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Studies show that people usually have at least 6,000 thoughts per day. This translates into approximately 6.5 thoughts per minute! Scientists did not take into account thought content, so these numbers likely go up when we're ruminating or worried.

That said, while thinking is definitely an essential skill, it can often impact our lives negatively, which is why learning to quiet your mind from time to time can be really helpful.

Therefore, if you're here to discover some tips on how to quiet your mind, keep reading!

Key Takeaways

• Breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation, and meditation can help calm the mind by reducing stress and promoting mindfulness.

• Physical activities like walking, yoga, or hiking, especially in nature, can lower stress and improve mental well-being.

• Neurofeedback with Mendi offers a unique way to quiet the mind by training your brain to focus and regulate itself, promoting mental clarity and calmness over time.

• Creative and craft activities, like origami, clay sculpting, crocheting, painting, or gardening, and even visiting an oceanarium or zoo, help quiet the mind and promote relaxation.

The Importance of a Calm Mind

The human brain is a thought-making machine. It constantly processes information, solves problems, or replays past events. But like any other machine, it needs a reset once in a while, mostly because all that chatter can sometimes do more harm than good.

Have you ever climbed into bed, exhausted, only to have your brain flood you with negative thoughts? That’s no coincidence. During the day, we’re too busy juggling responsibilities (work, family, social media) to process our emotions. So, when everything finally quiets down, our minds catch up all at once. Unfortunately, this can lead to overthinking, restlessness, and even insomnia. And this is only one example that illustrates how powerful our thoughts are.

That's why learning to quiet your mind is so important. But this isn't really about getting rid of all your thoughts. It's actually more about creating a space where you can observe and manage—in a mindful way—the thoughts that cross your mind, a space that allows you to finally breathe, reflect, and reconnect with yourself with clarity and peace.

Research supports this too. As Mrazek et al. put it, people who learn to anchor their usually restless minds improve their "capacity to remain undistracted from [their] immediate experience, [...] stabilizing their awareness in the here and now." In other words, a calm mind isn't just good for your mental health—it also enhances focus, emotional resilience, and overall well-being.

Methods to Quiet an Overactive Mind

So, how can you invite more quiet into your life? By starting small. A few minutes of deep breathing. A short walk without your phone. A 3-minute neurofeedback session. A moment to simply watch the world go by.

The key is consistency and regular practice. Think of this process as having nutritious meals. If you want to be healthy, it's not enough to have one healthy meal and then switch to junk food. You need to do this regularly to reap the benefits of nutrient-packed foods. The same goes for quieting your mind—you'll notice long-lasting results when you commit to the process and practice different techniques over time.

Another important thing to consider is that not every method mentioned below may work for you. That's okay! Don't be disappointed! We're all different. Experiment with more activities until you find one (or more!) that works best for you.

As such, here are 10 methods on how to quiet your mind!

1. Try Breathing Exercises

Richie Bostock, a breathwork coach and the author of Exhale, argues that breathing "acts as a speed ramp into the meditation practice, helping to calm the mind quicker." Moreover, scientific evidence indicates that mindfulness practices that involve active breathing control are much more beneficial than those without.

It remains unclear why controlled breathing helps so much, but some scientists think it may be linked to the sensory nerves around the chest and the steady, repetitive stimulation of controlled breathing.

With these in mind, here are some breathing exercises you can try to quiet your mind:

• Deep breathing

• Diaphragmatic breathing

• Box breathing

• 4-7-8 breathing

• Lion's breath

• Alternate nostril breathing

2. Practice Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Progressive muscle relaxation is a simple yet powerful way to ease tension and bring a sense of calm to both body and mind. When stress builds up and our minds get filled with racing thoughts, the results are often felt in our muscles—tight shoulders, a clenched jaw, and restless legs. And that's what progressive muscle relaxation can help with.

Find a quiet spot with a comfy chair where you won’t be disturbed. Take about six breaths before you start. Tighten a specific muscle group—your hands, shoulders, or legs. Hold the tension for a few seconds, then exhale as you quickly relax the tensed muscle. With each breath, notice how your body feels lighter and your mind quieter. You can repeat these steps for different muscles until you feel your whole body relaxed. You can find more detailed instructions here.

3. Train Your Brain with Mendi Neurofeedback

Neurofeedback with Mendi offers a unique way to quiet your mind and literally calm yourself down by training your brain to focus and regulate itself more effectively. Unlike traditional meditation, which requires you to rely on internal awareness, Mendi provides real-time feedback on your brain activity. This helps you understand and improve how your mind functions.

Think of your brain like a muscle—the more you train it, the stronger it gets. This ability to change is called neuroplasticity. So, Mendi uses a comfortable headband and an engaging app to measure blood flow and oxygenation in your brain’s prefrontal cortex, the area responsible for focus, emotion regulation, and decision-making. When you use Mendi, you’re leveraging neuroplasticity to guide your brain activity towards healthier patterns.

This way, you reinforce calmness and mental clarity over time by adjusting your body's responses. The more you practice neurofeedback, the easier it becomes to find that much-needed stillness, which seems to have become a luxury nowadays.

4. Move Your Body, Preferably Outside

"Sit as little as possible; give credence to no thought that is not born in the open air and accompanied by free movement—in which the muscles do not also celebrate a feast."

This is Friedrich Nietzsche himself confirming that reconnecting with nature and moving our bodies is the best combo to think clearly, and we would not even dare disagree!

So go for a walk, try high-intensity interval training (HIIT), stretch your body and do some yoga, dance around for a bit, go for a hike or perhaps a beach walk, go for a swim, or do anything else that brings you joy! While physical activity releases endorphins, reducing the natural stress response, nature sounds lessen feelings of anxiety. Not to mention that both can have a positive effect on your physical health—moving your body can lower blood pressure and enhance overall heart health!

So, if you have a forest or a river nearby, take advantage of what it has to offer and combine your physical activity with the pleasant sounds of flowing water or rustling leaves, at the same time smelling pine needles or flowers! You can also listen closely to audio recordings of nature sounds if you cannot go outside—they are equally calming!

5. Go to an Oceanarium or Zoo

Heinrich Zimmer, a German linguist, once said: "Limitless and immortal, the waters are the beginning and end of all things on earth." You'd be surprised to learn how many similarities there are between the elements of the sea and the mechanisms of our bodies! This is why we seem to have an innate tendency to seek connections with other forms of life—this concept is known as the biophilia hypothesis.

It isn't just the water that can help quiet the mind—it's the living beings! So visit an oceanarium! A study has shown that the more types of marine life people saw, the happier they got, and even their blood pressure dropped! Zoos are equally beneficial, especially since they literally encourage you to be quiet and feel calmer. So when you find your mind racing full speed, buy a ticket to the zoo! It will slow down in no time!

6. Try Some Craft Activities

Art and craft activities offer a mental escape. Your mind doesn't need to do anything because your hands are in charge, so let your inner child have some fun! Here are some craft activities you can try to quiet your mind:

• Origami

• Clay sculpting

• Embroidery

• Flower pressing

• Felting

• Crocheting

• Macrame

• Woodwork

• Cardboard crafts

• String art on wood

You can also try painting, but the key is to just let your creativity flow without stressing out about the result. Otherwise, the process can become frustrating and disappointing because creating something unique often requires a lot of mental energy.

7. Grow Plants

Gardening is more than just tending to plants—it’s a natural way to reduce mental clutter and lower stress hormones. But why is gardening so effective in quieting the mind?

First, gardening engages your senses and creates a meditative state. The feeling of soil between your fingers, the scent of fresh herbs, the sound of rustling leaves! All of these create a multi-sensory experience that anchors you in the present moment.

Secondly, this activity fosters a sense of achievement. Watching plants grow under your care instills a sense of accomplishment, which can be incredibly useful for people who tend to ruminate.

Gardening also encourages mindful movements through simple, repetitive actions that don't give your mind time to dwell on worries. Plus, it helps you connect with nature!

8. Embrace Self-Compassion

More often than not, the need to quiet the mind appears when we're ruminating. This is why self-compassion is extremely important in this process. It helps us forgive and accept ourselves, as well as treat ourselves the same way we treat others—with kindness and understanding. This attitude reduces negative thoughts and worries and thus calms down that busy brain of yours!

Here are some effective ways to practice self-compassion:

• Write a letter to yourself, focusing on the situation that keeps your mind busy. Think of the situation as if it has happened to a friend and write a letter to that friend.

• Listen to self-compassion meditations available online.

• Increase your self-awareness through different activities.

• Reframe your negative thoughts so that they sound kinder towards you.

• Listen to your body and provide it with the resources it needs—healthy foods, water, movement, or a massage.

9. Meditate and Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness and meditation quiet the mind because they give it something it rarely gets—a break. Think of your brain like a web browser with dozens of tabs open. Your mental energy is constantly being pulled in different directions—emails, notifications, and a never-ending to-do list. Mindfulness and meditation help by closing some of those tabs, even if just for a few moments, so your mind can reset.

One of the biggest misconceptions about meditation is that you have to stop thinking altogether while practicing it. But this is not the goal—nor is it even possible. Instead, meditation teaches you to observe your thoughts without getting tangled up in them. This shift in perspective helps reduce stress, improve focus, bring a sense of calm, and reduce even muscle tension.

The best part? You don’t need hours of practice or a silent retreat in the mountains to experience the benefits. Just a few minutes a day—whether through deep breathing, guided meditation, or simply paying attention to the present moment—can make a noticeable difference. The more you practice, the easier it becomes to quiet the noise and find clarity, even in the middle of a busy day!

10. Other Activities You Can Try to Quiet Your Mind

Here are some other activities you can try to quiet your mind if none of the above work:

• Listen to music. Certain types of music, especially calming or instrumental tunes, can decrease activity in the amygdala, the part of the brain responsible for processing fear and stress. This means fewer neurons firing in response to anxiety, helping you feel more relaxed and present.

• Talk to a friend or write in a journal. Sometimes, simply voicing your thoughts can help put them into perspective and reduce mental load. A good conversation with a trusted friend can provide support, ease emotional tension, and offer new insights you might not have considered on your own. If you can't talk to anyone at the moment, you can write everything down in a journal.

• Try cognitive defusion exercises. This technique, often used in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), helps you separate yourself from intrusive thoughts.

• Spend money buying a present for someone. The psychology of giving shows that acts of generosity activate the brain’s reward system, and the body releases feel-good hormones like dopamine and oxytocin. Even a small act of kindness, like buying a coffee for a friend, can create a sense of connection and joy.

Get Your Mendi Today!

If you want to quiet your mind, calm down your nervous system, and improve your emotion regulation, neurofeedback with Mendi is the perfect tool for you!

Designed with input from leading neuroscience experts, the Mendi headband is grounded in scientific research. It uses advanced neurofeedback technology to help train your brain to focus, relax, and gain mental clarity—all from the comfort of your home!

So, hurry up and get your own Mendi to be closer to a calmer, clearer mind!

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my brain so noisy?

Your brain may be chatty and noisy because of an overstimulated central nervous system. When we're stressed and anxious, our minds tend to be overactive. However, it is important to note that it is normal to always have thoughts crossing our minds—what matters is thought content.

How to stop anxious thoughts in 30 seconds?

Stopping anxious thoughts in just 30 seconds can be quite difficult, but you can try breathing exercises, the 3-3-3 or 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique, or engaging in some physical activity.

How do I start practicing self-compassion?

Start practicing self-compassion by acknowledging your feelings and treating yourself with kindness, remembering that everyone is imperfect.

How long does it take to see the benefits of meditation and mindfulness?

You can feel the benefits of meditation and mindfulness almost immediately, but for more significant mental health improvements, consistent practice is key. Stick with it, and you'll see lasting positive changes!