{"id":11458,"date":"2020-11-09T19:29:37","date_gmt":"2020-11-09T19:29:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/?p=11458"},"modified":"2025-02-27T10:38:55","modified_gmt":"2025-02-27T10:38:55","slug":"emptying-mind","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/emptying-mind\/","title":{"rendered":"Emptying the Mind: Destress and Clear Your Mind for a Better Life"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_75 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/emptying-mind\/#What_Does_Emptying_the_Mind_Mean\" >What Does Emptying the Mind Mean?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/emptying-mind\/#How_to_Empty_Your_Mind\" >How to Empty Your Mind<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/emptying-mind\/#Find_a_Distraction\" >Find a Distraction<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/emptying-mind\/#Try_Journaling\" >Try Journaling<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/emptying-mind\/#Try_Mindfulness\" >Try Mindfulness<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/emptying-mind\/#Try_Chanting_Mantras\" >Try Chanting Mantras<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/emptying-mind\/#Connect_with_Friends_or_Family\" >Connect with Friends or Family<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/emptying-mind\/#How_to_Practice_Meditation_for_the_Emptying_of_the_Mind\" >How to Practice Meditation for the Emptying of the Mind?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/emptying-mind\/#What_Are_the_Best_Yoga_Asanas_for_Emptying_Your_Mind\" >What Are the Best Yoga Asanas for Emptying Your Mind?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/emptying-mind\/#Childs_Pose\" >Child&#8217;s Pose<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/emptying-mind\/#Big_Toe_Pose\" >Big Toe Pose<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/emptying-mind\/#Dolphin_Pose\" >Dolphin Pose<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/emptying-mind\/#Downward_Facing_Dog\" >Downward Facing Dog<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/emptying-mind\/#How_to_Clear_Your_Mind_to_Sleep\" >How to Clear Your Mind to Sleep<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/emptying-mind\/#Is_Meditation_Emptying_the_Mind\" >Is Meditation Emptying the Mind?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/emptying-mind\/#Frequently_Asked_Questions\" >Frequently Asked Questions<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/emptying-mind\/#Does_ADHD_make_your_mind_go_blank\" >Does ADHD make your mind go blank?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-18\" href=\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/emptying-mind\/#How_can_I_stop_zoning_out\" >How can I stop zoning out?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-19\" href=\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/emptying-mind\/#What_causes_brain_emptiness\" >What causes brain emptiness?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-20\" href=\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/emptying-mind\/#What_is_blank_mind_syndrome\" >What is blank mind syndrome?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-21\" href=\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/emptying-mind\/#The_Bottom_Line\" >The Bottom Line<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Have you ever heard of the term monkey mind? The term monkey mind is a Buddhist concept that refers to having a restless, unsettled, or confused mind (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.psychologytoday.com\/us\/blog\/the-empowerment-diary\/201709\/calming-the-monkey-mind\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">). This term likens the brain&#8217;s tendency to always jump from one thought or feeling to another, to a literal monkey that\u2019s always swinging from limb to limb, branch to branch (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC5866730\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-sheets-root=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/mind.betterme.world\/en?flow=271&amp;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=Emptying_Mind\" target=\"_blank\"><video autoplay=\"autoplay\" loop=\"loop\" muted=\"muted\" playsinline=\"playsinline\" width=\"777\"><source src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/ezgif.com-gif-to-mp4-converter-1.mp4\" type=\"video\/mp4\" \/><\/video><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Our society loves to elevate the go-getter archetype and encourages our brains to always be buzzing or working. While there\u2019s nothing wrong with thinking ahead, being a go-getter, and thinking of ideas to better ourselves or our lives, we unfortunately forget that, like our bodies, our minds also need rest.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Failure to calm the monkey mind can lead to increased levels of stress and anxiety (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/publication\/313955759_Calming_the_Monkey_Mind\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">). This is where the concept of \u2018emptying the mind\u2019 comes in. Read on to learn how emptying your mind can help give your brain a break allowing you to be a better you.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Does_Emptying_the_Mind_Mean\"><\/span><b>What Does Emptying the Mind Mean?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Authors from a study published in the <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> stated that emptying your mind can also be known as mindful awareness, which refers to the ability to focus on present sensory input without cognitive elaboration or emotional reactivity (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC5866730\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">4<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">). This sounds incredibly complicated.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, a simpler definition of this can be found in an editorial article published in the <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Holistic Nursing Practice<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> journal. Here, the author describes this concept of emptying the mind as a meditation process where you sit still and allow your thoughts to flow through your head without paying attention to them or directing them in any way (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/journals.lww.com\/hnpjournal\/citation\/2013\/03000\/health_benefits_of_emptying_the_mind_.1.aspx\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">5<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The author claims that as they do this, the flow of these constant thoughts slowly reduces to a slow trickle that eventually disappears leaving their mind and body calm and relaxed, long after the meditation period has ended (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/journals.lww.com\/hnpjournal\/citation\/2013\/03000\/health_benefits_of_emptying_the_mind_.1.aspx\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">5<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the dictionary, to empty your mind means to try your best to think about nothing (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.macmillandictionary.com\/dictionary\/british\/empty-your-mind\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">8<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">). It means to purposely put a stop to the constant stream of thoughts that are with us every day. When you learn the practice of emptying your mind, the brain becomes accustomed to entertaining a few thoughts per minute instead of automatically replacing a new thought with another (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.huffpost.com\/entry\/why-do-we-fear-an-empty-mind_b_853551\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">17<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While not all thoughts that constantly go through our minds are bad, sometimes we may experience thinking of negative and unwanted ones, which could lead to great distress, anxiety, depression, and even violent outbursts to some people if not taken care of (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/adaa.org\/learn-from-us\/from-the-experts\/blog-posts\/consumer\/unwanted-intrusive-thoughts\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">14<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">). The feelings you get when emptying your mind are a sense of calmness and eventually clarity.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/mind.betterme.world\/en?flow=271&amp;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=Emptying_Mind\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-71105\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/542_-tantric-meditation-1024x640.png\" alt=\"Emptying Mind\" width=\"770\" height=\"481\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/542_-tantric-meditation-1024x640.png 1024w, https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/542_-tantric-meditation-300x188.png 300w, https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/542_-tantric-meditation-768x480.png 768w, https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/542_-tantric-meditation-1720x1075.png 1720w, https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/542_-tantric-meditation.png 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_Empty_Your_Mind\"><\/span><b>How to Empty Your Mind<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From the above explanation, it can be understood that \u2018emptying the mind&#8217; simply means draining your brain of constant thoughts and simply allowing it to be still and calm. But how exactly do you go about doing this?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are some tips and ways to clear your mind:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Find_a_Distraction\"><\/span><b>Find a Distraction<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re wondering how to clear your mind instantly, then this is it. According to a paper published in the <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cerebrum<\/span><\/i> <i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Journal<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in 2019, the human brain has evolved to only be able to concentrate on one task at a time. The authors stated that the concept of multitasking is a misnomer, as the human mind and brain lack the architecture to perform two or more tasks simultaneously (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC7075496\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">6<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So how does this work for emptying the mind?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If your brain can\u2019t pay attention to more than one thing at a time, then finding something else to concentrate on can help you get rid of the monkey mind or any jumbled up or negative thoughts that you may be having.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Studies have also shown that distractions can be a great tool for emotional regulation and cognitive behavior therapy. Finding the right distractions can be beneficial as they help negative emotions by enhancing positive emotions and facilitating cognitive reappraisal, in addition to helping with problem-solving, meaning in life, and the satisfaction of needs (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC5323484\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">7<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/journals.plos.org\/plosone\/article?id=10.1371\/journal.pone.0236030\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">8<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Simple and healthy ways to distract yourself include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Playing some soothing music, e.g. instrumentals or jazz<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cuddling with your pets or a loved one<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Taking a walk<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Doing some chores<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Exercising or dancing<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Taking a nap<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Watching entertaining TV shows<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><strong>Running a never-ending rat race, shoving trauma further and further away, falling into self-harming thought patterns, living life that\u2019s eclipsed by constant anxiety and fear \u2013 this is what an average person goes through every day. Not addressing it will only pull you deeper into a downward spiral. BetterMe: Meditation &amp; Sleep app will help you <a class=\"in-cell-link\" href=\"https:\/\/mind.betterme.world\/en?flow=271&amp;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=Emptying_Mind\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">gain a new perspective<\/a> on life and help you regain that long-lost internal balance!<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Try_Journaling\"><\/span><b>Try Journaling<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Journaling is another great way to help with emptying your mind. Research over the years has shown that this practice can help your mental health and general well-being.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Journaling achieves these results by improving your ability to deal with stress, decrease burnout, and help with the treatment and management of mental illnesses such as PTSD, anxiety disorders, depression, and mood disorders (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/22209127\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">9<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6305886\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">10<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC8935176\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">11<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/profile\/Lynda-Dimitroff\/publication\/308956936_Change_your_life_through_journaling--The_benefits_of_journaling_for_registered_nurses\/links\/59354f6945851553b6f3c7eb\/Change-your-life-through-journaling--The-benefits-of-journaling-for-registered-nurses.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">12<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether you\u2019re using a pen and paper or an app to write down your thoughts, the act of writing them down will help you clear and empty your mind.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Try_Mindfulness\"><\/span><b>Try Mindfulness<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mindfulness is described as a state of active, open attention to the present where you observe your thoughts and feelings without judging them as good or bad (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.psychologytoday.com\/us\/basics\/mindfulness\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">13<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The practice of mindfulness is used as a tool to foster awareness and acceptance, which helps foster a sense of self and consciousness. Acceptance helps us avoid self-criticism and judgment while identifying and managing difficult emotions (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.psychologytoday.com\/us\/basics\/mindfulness\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">13<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Research has shown that practicing mindfulness can improve emotional and behavioral regulation, reduce anxiety and depression, lower blood pressure, improve sleep, help with pain management, and overall improve quality of life (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3679190\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">14<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/newsinhealth.nih.gov\/2021\/06\/mindfulness-your-health\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">15<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That being said, mindfulness always goes hand in hand with meditation. Check out our article on \u2018<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-does-meditation-feel-like\/\"><b>What does meditation feel like?<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2019 to learn more about this practice and how to do it well.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Try_Chanting_Mantras\"><\/span><b>Try Chanting Mantras<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In Hinduism and Buddhism, a mantra is a sacred utterance &#8211; it can be a syllable, word, or verse &#8211; that is considered to possess mystical or spiritual efficacy (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/mantra\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">16<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In addition to the spiritual aspect, mantra meditation can help quiet and focus the mind by simply continuously uttering the word or phrase of choice, either out loud or silently (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/publication\/318395933_Scientific_Analysis_of_Mantra-Based_Meditation_and_its_Beneficial_Effects_An_Overview\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">17<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Research has shown that this practice can help practitioners cope better with stress and anxiety, while also helping with the management of hypertension and improving immunity (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC8949812\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">18<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC9623891\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">19<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Check out our article on <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/meditation-thoughts\/\"><b>meditation mantras for beginners<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to see examples of mantras you can use to empty the mind and in your daily life.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Connect_with_Friends_or_Family\"><\/span><b>Connect with Friends or Family<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whenever you\u2019re stressed, you may not want to be around people. Hiding away and trying to solve your problems may seem like a good idea, but in truth, it may make you even more stressed. Being surrounded by family, friends, and loved ones, even without actively participating in the activities they\u2019re doing is a great way to unconsciously empty your mind and improve your mental health (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/journals.plos.org\/plosone\/article?id=10.1371\/journal.pone.0195237\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">20<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Read more:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/weight-loss-mantra\/\">Weight Loss Mantra: Get Rid Of Emotional Eating<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_Practice_Meditation_for_the_Emptying_of_the_Mind\"><\/span><b>How to Practice Meditation for the Emptying of the Mind?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As demonstrated above, meditation is a perfect way to clear the mind of thought in order to be calm and relaxed. If you\u2019ve never meditated before, here are some simple tips to get you started:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Find a calm, quiet spot in which to sit.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Keep your back straight, but not stiff, and your legs crossed in front of you with your hands on top of your legs.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Slowly close your eyes and simply sit and feel your presence. Pay attention to your breathing. Breathe deeply to feel your body expand when you breathe in and contract when you breathe out.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When your mind starts to wander, bring it back to your breathing.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let go of any thoughts or feelings that are in your mind. If any new thoughts try to come in, let them go and don\u2019t hold on to any of them.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Try keeping your mind as empty as possible. If you initially can\u2019t do this, just stay focused on your breathing. Please note that your eventual goal will be to keep your mind completely empty so you don\u2019t have to pay attention to your breathing.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Do this for up to 2 minutes (or more if you\u2019re able), and once the time is up, slowly open your eyes and let them and your body re-familiarize themselves with your surroundings before you get up and walk away.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019ve been tasked to help a group of people learn how to empty their minds and are not sure how to go about it, our article on <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/meditative_movement\/\"><b>how to lead a guided meditation<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> may be of help.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Are_the_Best_Yoga_Asanas_for_Emptying_Your_Mind\"><\/span><b>What Are the Best Yoga Asanas for Emptying Your Mind?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yoga asanas simply mean yoga poses. Studies have shown that this practice helps boost relaxation, enhances awareness, helps people make better life choices, and is beneficial for stress relief and management and depression management (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/journals\/psychology\/articles\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2023.1218976\/full\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">21<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S0975947623000839\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">22<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/full\/10.1002\/smi.3324\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">23<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC10229855\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">24<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are some incredible yoga asanas for emptying your mind whenever you feel stressed or overwhelmed (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.yogajournal.com\/poses\/anatomy\/brain\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">13<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">):<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Childs_Pose\"><\/span><b>Child&#8217;s Pose<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Get on your hands and knees on the floor on a mat.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Spread your knees wide, up to the edges of your mat, and keep the top of your feet on the floor, with your big toes touching at the back.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bring your belly to rest between your thighs and root your forehead to the floor. Keep your shoulders, jaw, and eyes relaxed. If you can\u2019t rest your forehead on the floor, place a stack of books at your head or rest it on your closed fists.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stretch your arms in front of you with the palms toward the floor, or bring your arms back alongside your thighs with the palms facing upward. Do whatever feels best and most comfortable for you.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stay in this position from 30 seconds to a few minutes. Remember to keep breathing deeply in and out.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Big_Toe_Pose\"><\/span><b>Big Toe Pose<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Start by standing with your feet parallel and hip-distance apart, and your arms relaxed at your sides.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Exhale and bend forward from the hip, keeping your legs straight. Wrap your index and middle fingers of each hand around the corresponding big toe, and then wrap your thumb around the other two fingers to secure.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Exhale and fold yourself further forward, aiming to draw your forehead toward your shins. Remember to keep breathing and keep your head and spine relaxed.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Move your hands underneath the soles of your feet, resting the top of your hands on the floor. Your toes should sit in the creases of your wrists.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you can\u2019t reach your forehead, use a <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/seated-yoga-positions\/\">yoga<\/a> strap, and strap it under the balls of your feet to help you stretch. You could also bend your knees a little to help you get your forehead further down.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Dolphin_Pose\"><\/span><b>Dolphin Pose<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Start on your hands and knees, placing your knees directly below your hips and your wrists directly below your shoulders.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On an exhale, lower your forearms to the mat, keeping them parallel and aligning your elbows below your shoulders. On an inhale, tuck your toes, and lift your hips toward the ceiling.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Keeping your shoulders over your elbows, gently let your head drop, walking your toes slightly forward.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stay in this position for 30 seconds to one minute. Then release your knees to the floor with an exhale.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Downward_Facing_Dog\"><\/span><b>Downward Facing Dog<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Come to your hands and knees with your wrists underneath your shoulders and your knees underneath your hips.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Curl your toes under and push back through your hands to lift your hips and straighten your legs.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Spread your fingers and ground down from your forearms into your fingertips.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Outwardly rotate your upper arms to broaden your collarbones.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let your head hang and move your shoulder blades away from your ears toward your hips.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Engage your quadriceps strongly to take the burden of your body&#8217;s weight off your arms. This action goes a long way toward making this a resting pose.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rotate your thighs inward, keep your tail high, and sink your heels toward the floor.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stay in this position for 1 to 3 minutes, then exhale, bend your knees to release, and come back to your hands and knees, as if in a child&#8217;s pose.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>If you wish to reach into the deep crevices of your mind, take yourself out of the mental loop, regain balance, infuse yourself with optimism, and cultivate compassion &#8211; <a class=\"in-cell-link\" href=\"https:\/\/mind.betterme.world\/en?flow=271&amp;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=Emptying_Mind\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">BetterMe: Meditation &amp; Sleep <\/a>app is exactly what you need!<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_Clear_Your_Mind_to_Sleep\"><\/span><b>How to Clear Your Mind to Sleep<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">More often than not, people suffer insomnia symptoms such as struggling to fall asleep or finding it difficult to stay asleep because their minds are too full. So how can you practice emptying your mind so you can fall asleep and get the rest you deserve?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are some things you can try:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Make a To-Do List<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This helps you make a game plan for how to tackle the problems that are bothering you, which empties your mind of said worries and helps you fall asleep faster.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Switch Off Your Screens<\/b><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How many times have you said \u201cone more episode\u201d or \u201cone more video on social media\u201d, only to realize that it\u2019s suddenly 3 am and you\u2019re still awake?\u00a0 Switch off your screens at least 30 minutes before bed to allow your mind to calm down.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Listen to Soothing Sounds<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are many free apps today that offer soothing sounds to help you sleep. White noise, whale sounds, the sound of rain, or the sound of thunder are some soothing sounds that people listen to that can help them empty their minds for sleep.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Meditate<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Studies have shown that meditation helps improve sleep quality in people with many common sleep disorders. Try meditation before bed and it may help you sleep faster, deeper, and for longer (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/sleep\/article-abstract\/37\/9\/1553\/2416992?redirectedFrom=fulltext\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">25<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4407465\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">26<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6557693\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">27<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Read more:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/freeze-trauma-response\/\">The Dissociative Trauma Response: What it Is, its Signs, and How to Manage it<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is_Meditation_Emptying_the_Mind\"><\/span><b>Is Meditation Emptying the Mind?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No, it\u2019s not. When emptying the mind, the aim is to be free of thought. When meditating, you often focus on something, such as your breath, visualization, or sounds, so the mind is concentrated on something and never quite empty.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/mind.betterme.world\/en?flow=271&amp;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=Emptying_Mind\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-70783\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/4890-lazy-yoga-for-weight-loss-1024x640.png\" alt=\"Emptying Mind\" width=\"770\" height=\"481\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/4890-lazy-yoga-for-weight-loss-1024x640.png 1024w, https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/4890-lazy-yoga-for-weight-loss-300x188.png 300w, https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/4890-lazy-yoga-for-weight-loss-768x480.png 768w, https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/4890-lazy-yoga-for-weight-loss-1472x920.png 1472w, https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/4890-lazy-yoga-for-weight-loss.png 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span data-sheets-root=\"1\"><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Frequently_Asked_Questions\"><\/span><b>Frequently Asked Questions<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><ul><li><h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Does_ADHD_make_your_mind_go_blank\"><\/span><strong>Does ADHD make your mind go blank?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3><\/li><\/ul><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yes, it can. While ADHD is often associated with mind wandering (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6525148\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">28<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC10421702\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">29<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">), research has also found there to be a connection between ADHD and mind blanking, especially in children and young adults (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/abs\/10.1177\/0956797617708234?journalCode=pssa\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">30<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/psycnet.apa.org\/record\/2022-57842-001\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">31<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<ul><li><h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_can_I_stop_zoning_out\"><\/span><strong>How can I stop zoning out?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3><\/li><\/ul><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Minimizing distractions, practicing mindfulness, meditating, engaging in mentally stimulating activities, and taking regularly scheduled breaks can help prevent or reduce instances of zoning out.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul><li><h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_causes_brain_emptiness\"><\/span><strong>What causes brain emptiness?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3><\/li><\/ul><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Factors such as a lack of sleep, increased <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/somatic-stress-release-exercises\/\">stress<\/a> and\/or anxiety, lack of mental stimulation, repetitive and boring tasks, and medication can make your mind feel empty.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul><li><h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_blank_mind_syndrome\"><\/span><strong>What is blank mind syndrome?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3><\/li><\/ul><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mind blanking or blank mind syndrome is a situation in which your mind goes completely blank and feels empty. Your brain loses awareness of stimuli, whether internal or external. You\u2019re unable to process any environmental cues and internal trains of thought and may find it impossible to think or focus (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3784796\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">32<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-sheets-root=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/mind.betterme.world\/en?flow=271&amp;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=Emptying_Mind\" target=\"_blank\"><video autoplay=\"autoplay\" loop=\"loop\" muted=\"muted\" playsinline=\"playsinline\" width=\"777\"><source src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/ezgif.com-gif-to-mp4-converter.mp4\" type=\"video\/mp4\" \/><\/video><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Bottom_Line\"><\/span><b>The Bottom Line<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As demonstrated above, this concept of emptying the mind can help calm you down, enabling you to reduce stress and even improve your mental health. If you ever feel overwhelmed by thoughts or even emotions, try any of the above ways to clear your mind and simply allow your brain to take a break. Not only will you feel refreshed afterward, your mental health will also thank you for it.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Have you ever heard of the term monkey mind? The term monkey mind is a Buddhist concept that refers to having a restless, unsettled, or confused mind (1). This term likens the brain&#8217;s tendency to always jump from one thought or feeling to another, to a literal monkey that\u2019s always swinging from limb to limb, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29,"featured_media":71108,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[99],"tags":[],"coauthors":[109],"class_list":["post-11458","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-meditation"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v20.2.1 (Yoast SEO v25.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Emptying the Mind: Destress and Clear Your Mind for a Better Life - BetterMe<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Have you ever wondered how the \u2605 EMPTYING MIND \u27a4 works? Learn how this practice could be beneficial in your life with tips and tricks on how to do it.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, nofollow\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Emptying the Mind: Destress and Clear Your Mind for a Better Life\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Have you ever wondered how the \u2605 EMPTYING MIND \u27a4 works? Learn how this practice could be beneficial in your life with tips and tricks on how to do it.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/emptying-mind\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"BetterMe Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/betterme.health.coaching\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-02-27T10:38:55+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/543_-emptying-mind-1024x640.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"640\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"\u0421. Kamau\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@betterme\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@betterme\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"\u0421. Kamau\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"12 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/emptying-mind\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/emptying-mind\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"\u0421. Kamau\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/#\/schema\/person\/d15101707f87d562cbefe2a3e57d3647\"},\"headline\":\"Emptying the Mind: Destress and Clear Your Mind for a Better Life\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-02-27T10:38:55+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/emptying-mind\/\"},\"wordCount\":2537,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/emptying-mind\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/543_-emptying-mind.png\",\"articleSection\":[\"Meditation\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"articleBody\":\"<span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">Have you ever heard of the term monkey mind? The term monkey mind is a Buddhist concept that refers to having a restless, unsettled, or confused mind (<\/span><a href=\\\"https:\/\/www.psychologytoday.com\/us\/blog\/the-empowerment-diary\/201709\/calming-the-monkey-mind\\\"><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">1<\/span><\/a><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">). This term likens the brain's tendency to always jump from one thought or feeling to another, to a literal monkey that\u2019s always swinging from limb to limb, branch to branch (<\/span><a href=\\\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC5866730\/\\\"><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">2<\/span><\/a><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">).<\/span>\\r\\n\\r\\n<span data-sheets-root=\\\"1\\\"><\/span>\\r\\n\\r\\n<span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">Our society loves to elevate the go-getter archetype and encourages our brains to always be buzzing or working. While there\u2019s nothing wrong with thinking ahead, being a go-getter, and thinking of ideas to better ourselves or our lives, we unfortunately forget that, like our bodies, our minds also need rest.\u00a0<\/span>\\r\\n\\r\\n<span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">Failure to calm the monkey mind can lead to increased levels of stress and anxiety (<\/span><a href=\\\"https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/publication\/313955759_Calming_the_Monkey_Mind\\\"><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">3<\/span><\/a><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">). This is where the concept of \u2018emptying the mind\u2019 comes in. Read on to learn how emptying your mind can help give your brain a break allowing you to be a better you.<\/span>\\r\\n<h2 style=\\\"text-align: center;\\\"><b>What Does Emptying the Mind Mean?<\/b><\/h2>\\r\\n<span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">Authors from a study published in the <\/span><i><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences<\/span><\/i><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\"> stated that emptying your mind can also be known as mindful awareness, which refers to the ability to focus on present sensory input without cognitive elaborat ...\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/emptying-mind\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/emptying-mind\/\",\"name\":\"Emptying the Mind: Destress and Clear Your Mind for a Better Life - BetterMe\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/emptying-mind\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/emptying-mind\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/543_-emptying-mind.png\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-02-27T10:38:55+00:00\",\"description\":\"Have you ever wondered how the \u2605 EMPTYING MIND \u27a4 works? Learn how this practice could be beneficial in your life with tips and tricks on how to do it.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/emptying-mind\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/emptying-mind\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/emptying-mind\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/543_-emptying-mind.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/543_-emptying-mind.png\",\"width\":1920,\"height\":1200,\"caption\":\"Crying During Meditation\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/emptying-mind\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Blog\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Mental Health\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/mental-health\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Meditation\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/mental-health\/meditation\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":4,\"name\":\"Emptying the Mind: Destress and Clear Your Mind for a Better Life\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/\",\"name\":\"BetterMe Blog\",\"description\":\"Health &amp; Fitness\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/#organization\",\"name\":\"BetterMe\",\"alternateName\":\"Betterme Limited\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/BetterMe.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/BetterMe.png\",\"width\":512,\"height\":512,\"caption\":\"BetterMe\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/betterme.health.coaching\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/betterme\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/betterme\/\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/betterme-apps\",\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/bettermetips\/\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UC0svgcjc3jSgcryqo83spPQ\",\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@betterme.health.coaching\",\"https:\/\/apps.apple.com\/app\/betterme-health-coaching\/id1264546236\",\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/apps\/details?id=com.gen.workoutme&amp;amp;amp;amp;hl=en_US&amp;amp;amp;amp;gl=US\",\"https:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/wiki\/Q114895798\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/#\/schema\/person\/d15101707f87d562cbefe2a3e57d3647\",\"name\":\"\u0421. Kamau\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/0ed0cd9711a5e48e59c4cd4e3aa6902c\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/clare_kamau-150x150.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/clare_kamau-150x150.png\",\"caption\":\"\u0421. Kamau\"},\"description\":\"Clare is an excellent and experienced writer who has a great interest in nutrition, weight loss, and working out. She believes that everyone should take an interest in health and fitness, as not only do they improve your way of life, but they can also have a significant impact on your health. As a writer, her goal is to educate her readers about the ways they can reprogram themselves to enjoy exercise, as well as break free from bad eating habits. In her articles, Clare tries to give advice which is backed by scientific research and is also easy to follow on a day-to-day basis. She believes that everyone, no matter their age, gender, or fitness level, can always learn something new that can benefit their health.\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/clare-k-420b7a133\/\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/author\/clarekamau\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Emptying the Mind: Destress and Clear Your Mind for a Better Life - BetterMe","description":"Have you ever wondered how the \u2605 EMPTYING MIND \u27a4 works? Learn how this practice could be beneficial in your life with tips and tricks on how to do it.","robots":{"index":"noindex","follow":"nofollow"},"og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Emptying the Mind: Destress and Clear Your Mind for a Better Life","og_description":"Have you ever wondered how the \u2605 EMPTYING MIND \u27a4 works? Learn how this practice could be beneficial in your life with tips and tricks on how to do it.","og_url":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/emptying-mind\/","og_site_name":"BetterMe Blog","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/betterme.health.coaching","article_modified_time":"2025-02-27T10:38:55+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1024,"height":640,"url":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/543_-emptying-mind-1024x640.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"\u0421. Kamau","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@betterme","twitter_site":"@betterme","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"\u0421. Kamau","Est. reading time":"12 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/emptying-mind\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/emptying-mind\/"},"author":{"name":"\u0421. Kamau","@id":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/#\/schema\/person\/d15101707f87d562cbefe2a3e57d3647"},"headline":"Emptying the Mind: Destress and Clear Your Mind for a Better Life","dateModified":"2025-02-27T10:38:55+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/emptying-mind\/"},"wordCount":2537,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/emptying-mind\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/543_-emptying-mind.png","articleSection":["Meditation"],"inLanguage":"en-US","articleBody":"<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Have you ever heard of the term monkey mind? The term monkey mind is a Buddhist concept that refers to having a restless, unsettled, or confused mind (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.psychologytoday.com\/us\/blog\/the-empowerment-diary\/201709\/calming-the-monkey-mind\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">). This term likens the brain's tendency to always jump from one thought or feeling to another, to a literal monkey that\u2019s always swinging from limb to limb, branch to branch (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC5866730\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span data-sheets-root=\"1\"><\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Our society loves to elevate the go-getter archetype and encourages our brains to always be buzzing or working. While there\u2019s nothing wrong with thinking ahead, being a go-getter, and thinking of ideas to better ourselves or our lives, we unfortunately forget that, like our bodies, our minds also need rest.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Failure to calm the monkey mind can lead to increased levels of stress and anxiety (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/publication\/313955759_Calming_the_Monkey_Mind\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">). This is where the concept of \u2018emptying the mind\u2019 comes in. Read on to learn how emptying your mind can help give your brain a break allowing you to be a better you.<\/span>\r\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><b>What Does Emptying the Mind Mean?<\/b><\/h2>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Authors from a study published in the <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> stated that emptying your mind can also be known as mindful awareness, which refers to the ability to focus on present sensory input without cognitive elaborat ..."},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/emptying-mind\/","url":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/emptying-mind\/","name":"Emptying the Mind: Destress and Clear Your Mind for a Better Life - BetterMe","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/emptying-mind\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/emptying-mind\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/543_-emptying-mind.png","dateModified":"2025-02-27T10:38:55+00:00","description":"Have you ever wondered how the \u2605 EMPTYING MIND \u27a4 works? Learn how this practice could be beneficial in your life with tips and tricks on how to do it.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/emptying-mind\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/emptying-mind\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/emptying-mind\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/543_-emptying-mind.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/543_-emptying-mind.png","width":1920,"height":1200,"caption":"Crying During Meditation"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/emptying-mind\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Mental Health","item":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/mental-health\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Meditation","item":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/mental-health\/meditation\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Emptying the Mind: Destress and Clear Your Mind for a Better Life"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/#website","url":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/","name":"BetterMe Blog","description":"Health &amp; Fitness","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/#organization","name":"BetterMe","alternateName":"Betterme Limited","url":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/BetterMe.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/BetterMe.png","width":512,"height":512,"caption":"BetterMe"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/betterme.health.coaching","https:\/\/x.com\/betterme","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/betterme\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/betterme-apps","https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/bettermetips\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UC0svgcjc3jSgcryqo83spPQ","https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@betterme.health.coaching","https:\/\/apps.apple.com\/app\/betterme-health-coaching\/id1264546236","https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/apps\/details?id=com.gen.workoutme&amp;amp;amp;amp;hl=en_US&amp;amp;amp;amp;gl=US","https:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/wiki\/Q114895798"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/#\/schema\/person\/d15101707f87d562cbefe2a3e57d3647","name":"\u0421. Kamau","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/0ed0cd9711a5e48e59c4cd4e3aa6902c","url":"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/clare_kamau-150x150.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/clare_kamau-150x150.png","caption":"\u0421. Kamau"},"description":"Clare is an excellent and experienced writer who has a great interest in nutrition, weight loss, and working out. She believes that everyone should take an interest in health and fitness, as not only do they improve your way of life, but they can also have a significant impact on your health. As a writer, her goal is to educate her readers about the ways they can reprogram themselves to enjoy exercise, as well as break free from bad eating habits. In her articles, Clare tries to give advice which is backed by scientific research and is also easy to follow on a day-to-day basis. She believes that everyone, no matter their age, gender, or fitness level, can always learn something new that can benefit their health.","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/clare-k-420b7a133\/"],"url":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/author\/clarekamau\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11458","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/29"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11458"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11458\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":71109,"href":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11458\/revisions\/71109"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/71108"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11458"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11458"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11458"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=11458"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}