How to Switch Off an Overactive Brain

[chaoseverlasting]

That kind of thing is lost on me.

I wake up in the middle of the night out of a sound sleep with a solution to a problem that had me stumped and I'll start working on it at 3am. My mind is constantly racing over multiple scenarios and I've found that as I get older it gets worse. I even work during my dreams, which is quite frustrating when after a full night's work, I wake up to find that nothing had been written down because I did it all in my sleep.

That used to happen to me when I dropped a year to prep for college.

 

[DaveC426913]

One time i fixed a machine in my sleep, i have no idea how because every one including me was baffled by this fault, i just went to work and straight to the problem machine and fixed it in 5 mins, to this day i do not know how or why i dreamed of the solution.

Actually, this is another trid-and-true falling-asleep technique. Run through the sequence of fixing the machine in your head. Try to remember every bolt and screw step in the process until you have it as a routine.

 

[Evo]

Actually, this is another trid-and-true falling-asleep technique. Run through the sequence of fixing the machine in your head. Try to remember every bolt and screw step in the process until you have it as a routine.

That would keep me awake.

 

[OAQfirst]

speaking seriously for a moment, does anyone besides me actually have trouble getting to sleep (because of not being able to turn off ones brain).

This was a very serious problem for me until I brought meditation to bed. Then it shifted to relaxation. Then I enjoyed very peaceful sleep. It's a matter of discipline. I programmed myself to know when it's time to think, and when to call it a night. It can wait for tomorrow. My brain isn't going anywhere.

 

[Evo]

My problem is that I cannot stay asleep. I am guranteed to wake up within 2-3 hours of falling asleep, and then it takes hours to fall back to sleep.

 

[Andre]

My problem is that I cannot stay asleep. I am guranteed to wake up within 2-3 hours of falling asleep, and then it takes hours to fall back to sleep.

Been there, I used to get up, dress up and make a night walk, watch the night sky, get cold, get back into a warm bed and sleep within minutes. But that's me. If simple things like that don't work, maybe mention it to a doctor casually whenever the occasion arises.

 

[DaveC426913]

That would keep me awake.

Once you have the routine down, it becomes boring. But concentrating on it shuts down all the other voices. You're left with only one, bored voice.

 

[chaoseverlasting]

Weird, just last night I couldn't really zonk off cause I was thinking about that integer question in the general math forum... Slept through most of the day though.

 

[Moonbear]

A lot of those hypnotizing tapes will have you relax every muscle in your body one at a time. this really works, but you have to commit. Start at either the top or the bottom and work yourself to the other end. think about each section, toes,feet,calves,thighs etc and relax each one. Don't move to the next part until you have relaxed the previous one. If you move or tighten up or get distracted start over.You'd probably be surprised how often you'll find yourself asleep before you finish

NOOOOO! That's what keeps me up at night, thinking about the names of all the muscles in the body!

For me, it's not about trying to stop my brain from thinking, it's going to do that anyway, it's more about focusing onto non-stressful things so I can eventually drift off to sleep. The TV works for that, just keeping my mind focused on one thing as I fall asleep, or I can sort of think about making up stories..."I should take a walk in the park. Ah, look at the nice dirt path winding along the creek. Listen to the rush of water along the creek. There goes a bird..." and I try to picture the stuff in my story. Eventually, I just drift off into a dream...as long as the cat doesn't jump on me to catch the birds in my story.

 

[Topher925]

My brain has a way of telling me to do things. For example when I sleep, my brain gives me dreams that tells me what I'm doing wrong or what I need to improve. Also, if I'm stuck on a very hard problem or need a "creative" solution it will usually come to me when I'm sleeping.

 

[lisab]

Been there, I used to get up, dress up and make a night walk, watch the night sky, get cold, get back into a warm bed and sleep within minutes. But that's me. If simple things like that don't work, maybe mention it to a doctor casually whenever the occasion arises.

Maybe Evo shouldn't be walking around in the dark...lots of tripping hazards!

 

[Moonbear]

Maybe Evo shouldn't be walking around in the dark...lots of tripping hazards!

Indeed! Shame on Andre for even suggesting the notion!

 

[Moonbear]

My brain has a way of telling me to do things. For example when I sleep, my brain gives me dreams that tells me what I'm doing wrong or what I need to improve. Also, if I'm stuck on a very hard problem or need a "creative" solution it will usually come to me when I'm sleeping.

Hey, that happens to me too! ...Except I can't remember the answer after I wake up. :uhh:

 

[Andre]

Indeed! Shame on Andre for even suggesting the notion!

I think we should not patronize. Let Evo judge what is feasible. After all, what are the risk walking around with sleep deprivation?

 

[Evo]

I think we should not patronize. Let Evo judge what is feasible. After all, what are the risk walking around with sleep deprivation?

You want me to walk around outdside in the dark with the hidden holes in the ground and the broken underground water pipes with slime and water from one edge of the street to another? If I don't fall and injure myself because of a hidden hole, I will break my neck on the slime covering the entire width of the street.

 

[Count Iblis]

The noise from a motorway 3 miles distant across country, can keep me awake, especially if it is raining, the noise seems amplified and it is impossible to tune out.

Why not use earplugs?

I've had trouble falling asleep from as early as I can remember. I found a way to deal with this problem which works great for me. This involves:

a) Go to bed at exactly the same time every day and get up at the same time every day.


b) Accept that you don't fall asleep very fast. So, I need 8 hours of sleep, but I need to lay 9 hours in bed. When I go to bed, I don't expect to fall asleep within half an hour.


c) Make sure your bedroom is very dark. I'm an extreme night person, I sleep throughout the morning till noon, but my bedroom is always very dark.


d) Don't look at the clock at night. You need to avoid geting any clues about how long you are lying awake in bed. That's destructive information. Use airplugs if there are church bells that you can hear.


e) Make sure you get plenty of exercise. Point d) is important in this regard. Suppose you have slept 5 hours. Then, if you know that you slept 5 hours, you may think: "I didn't sleep well tonight, only 5 hours, I'm not going to exercise today". But it may well be the case that you actually don't feel that bad at all. So, if you are not aware of the fact that you got 5 hours of sleep you would feel like exercising.

 

[lisab]

Why not use earplugs?

I've had trouble falling asleep from as early as I can remember. I found a way to deal with this problem which works great for me. This involves:

a) Go to bed at exactly the same time every day and get up at the same time every day.


b) Accept that you don't fall asleep very fast. So, I need 8 hours of sleep, but I need to lay 9 hours in bed. When I go to bed, I don't expect to fall asleep within half an hour.


c) Make sure your bedroom is very dark. I'm an extreme night person, I sleep throughout the morning till noon, but my bedroom is always very dark.


d) Don't look at the clock at night. You need to avoid geting any clues about how long you are lying awake in bed. That's destructive information. Use airplugs if there are church bells that you can hear.


e) Make sure you get plenty of exercise. Point d) is important in this regard. Suppose you have slept 5 hours. Then, if you know that you slept 5 hours, you may think: "I didn't sleep well tonight, only 5 hours, I'm not going to exercise today". But it may well be the case that you actually don't feel that bad at all. So, if you are not aware of the fact that you got 5 hours of sleep you would feel like exercising.

Wow, excellent advice, CI. Especially d. Get rid of the clocks in your room...once I did that, I found that I listened to what my body was telling me. If that means I get up at 1:30 because I'm ready to get up, well then so be it. Just means that I'll sleep well the next night. Why fight the inevitable?

 

[DaveC426913]

Well, I confess, those things work for me too.

Our bedroom leaked once, forcing us to sleep in the basement. It was pitch dark, dead quiet, and the floor (and mattress) was so stiff, we didn't disturb each other...

...and man, we slept like the dead. My wife, who has chronically been unable to stay asleep past 6AM as long as I've known her, slept like in a coma till 10AM.

 

[Andre]

You want me to walk around outdside in the dark with the hidden holes in the ground and the broken underground water pipes with slime and water from one edge of the street to another? If I don't fall and injure myself because of a hidden hole, I will break my neck on the slime covering the entire width of the street.

Nonono

My mother has learned me that one should not tell others what to do, but to tell what one would do or did oneself. The idea is to cool off a bit and have some minor physical exercise. That can be done in several ways taylored to the situation.

 

[Four]

I like using a blindfold; in the city there is so much light coming from the window at night. Plus all the blinking lights from electronic devices;

 

[Danger]

I don't have time to read the whole thread, but Citalopram (and occassionally 6-8 ounces of Scotch) work for me. I'll return and read the rest later.

 

[Moonbear]

Why not use earplugs?

I never would use earplugs. First, I think just having something in my ears would drive me bonkers all by itself. But, if they're soundproof enough to block out the sounds that would keep me awake, wouldn't they also block out the sound of my alarm clock in the morning?

 

[wolram]

Being deaf in one ear i only have to lay on my good ear to shut out noise, but i think half the problem is just knowing the noise is there.

 

[granpa]

I never would use earplugs. First, I think just having something in my ears would drive me bonkers all by itself. But, if they're soundproof enough to block out the sounds that would keep me awake, wouldn't they also block out the sound of my alarm clock in the morning?

even the best 33 db foam earplugs arent that good. just make sure you have a loud alarm.

(buy your earplugs in bulk. its much cheaper)

 

[Danger]

And there's a neat new alarm that I found on either 'Gizmag' or 'I Want One Of Those' (can't remember which right now). The actual alarm (audible unit) jumps off of the clock and bounces around the room until you get up and capture it.
All the more reason to sleep with a 12-gauge beside the bed. :uhh:

 

[Moonbear]

even the best 33 db foam earplugs arent that good. just make sure you have a loud alarm.

(buy your earplugs in bulk. its much cheaper)

Still doesn't address the problem of them just plain being annoying to have in my ears.

 

[Moonbear]

And there's a neat new alarm that I found on either 'Gizmag' or 'I Want One Of Those' (can't remember which right now). The actual alarm (audible unit) jumps off of the clock and bounces around the room until you get up and capture it.
All the more reason to sleep with a 12-gauge beside the bed. :uhh:

:rofl: My students were just talking about that today! One of them was commenting how she has to set three alarms to get up in the morning, and another brought up the topic of the alarm clock that runs away from you. Since getting a cat, that happens anyway, since I usually use my cell phone as my alarm (too many power failures here to rely on a plugged in alarm clock)...Ember likes to play with the cell phone while I'm sleeping, and some mornings, I really do have to hunt for it to figure out where she's knocked it. :grumpy:

 

[Count Iblis]

I never would use earplugs. First, I think just having something in my ears would drive me bonkers all by itself. But, if they're soundproof enough to block out the sounds that would keep me awake, wouldn't they also block out the sound of my alarm clock in the morning?

I only need an alarm when I have to wake up earlier than usual. I then use a timer that switches on a strong light. I started to use earplugs occasionally a long time ago, only when there was a lot of noise. In the beginning I didn't like to use them. But later I found that I slept much better with earplugs, even if there wasn't a lot of noise.

 

[DaveC426913]

I only need an alarm when I have to wake up earlier than usual. I then use a timer that switches on a strong light. I started to use earplugs occasionally a long time ago, only when there was a lot of noise. In the beginning I didn't like to use them. But later I found that I slept much better with earplugs, even if there wasn't a lot of noise.

I was using earplugs and a mask for a while because my wife likes to fall asleep to the TV and I don't.

Trouble is, I didn't sleep well because I was afraid I wouldn't hear my alarm in the morning...

 

[Count Iblis]

I was using earplugs and a mask for a while because my wife likes to fall asleep to the TV and I don't.

Trouble is, I didn't sleep well because I was afraid I wouldn't hear my alarm in the morning...

I guess my internal body clock is quite reliable. If I wake up after, say, sleeping 6 hours, I just know that I can still sleep 2 hours. If I fall asleep again I never oversleep by more than ten minutes.

I do have problems when going to bed and trying to fall asleep. Then I really don't want to know the time and earplugs are a big help. I then don't hear any clocks or church bells. These have the effect of reminding me what time it is when I'm half asleep. This resets the process of falling asleep, which is very irritating!

 

[Moonbear]

I guess my internal body clock is quite reliable.

Mine is quite reliable too, it's just set to wake me up a few hours AFTER I need to be at work. :uhh:

 

[Count Iblis]

Mine is quite reliable too, it's just set to wake me up a few hours AFTER I need to be at work. :uhh:

Then you should go to bed a few hours earlier. Or, perhaps you could try to get away with what http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/o...icon_taught_physics_classes_with_wit/?page=2"

Because he preferred to slip under the covers when everyone else was slipping out, Dr. Coleman eschewed morning classes. Legend has it he turned down teaching a 9 a.m. class, offering by way of explanation: "I can't stay up that late."

 

[tribdog]

I am convinced that I could be locked into a room with no windows or clocks or outside information of any kind and I would get onto a schedule where I stayed up all night and slept all day.

 

[asdfggfdsa]

I really wish that a day was 26 hours. :D

 

[wolram]

I was awake all last night thinking about fixing my dripping bathroom tap and entropy, if it weren't one it was tother, why such a mix i do not know.