It wasn’t until I truly began to understand anxiety—what it is and how it operates—that I started recognizing its many triggers in my own life. One of the most unexpected discoveries was that boredom itself can be a major trigger for anxiety.
At first, I didn’t recognize this in myself. Instead, I saw it in children—especially my own. When my kids were between the ages of six and ten, they would start losing their minds after just an hour in the car. It didn’t matter how well-behaved they were; if they had nothing to do, boredom would take over, quickly spiraling into frustration, irritation, or even emotional distress. Turning on a movie or giving them something to focus on instantly alleviated their suffering. It wasn’t just that they preferred to be entertained—it was as if their developing brains simply couldn’t handle the painful numbness of doing nothing.
This experience made me realize that boredom is more than just a mild discomfort—it is a form of suffering. It triggers agitation, restlessness, and sometimes even tantrums. A child left in boredom for too long without guidance or stimulation may feel abandoned or overwhelmed, unable to process the discomfort. Many parents struggle with the dilemma of screen time vs. unstructured time, but in my view, erring on the side of stimulation is far less damaging than forcing prolonged boredom with no creative outlet.
The Link Between Boredom, Anxiety, and Loneliness
The way we experience boredom depends on our individual chemistry. For extremely active children—or adults, for that matter—boredom can feel worse than torture. Their bodies crave movement, and if they are forced into inactivity, their energy turns inward, often leading to frustration or anxiety.
Boredom is also deeply intertwined with loneliness. The two emotions are closely related, often feeding into one another. A child without the right caretakers, playmates, or mental stimulation may first feel bored, but if left unchecked, that boredom evolves into loneliness. They begin feeling disconnected, restless, and anxious. If these emotions are not acknowledged or addressed, they become recorded as traumas—small but significant wounds in the psyche. Later in life, any situation that remotely resembles those early experiences of boredom or isolation may trigger old anxieties and emotional reactivity.
For much of our early lives, we remain unaware of these patterns. However, in the second half of life, through meditation and self-awareness, we can begin to observe these processes within ourselves. We can see how our minds construct narratives around boredom, and how those narratives can lead us toward loneliness or anxiety if we are not mindful.
The Evolutionary Role of Boredom
From an evolutionary standpoint, boredom was never meant to be tolerated for long. The human brain evolved to create anxiety in response to boredom as a survival mechanism. This internal discomfort forced early humans to seek stimulation, explore, take risks, and innovate. Boredom was nature’s way of preventing stagnation.
But in today’s world, where many of our basic survival needs are met without effort, this system sometimes malfunctions. Instead of using boredom as a catalyst for productive action, we may develop unhealthy coping mechanisms—endless scrolling, compulsive eating, or numbing ourselves with entertainment. Laziness, in this sense, could be seen as an evolved response to conserve energy, but when combined with chronic boredom, it can create a feedback loop of inaction and negativity.
The Physical Impact of Chronic Boredom and Anxiety
Because thoughts directly influence body chemistry, a cycle of boredom-induced negative thinking can have real physical consequences. When we remain in stagnant states, our body chemistry begins to shift:
-
Digestion slows
-
Stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol rise
-
Tension builds in the body (manifesting as back pain, headaches, or muscle tightness)
-
Breathing becomes shallow
-
Fatigue sets in
Over time, chronic boredom and anxiety can wear us down, making us more prone to illness, mental fog, and emotional instability. We literally make ourselves sick with negative mental habits.
Breaking the Cycle: Mindfulness and Breathwork
The good news is that we are not powerless against this cycle. The first step is awareness—noticing when boredom is creeping in and observing how our mind reacts. Can we sit with the feeling without immediately distracting ourselves? Can we redirect the energy into something beneficial instead of falling into mental traps?
Meditation provides an opportunity to witness our thought patterns in real time. Instead of running from boredom, we can study it, deconstruct it, and reframe it. Through conscious breathwork, we can bring our attention back to the present moment, dissolving the negative loops that fuel anxiety.
The question we should ask ourselves is this:
Can we use mindfulness to observe boredom, anxiety, and their triggers—without immediately reacting to them?
The answer determines whether we remain trapped in cycles of mental discomfort or break free to reclaim our energy, creativity, and inner peace.