A calmer mind sounds like the perfect antidote to an increasingly frenetic way of life. But how do you actually achieve this perfect state of Zen? Does it require a monk-like devotion to meditation? Should you be scheduling hours each day journalling your thoughts and unpacking your emotions?
Fortunately, there are plenty of simple steps you can take right now to find that peaceful state. And none of them involve quitting your day job, throwing away your phone and living off the grid. In fact, it’s mostly about hitting the brakes on a few bad habits and developing a few good ones. Ultimately, a calmer mind may be less about adding more to routine and more about knowing what to take away.
1. You’re Not Keeping Tabs on Your Hydration
Here’s a reality check: even a minor amount of dehydration can send your mind into a tailspin, ramping up your anxiety levels and laying siege on your inner peace. This is according to a study published in Journal of British Nutrition, with the authors adding that spending time in a parched state could also impair your cognitive performance.
The average male should be aiming to drink around 3.7 litres of water per day. But take care to adjust your intake, especially on your workout days, because your water demands tend to be higher when you’re exerting yourself. (Just a note: you should be sipping gradually throughout the day, as downing a giant jug of aqua in one gulp to get ahead of your hydration goals will only end up with you spending more time in front of the toilet.)
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Speaking of the WC, your trips to the bathroom are the perfect time to check if you’re properly hydrated. The colour of your urine is a great indicator for your current level of hydration. You’re aiming for a pale-straw colour. If your stream is the colour of a craft beer (and smells worse than a brewery), you’re incredibly dehydrated.
2. You’re Training Your Muscles (But Not Your Breathing)
Breathwork isn’t just a fad. The science is fairly conclusive: taking time to concentrate on your breathing and inhaling a few ‘mindful’ lungfuls is one of the fastest ways to calm your mind. A study found that doing simple breathing exercises just twice each day is an effective way to stay afloat during stressful moments and ward off feelings of panic. Not sure where to start? Apps like Headpace and Insight Timer are stacked with free sessions that’ll jumpstart your ‘breathing’ training plan.
3. You’re Bragging About Your Stress Levels
If you’re in the habit of showing off about your long hours and revelling in daily 9-to-5 angst, you could be sinking your state of mind. According to a study conducted by the University of Georgia Terry College of Business, people who consistently boast about their stress levels can leave their colleagues feeling burnt out. (They’re also deemed less competent by their co-workers.) The result: you’ll create a hostile work environment that’ll only put your own headspace in a tailspin.
4. You Cancelled Your Spotify Subscription
According to research, listening to music can drastically reduce your stress levels… and even slash your risk of contracting the common cold. But why? Well, previous studies have shown that the act of nodding along to some tunes directly lowers cortisol levels (stress hormone), releases dopamine and serotonin (feel-good hormones) and can stimulate your body’s natural pain relievers and comfort hormones. Genre? Whatever you love most. But some studies have found that down-tempo, ambient tunes could help you chill out more than their heavier, high-tempo counterparts.
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5. You’ve Left Your PS5 Collecting Dust
Videogames get a bad rap. They’re often seen as a frivolous pursuit, but research suggests that a few hours every week with the DualSense in your hands could be a net benefit for your state of mind.
According to research published in PLoS One, spending just 30 minutes playing the brick-busting classic Tetris may lead to a significant reduction in stress. But it’s not just Tetris; other studies have found games like Flower (where you control the wind to float a flower petal through picturesque landscapes) and titles with low-stakes, rewarding gameplay loops could also lower your cortisol levels.
In one large survey, roughly 77% of participants said that playing videogames helped reduce their stress, 64% said it reduced their feelings of loneliness and a further 70% reported that their gaming sessions helped them feel less anxious.
6. You’re Doomscrolling For Hours Every Day
You already know that your doomscrolling habits are messing with your sleep, but studies have shown that hours spent endlessly swiping through posts on Instagram, X and their ilk could be detrimental to your peace of mind.
As part of an Iowa State University study, a group of 230 university students was divided into two groups. The first group was given free rein to use social media as much as they wanted, while the second was asked to limit their usage to just 30 minutes each day.
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It was the second group that prospered with the strict curfew on their scrolling, resulting in lower scores for depression, loneliness, anxiety and fear across the board. Bonus: these users were also far more likely to have an optimistic outlook on life than the students who were given free rein to browse endlessly.
7. You’re Only Training Indoors
Spending time out in nature has serious benefits for your mental health. Some studies have shown that just 20 minutes in ‘green spaces’ can drastically slash your stress and do wonders for your mood. So, if you’re confining all your physical exertions to the gym, it may be worth considering a trail run or outdoor walk to reap some of these rewards. Remember, it you only need 20 minutes.
