While meditation is considered by many as the most effective way to calm your mind, it’s not always option when you’re incredibly tired. According to psychcentral. com, there are alternatives to meditation such as doing things that naturally focus your mind outside of yourself and guide yourself to a calmer state of mind.
Here are several ways to calm your mind that don’t require as much mental energy as meditation but can have the same effect on your mood.
Do something complex, but not too difficult
When we’re tired or anxious, our minds wander more than usual, which makes us more tired and anxious. The alternative to meditation to avoid mind wandering is to engage in a complex task. Pick something you regularly do, like drawing, sports, creative writing, or a work project and just increase the difficulty slightly. With drawing, for example, you can try and draw something that is more of a challenge, or with a sports or writing, you can try setting a timer and complete a task in a limited time period.
Do something for someone else
While you don’t want to do anything too strenuous especially if you are tired, even doing simple things, when focusing on others, can quiet a racing mind. Try contacting someone that you feel may need a bit of help or spend some time volunteering or building something that you think can help others. Focusing on the well-being of the community can also give purpose and meaning, and can be reinvigorating.
Get some exercise and take a long sleep
Exhaustion and anxiety impact our ability to wind down before bed, which is a critical part of good quality sleep. Unconscious worries can also wake us in the night and stop us from getting into the deep states we need. By exercising, eating a healthy meal, and taking a long sleep, you can get the restorative effects that you need. This isn’t an invitation to oversleep, but if it’s been a while since you got some deep rest, it could be exactly what you need. It’s also useful to create a pre-sleep ritual that involves calming down and not looking at any screens for two to three hours before going to bed.
Do something social
This goes for introverts as well as extroverts. It’s a common belief that introverts are drained by social interactions, but typically this is only when interacting with people they’re not comfortable with. If you’re an introvert, make the effort be social with someone who you always have fun with. When we’re engaged in a social situation that is fun, and not anxiety-inducing, we naturally get out of our own heads and begin to recharge our batteries.
Meditation can help calm our minds, and if it has helped you before, keep trying to meditate even through rough periods. These solutions can help you get your energy back and help you return to your meditation routine.
