your worry thoughts can calm down or rest, your nervous system and body can start relaxing too.