Have you ever been lying in bed, or in the shower in the morning and your mind starts running wild, imagining scenarios and arguments that will probably never happen? You may be stuck in your head, or getting lost in your thoughts.
What Does Being In Your Head Mean?
Being in your head is actually common, when you’re stuck in your head, you may lose sleep because you’re reliving embarrassing memories over and over, or silly things that you once said years ago that really don’t matter.
However, you may not be able to think about anything else.
You may focus on solving problems in your life, or coming up with solutions to every single negative thought you have.
In short, being in your head is mainly just overthinking or over analyzing everything. You could find yourself overthinking about your behavior, lingering on actions, words, behaviors until your mind feels swamped.
When this happens, you may need to ‘get out of your own head’. This means that you will be present in the moment, and able to let go of your negative feelings and thoughts.
When you get out of your head, you will likely be happier and more relaxed, as your mind won’t be racing and going over the same things over and over again.
Everyone gets stuck in their head from time to time, and this is not always a bad thing. Thinking about our actions allows introspection and reflection, which can help us grow as people, and alter our behaviors.
However, if you find your mind wandering, and you’re struggling to focus on anything else, it can have a negative effect on your mental health and wellbeing.
What Happens When You’re Stuck In Your Head
When you are stuck in your own head, you are more likely to ruminate. This is another term for thinking deeply about something, or overanalyzing things.
If you are doing this often, then it is far more probable that you are at risk of depression and anxiety.
This is because when you are trapped in your own thoughts, it can be frustrating. You cannot think about anything else, making you feel frustrated, angry, sad, lonely, and sometimes fearful.
Being stuck inside your head can be claustrophobic, as you are unable to come out of that line of thinking, making it harder to make decisions, get things done, or focus on your job, relationships or everyday tasks.
When you are trapped in your own head, you may have irrational thoughts, negative thoughts or intrusive thoughts. These could be about yourself, or about others.
For instance, you may overthink why your friend or partner hasn’t texted you back, or why you didn’t get picked for that promotion.
Others may overcompensate and stress about minimal things, blowing them way out of proportion. For instance, these people may suffer from a headache, and fly into a panic, thinking that they are severely or gravely ill, when they are not.
This level of overthinking has been proven to increase stress and anxiety levels, and can lead to depression. In addition, those who do not tend to overanalyze situations are often happier, and more carefree in life.
So, how can you get out of your own head and clear the air?
How To Get Out Of Your Head
Being in your head can sometimes be a good thing. It can help you gain problem solving skills, self reflection and plan ahead for your future.
However, if you feel that it is having a negative effect on your mental health, then it could be time to get out of your head. Luckily, we have got some tried and tested methods to help you regain control over your thoughts.
Accept That Some Things Are Out Of Your Control
This is the first step to take. You have to accept that you cannot change some things, some things aren’t your fault.
You can’t change other people’s actions- only your own. In doing so, you can liberate yourself from guilt or negative thoughts in your mind.
Be Present
If your thoughts are racing, and you are focusing on things that have happened in the past, then try to be present instead.
The past is the past, and you cannot change it. Instead, focus on your future, and the present. What can you do now to increase your happiness?
Meditate
Meditation is another way that you can be present and get out of your head. It can help you find mental clarity and peace.
Some people meditate for a few moments every day to bring peace and serenity to their minds. It can also help you focus your thoughts, and think about more positive things rather than negative.
Do A Workout
If you try doing a physically demanding task such as a rigorous workout, then you will naturally begin focusing on that instead of your thoughts.
In addition, exercise can increase the dopamine and serotonin levels, which can boost the mood and make you feel good.
Deep Breathing
Deep breathing exercises can help you regain your focus, and draw your thoughts away from stress.
Shift all of your focus onto your inhales, and exhales, and you can lower cortisol levels, and feel overall better and more relaxed. It sounds crazy, but it works!
Journal
Journaling, or writing down your thoughts can help you get them out, and deal with them. Channel your thoughts onto the paper, and you may no longer feel penned up with negativity.
Instead, you can release them and write them down. You don’t have to keep them, you can tear out the page and throw it away!
Focus On Something Else
Try finding a favorite movie or a gripping TV show to get lost in. When your attention is turned to something else, you will find your mind is no longer wandering or focusing on negativity or unhelpful thoughts.
Summary
To summarize, all of us get lost in our thoughts from time to time. We overanalyze our words and actions, to the point where we feel overwhelmed and stressed.
If this has happened to you, then try to refocus your attention elsewhere, either by meditating, accepting your feelings, journaling, working out, or whatever works for you.
When you get out of your head, you can think more clearly and be more relaxed and stress free.
Hi, we are Ben Easter and Paige Stephens-Easter, and we have been married for 10 years. Together, we have immersed ourselves in the world of personal development, with our full-time business - Lucid Shift Coaching.
We believe that mental health and mindfulness are the most important things in a relationship, and we need to cherish these things in order to be the best versions of ourselves.
Our core values include Play, Growth, Connection, Collaboration, and Authenticity. These apply to our work, relationship, and all areas of our lives where we want to see improvement.
Please enjoy our website and learn more about personal development through mindfulness, nurturing your mental health, and more.
