Mags here—the first wrinkle I ever got wasn’t on my face; it was a permanent fold on my forehead from thinking too much!
We know how the mind races during the quiet hours: bills, adult children, aging parents, politics, the whereabouts of the spectacles that are already on our heads.
At times, worry can seem like a loud, frantic radio show that won’t stop; it can be hard to tune in.
After 50, hormonal shifts reduce protective estrogen and progesterone, nudging cortisol higher and making anxious rumination more likely.
The thing is neuroplasticity never stops working. When we question our repeated thoughts that are based on fear, we literally change our neural pathways to be calmer and regain our peace.
How Do I Know When I’m Worrying?
Have you ever let your mind get stuck in a game of “What if…” That’s worry waving its little flag. As if that wasn’t bad enough, it then begs you to fix problems that don’t even exist yet.
Let’s say you have a date coming up with someone you just met. Suddenly your brain whispers, “What if he doesn’t like me?” Next thing you know, you’re imagining how he will look at you, what he will say or if he will not come at all. (Spoiler: none of that has actually happened.)
In an effort to avoid disaster, you become a preparation machine, thinking too much and looking for clothes at 3 a.m. or making plans to text him that you can’t make it. That must be really tiring, right?
That’s the sneaky cost of worrying: it uses up your energy today to deal with problems that might happen tomorrow. Don’t let those what-ifs control you. Instead, acknowledge them, smile, and say, “Brain, thanks for the heads-up, but I’ve got this.”
Then, turn that adrenaline into a real-life thing instead of panic, and come back to the present, where life (and your confidence) really happens.
Ways to Stop Worrying
Worry thrives on “what-ifs,” spinning everyday moments into marathon stress sessions before we even notice.
However, there are a few simple habits that have been shown to help you control your thoughts, feel calm again, and have more energy for the good things that life keeps giving you.
Find A New Way to Look at Anxiety With Science-Backed Perspective
“Whenever anxiety barges in,” Mags confides, “I picture it wearing clown shoes—suddenly it’s silly and small.”
Often, the feelings we have in our bodies—like a racing heart or a tight chest—are just adrenaline getting our engines ready for battle.
When we say something like, “This is anxiety, not reality,” we turn on the prefrontal cortex, which is the brain’s wise boss, and turn down the amygdala’s alarm bell.
Studies in cognitive and behavioral psychology have shown that naming the worry and then asking how likely it is to happen can cut the threat perception by up to 40%.
Let’s make this our mantra: We notice the worry, we question its evidence, and we decide how to react.
Make a Five-Minute Toolbox for Worry
My handbag holds lip balm, spare change, and a folded list called ‘Mags’ Mind-Calmers. This list is my five-minute toolbox for worry.
I recommend stocking a portable toolbox:
- Box Breathing (4-4-4-4).
- 30-second body scan, relaxing jaw, shoulders, and belly.
- Grounding scent like lavender or frankincense, on a handkerchief.
- A “parking lot” notebook—jot down intrusive thoughts and promise to review them later.
These short practices can help balance the vagus nerve, boost the parasympathetic nervous system, and keep worry from taking over the present moment if done every day.
READ ALSO: Fast and Effective Anxiety Relief Techniques That Work
Move Your Body to Quiet the Mind
I never leave stress sitting on the sofa; I march it right out the front door through exercise. Either I take a walk in my garden or do some short bursts of workouts in my living room.
We can build a movement habit because exercise clears the metabolic exhaust of stress. A 2024 meta-analysis of adults 50+ found that 150 minutes of moderate activity weekly sliced generalized anxiety symptoms by 25 %.
Choose rhythms that you enjoy, like morning walks, tai chi, or resistance bands. Getting more exercise raises gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which is the brain’s natural sleep aid. This makes days calmer and sleep deeper.
READ ALSO: How ‘Exercise Snacks’ Can Help You Stay Fit and Healthy Over 50
Eat Mindfully
If you catch me crunching almonds at 3 p.m., know I’m feeding my calm. We can nourish tranquility through magnesium-rich greens, omega-3–loaded salmon, and probiotic yogurt.
When blood sugar levels are stable, adrenaline levels stay high. Sudden drops in blood sugar levels can make people feel panicked.
Add complex carbs (oats, sweet potatoes) to stimulate serotonin production. If you want a mild boost, don’t drink caffeine after noon. Instead, try rooibos or chicory.
When the gut microbiome is healthy, it talks to the brain in a good way.
Prioritize Restorative Sleep
At 55, eight hours of shut-eye feels like a Swiss bank account for my sanity. We think of sleep as the daily reset that gets rid of the effects of worry.
Well, that’s true. When it’s time for sleep, always set a strict time for lights out, turn screens down two hours before bed, and keep the temperature in your bedroom around 18 °C (65 °F).
As you settle down, play a guided body-relaxation audio. This will lower the changes in your heart rate within minutes.
Getting enough good sleep improves the orbitofrontal cortex’s ability to accurately assess threats, which can lower anxiety the next day by up to 30%.
Build a Supportive Circle
We cultivate connections by scheduling weekly check-ins—coffee chats, walking clubs, and volunteer shifts. My friends and I always have tea together two or three times a week because I love being with them. I worry less about things when I’m with them. We laugh, enjoy ourselves, and talk about many things. At that moment, I’m not even thinking about anything else.
Research from the Global Council on Brain Health shows that social engagement is a top predictor of emotional resilience over 50.
Sharing in a real way releases oxytocin, which is sometimes called the “anti-cortisol hormone.” This creates a biochemical barrier against stress storms.
Do Your Best to Deal with Uncertainty
One thing that worry loves more than anything else is certainty. Your brain thinks that you’ll be safe if it just goes through all the possible outcomes.
There are no spoiler alerts in real life. That’s why practicing every question that could come up for a presentation is like looking for an answer key that doesn’t exist yet.
The antidote is to practice living in the “maybe.” Remember that uncertainty is not danger; it’s just tomorrow showing up without warning, as it always does. When you want to solve the impossible, take a deep breath and tell yourself, “I can handle whatever comes my way.” It looks like future-me is in good shape.
You can break the cycle of worry by getting used to not knowing. This means less frantic guessing and more calm confidence. Once your mind is clear, you can focus on things you can control, like making an outline, practicing your opening, and getting a good night’s sleep.
Set Strong Digital Boundaries
My phone once buzzed so often it needed its own therapist, hahaha!! I don’t know about you, but I consciously curate news and social feeds on Instagram. This takes so much of my time that I scroll through the feeds to read or see things I’m not supposed to. Then I realize I’ve been on my phone or laptop for hours. So I had to set some strong boundaries
Set a digital sunset for two hours before going to bed. Set up three times a day to check your email, mute negative triggers, and follow educators who are positive.
Doom-scrolling can lead to worry spirals, but information hygiene can stop them and keep your cognitive bandwidth for joy. I can tell you this for sure.
Practice Purposeful Mindfulness
Mindful micro-moments help us stay aware: savoring the feel of soap suds on our skin, the taste of cinnamon in oatmeal, the sound of sparrows at dawn.
Close your eyes, take ten slow breaths, and picture your feet on the floor. This will keep your mind off of regrets and “what-ifs” from the past or the future.
MRI studies show that practicing mindfulness every day for eight weeks makes the anterior cingulate cortex thicker. This makes it easier to control your attention and worries.
If you want to know more about mindfulness, take Schellea’s 30-day mindfulness challenge. This course and the breathwork course have really helped me in a way I can’t even imagine.
Turn Your Worry Into Actionable Plans
If it lives on my calendar, it can’t haunt my dreams. This has always been my mantra.
We translate vague fears into SMART tasks. Are you worried about your finances? Schedule a meeting with a fiduciary.
Are you feeling anxious about your health? Book the screening, set a walking date, or batch-cook anti-inflammatory meals.
Action moves energy from dwelling on problems to solving them, which boosts self-efficacy, which is one of the best ways to deal with long-term anxiety.
Another thing I always do is to put my worries on the clock. It’s funny, but it works.
Set aside a short amount of time every day to deal with your worries. Set a ten-minute timer and find a comfortable place to “worry chair” or a sunny window sill. As soon as the bell rings, you can write down all the what-ifs that have been bothering you, come up with solutions, or just vent.
For the rest of the day, don’t let stray anxious thoughts bother you. Instead, greet them politely and point to your schedule, telling them, “Not now, see you at 4 p.m. sharp.” Your mind will remember who’s in charge when you set this simple boundary.
READ ALSO: How I Overcame PTSD and Severe Anxiety After 50 — And Found My Peace Again
Use a Worry Tree—Branch by Branch
Think of your worry thoughts as leaves on a tall tree. Don’t let them fall on your head all day; instead, walk up to the trunk and start climbing with these questions in mind:
Name the Leaf
Take a deep breath and say out loud, “I’m afraid I’ll miss my flight next week.” Putting a label on it keeps it from flying around without a name.
Can I Trim This Branch?
Ask, “Is there anything—anything at all—I can do about this?” If the answer is no, take a deep breath and gently let that leaf float away. Focus on something else, like stretching, watering the plants, or sending that funny text you’ve been meaning to share. If the answer is yes, great! Write out your action plan (save the flight date and time on your calendar, etc.) so the worry stops buzzing and starts behaving.
Act Now or Schedule Later?
Next, check your watch. “Can I do something about this right this second?”
If the answer is yes, take action right away. Save the flight date and time on your calendar, add a reminder on your phone, and set an alarm clock two hours before your flight departure time. Then jump back into life.
If not, pencil it into your calendar. Set an exact time, like “Tomorrow at 4 p.m., make sure my flight is on the calendar,” and trust that future-you will do it. Once it’s booked, release the thought and pick up a fresh task.
Take it one step at a time to avoid letting your worries spread like ivy and instead use your anxious energy to take clear, purposeful action (or a healthy dismissal).
The result? The ground is calmer, and the view from the branches is better.
READ ALSO: Is Anxiety Sneaking Up on You? Here’s How to Calm Your Mind Naturally
Know When to Seek Professional Help
I’m grateful I didn’t white-knuckle through menopause alone; I had my doctor as well as the Fabulous50s Menopause Bundle, which came later on, to thank for that.
We understand that worrying a lot could be a sign of a generalized anxiety disorder, an imbalanced thyroid, or hormonal changes that need professional help.
For help, cognitive-behavioral therapy, solution-focused coaching, and (when needed) medication based on scientific evidence are available. It’s not a lack of willpower to reach out; it’s an investment in living a long life.
Final Thoughts
Anxious thoughts can act like a bully on the playground: loud, pushy, and not always reliable. When it starts shouting bad news, remember that you don’t have to believe everything it says.
Help is close by if worry keeps getting in the way of your day and making you less happy. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and other methods based on evidence teach useful skills for clearing thinking that causes anxiety, accepting uncertainty, and breaking the cycle of worry for good.
Every line on our faces is a reminder of how much we’ve cared, worked hard, loved, and, yes, worried over the years. But today, we take back that energy and use it for creativity, laughter, and living with a purpose.
Together, let’s practice the tools in this guide, celebrate small victories, and remind ourselves daily: We are wiser than our worries.
