Stuck in your head? Blame the DMN, and learn to calm It

Have you ever found yourself lost in thought, replaying a conversation from earlier, worrying about tomorrow’s to-do list, or wondering what someone thinks of you?

Meet Neha. She’s a 35-year-old working professional. Every night before bed, even though she’s exhausted, her mind starts racing , “Did I sound rude in that meeting?”, “What if I forget something tomorrow?”, “Why can’t I just switch off my brain?”

What Neha is experiencing isn’t unusual. In fact, it’s the Default Mode Network at work, a part of our brain that lights up when we’re not focused on anything in particular. Sounds innocent, right? But here’s the catch…

What is the default mode network (DMN)?

The DMN is a network in the brain that gets activated when we’re daydreaming, remembering the past, imagining the future, or thinking about ourselves, in other words, when our mind is wandering.

Brewer et al. (2011) found that this same network is also heavily involved in rumination, self-criticism, and overthinking. This is especially common in people dealing with anxiety, depression, or trauma.

So when Neha lies awake replaying her day or worrying about the future, it’s her DMN being overactive, stuck in a loop of self-referential thought.

Why does this matter?

Overactivation of the DMN can:

• Increase feelings of anxiety or low mood

• Lead to mental exhaustion

• Make it hard to be present and grounded

For someone healing from trauma, this becomes even harder, the mind keeps circling back to the past or creating fear-based stories about the future.

Here’s the good news: meditation can quiet the DMN.

Back to Neha. She started a simple 5-minute daily mindfulness practice where she just focused on her breath. No fancy apps or techniques. Within a few weeks, she noticed:

• She felt less caught up in worry spirals

• Her sleep improved

• She could gently redirect her thoughts when they started to spiral

In the same study by Brewer et al., experienced meditators showed reduced activity in the DMN , and when thoughts did arise, they were better at observing them without getting pulled in.

Practical ways to calm the default mode network

Here are some simple tools to help you bring more calm to your mind:

1. Mindful breathing (2-5 mins)

Sit quietly and observe your breath, the inhale, the exhale. When your mind wanders (it will!), gently bring it back to the breath. This act of returning helps retrain the brain.

2. Body scan meditation

Shift attention slowly through different parts of your body. This grounds you in the present moment and reduces DMN activity.

3. Naming the thought

When you catch yourself worrying, say internally, “Worrying thought” or “Planning thought.” Naming it gives you distance from it.

4. Movement-based mindfulness

Gentle yoga, walking meditation, or even dancing with awareness helps interrupt overthinking loops.

5. Create a “Worry time”

If you tend to worry throughout the day, schedule a fixed 10-minute slot for it. Paradoxically, this often reduces rumination.

Even a few minutes a day can help quiet the Default Mode Network and bring more peace to your inner world.

Curious to know how much your mind is stuck in overthinking loops?

Head to the Reading Material tab and take the self-assessment questionnaire.

It just takes a few minutes, and might offer the clarity you've been looking for.