Magnesium, L-theanine, Ashwagandha, GABA, Passionflower, and Melatonin (for sleep) are common supplements believed to help calm racing thoughts by supporting calming neurotransmitters like GABA and reducing stress hormones, but you must consult a healthcare professional before starting any new supplement for personalized advice and to avoid interactions.
Evidence-backed nutrients like magnesium, L-theanine, glycine, melatonin, GABA, and adaptogenic herbs may help you unwind.
3 techniques to calm racing thoughts
Magnesium: Magnesium can help manage anxiety and insomnia by regulating serotonin and improving brain function, explains Dr. Madrak.
Deficiencies in B vitamins, particularly B12, B6, and B9, have been linked to symptoms of depression and anxiety. These vitamins are vital in producing chemicals, like serotonin, that affect mood.
Vitamin B12 and folate are thought to be effective in OCD treatment due to their associations with neurotransmitters. Depending on their antioxidant effect, zinc and selenium can be used in augmentation therapy for OCD.
Grounding Techniques: Engage your senses by focusing on the present environment. Notice the texture of an object, listen to the sounds around you, or feel the ground beneath your feet. Grounding techniques divert your mind from overthinking and promote present-moment awareness.
Ashwagandha and magnesium have been used to support sleep and reduce stress. Ashwagandha appears to be more effective than magnesium at relieving anxiety, though both supplements show some benefit in aiding sleep.
The 3-3-3 rule is a simple grounding technique for anxiety that brings you to the present moment by engaging your senses: 1) Name three things you can see, 2) Name three sounds you can hear, and 3) Move three parts of your body (like wiggling fingers/toes, rolling shoulders). This helps shift focus from overwhelming thoughts to your immediate environment, offering quick relief during panic or stress.
While racing thoughts are most commonly described in people with bipolar disorder and sleep apnea, they are also common with anxiety disorders, obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD), and other psychiatric disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
1. Soothe the Body to Settle the Mind
If you feel you are having a nervous breakdown you may:
Vitamin B12 deficiency is a commonly overlooked cause of psychiatric and even some neurological illnesses. Common neuropsychiatric illnesses associated with B12 deficiency are dementia, neuropathies, depression, and irritability. Authors concluded that OCD was an early manifestation of B12 deficiency.
Here are some of the most studied and effective natural anxiety supplements:
And, indeed, a small randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial found that people on SSRIs who were assigned to take an ashwagandha extract for six weeks reported fewer OCD symptoms compared to a placebo group. These adaptogens were also found to be safe.
You shouldn't take ashwagandha every day long-term because its safety isn't well-studied beyond 3 months, with risks including potential liver damage, thyroid issues, hormonal imbalances, and interactions with medications, plus possible severe side effects like emotional blunting or withdrawal if used chronically at high doses without oversight, contrasting with traditional short-term use.
Omega-3s, magnesium, B vitamins, and adaptogens like ashwagandha are among the most studied supplements for supporting nervous system health and stress regulation.
You should not mix magnesium with certain antibiotics (tetracyclines, fluoroquinolones), bisphosphonates, diuretics, proton pump inhibitors, some blood pressure drugs, and diabetes medications, as it can block absorption or alter effects, requiring spacing or avoidance. Also, separate magnesium from high doses of zinc, iron, calcium, and high-fiber/phytate/oxalate foods to prevent interference with absorption.
How to Stop Thought Loops: Expert-Approved Strategies
Here are six techniques for taming an overactive brain:
Practice a deep breathing exercise
Taking deep, controlled breaths can be your secret weapon against a racing mind. Focusing on your breath brings your attention back to the present moment so other thoughts fade. You might be a whiz at multitasking, but when you're focusing on the breath, it's pretty hard to worry.
It has recently been discovered that taking high doses of vitamin B6 supplements significantly reduces feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression.
The 15-Minute Rule for OCD is a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) technique where you delay performing a compulsion for 15 minutes when an obsessive thought triggers anxiety, allowing the urge to lessen naturally as you practice exposure and response prevention (ERP). It teaches your brain that discomfort decreases without the ritual, building resilience and breaking the obsessive-compulsive cycle by gradually increasing tolerance for uncertainty and distressing feelings.
Vitamin B12 deficiency can have distressing neuropsychiatric symptoms. It can have an etiological role in clinical presentations like depression, anxiety, psychosis, dementia, and delirium, requiring screening of at-risk populations.