Why you can't think straight when you're stressed + 3 solutions

I heard myself say, “I can’t think about that right now.” There were what felt like a million things vying for my attention and when my mother asked what time I would be there for dinner I simply didn’t have the bandwidth to come up with an answer. So I told her I would get back to her the next day.

If you’ve experienced something similar, then let me reassure you. There’s nothing wrong with us—it’s simply an effect of how our brain works under stress.

Stress increases worldwide

Stress levels are climbing. And it’s hurting our ability to make good decisions. Which is especially relevant for more important decisions than what time you’ll come over for dinner. 😉 Whether it’s how to respond to that tricky email or how to map out a strategy for an important project—and everything in between.

People aren’t just feeling more stressed—research confirms that actual emotional and psychological stress levels increase globally. I heard Dr. Joe Dispenza say on a podcast:

“75 to 90% of every person that walks into a healthcare facility in the Western world walks in because of emotional or psychological stress.”

The detrimental effects of stress on our health and well-being are obvious. But what’s less known is that stress severely impacts the quality of our decision making.

You’ve probably heard about tunnel vision. That’s what happens when we are zeroing in on perceived danger so that we can deal with the threat. The threat becomes our focus above all else.

When there’s a real emergency, that kind of tunnel focus is appropriate and it allows you to do what is needed.

Except in modern day life, the majority of the time we’re not trying to run away from a sabretooth tiger or defend ourselves against the neighboring clan. We’re often dealing with imagined threats. We worry about all the things that can go wrong.  And many of us are functioning in a high-stress environment.

Why you can’t make good decisions under stress

When all energy is fed to our extremities so that we can fight, flee, freeze or fawn, there is no energy left to properly analyze the situation and come up with an aligned strategy.

So whenever you’re stressed, overwhelmed or experiencing intense emotions and feel like you can’t think straight—that’s because you literally can’t! The part of the brain needed for reasoning/decision making (the prefrontal cortex) is not getting the blood flow it needs to function well.

In fact, stress has such a big impact on our ability to think that it lowers our IQ—as shown by this research based at Princeton University:

“On average, a person preoccupied with money problems exhibited a drop in cognitive function similar to a 13-point dip in IQ, or the loss of an entire night’s sleep.”

With so many people having financial stress at the moment, it’s good to keep in mind that stress impedes your ability to think clearly. So don’t be too hard on yourself if you can’t see a solution.

When you are in high beta brain waves—which you are when stressed or in survival mode—it is very hard to take in new information or to learn something new. Because your body is only interested in surviving the threat. Not in acquiring new skills.

“The truth is, the problems you’re so busy analyzing can’t be resolved within the emotion you’re analyzing them in. Why not? Well, your analysis is creating higher and higher frequencies of Beta. Thinking in this mode causes your brain to overreact; you reason poorly and think without clarity.” — Dr Joe Dispenza

Your brain leans on the past

Here’s what makes it even more complicated. We need to remember that our brain is a prediction machine. It’s trying to predict what happened based on the past. And under stress it’s trying to keep us safe based on previous experiences.

Except given the state of the world and especially the high rate at which things develop and change, the past isn’t necessarily a great indicator on how to move forward. Plus, the way we remember the past is generally extremely biased. It’s rarely an accurate recollection of how things actually happened—especially when we’re feeling emotional or stressed.

It reminds me of this quote that is attributed to Einstein:

“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used to create them.”

That means we need to shift our (emotional) state, our thinking and our stress level in order to come up with the best solution or strategy.

I think it’s clear that when you’re stressed you’re not at your best (understatement of the year) to make informed strategic decisions that benefit you or your business/job.

3 ways to shift out of stress

If you’re stressed, you need to do something not just to relax, but to get rid of the stress hormones you’ve built up in your body. Remember your body’s fight-or-flight response was intended to protect you. So you need to tell your body that you are safe.

Here are three practical tips to help lower your stress when you need to make an important decision but your brain feels scattered:

1. Move your body

To get rid of the stress hormones you can go for a run, dance, hop on your bike, do jumping jacks or play tag with your co-workers. Anything that moves your body and allows you to expel the stress hormones. If you’re still feeling stressed afterwards, you need to move a little longer. 😉

2. Deepen your breathing

When you slow down your breathing you slow down your brain waves. That will help you move from high beta to mid or low level beta brain waves—which is much better for being able to assess the situation.

Deepen your breathing by trying to breathe towards your belly. It can help to place a hand on your lower belly and focus there when you breathe in. Feel your belly rise up and down with the rhythm of your breathing. Do your best to get in at least three deep breaths. It’s probably easier to do when you’re already grounded.

Breathing deeply signals your nervous system that all is well and it helps your body relax. It helps you shift from fight-or-flight mode into relaxation.

3. Immerse yourself in nature

Spending time in nature, especially around trees, is a powerful and enjoyable way to reduce stress and support your well-being. Forest bathing was studied in Japan and being around trees showed a lot of positive effects on health. To be clear: this means no running or workouts. Just quiet contemplation around trees. The oils that trees emit are shown to support our immune system, lower blood pressure and reduce stress hormones. It lowers depression and increases your energy.

Try one of these right now. Or bookmark this article for the next time you’re facing an important decision. Or both. 😉

Because even though we think we are the smart one, we’re not the master over our body unless we understand what our body needs and play by those rules. In addition to making sure you rest and feed your body properly it requires a deeper understanding of the effects of stress—not just on your health but on your ability to think straight.

So whenever you hear yourself saying something like “I can’t think about that right now.” I hope you remember this article and give yourself some time to get out of the stress cycle so you give your brain the oxygen to think straight. 🙂

Iris van Ooyen guides people home to themselves. As a life transformation mentor with 20+ years of experience, she offers hope with a compass—helping you find your way back to who you truly are when life’s demands have made you lose touch with yourself. She’s the author of Radiant: How to Have All the Energy You Need to Live a Life You Love. Contact Iris to come home to yourself—and love your life again. 

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