How do you make your brain "stop"?

Post Reply New Topic

I didn't read through all the replies so I'm not sure if anyone has brought this up yet, but I find anything I can do to occupy my mind will quiet all the other things. The only way I can fall asleep without taking hours is to day dream. Usually it'll make everything else in my mind go away and pretty soon I can fall asleep. Unfortunately, those other things are just too loud sometimes and won't go away and I'll only get about 2 hours of sleep instead of the 6 or 7 I normally get.

Xanax, Klonopin, or something like that? It's the only thing that helps, for me.

I used to use mantras and daydreams to fall asleep. I don't have much trouble falling asleep, it is the staying asleep.

However, I do find my brain slowing down when I watch silent movies.
You have to 'watch' it. You can not look away and just listen.
There is no loud noise distraction or disturbance. I think they are perfect for Aspies in general.
So, I focus on the story, the filming, the shadows created from white to black. There are some great silent films out there.

I like my mind working all the time. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Think about when your mind doesn't stop. Is it connected to some other anxiety producing activity? I find that just walking out the door to a noisy world with cars whizzing by and a picture of activity overload, or being in a more stressful situation, does it to me. I have major problems falling asleep, made a lot less by using strategies that help me. What will help you is something you have to try… and keep trying different things until something resonates with you.

Yoga, meditation, having a special quiet place (even if it's just in your mind), doing things you really enjoy, things that engage you and make you lose track of time, exercise, even some herbal teas (yuk for me). All of these can be calming and have lasting effects.

Anxiety is a fact of life for most of us, but there are certainly steps you can take to calmness, tranquility and peace. Not saying it'll totally go away, but if you could minimise it, wouldn't you want to try?

Guided meditations are better because you have to concentrate on the speaker. Mantras are good because you have to concentrate. I like listening to Deva Premal - it's very calming for me. Yoga to a DVD at home is better because you're not worrying about what anyone else in a class thinks (which is unimportant anyway), or getting to and from that class.

I'm used to going out with earphones in my ears and really dark sunglasses (done it for many years), and to meditate, all of which helps with coping in a world that wasn't made for me, but in which I have to function.

And I'd be doing these things regularly, not just when you feel "it won't stop". It trains the mind to be calm, even when you are ok. Set aside a time each day to do what works for you. It might be a bit of a journey to find that thing that works, but it's definitely worth it.

Buzz buzz buzz mind goes all day. Only time it doesn't is playing (PC) games. So few games let me just escape like that any more though. I find I have more difficulty getting to sleep if I am fitter/healthier. I don't do drugs (alcohol, marijuana, etc).

I take mirtazapine for anxiety a bit, though it is more an anti-depressant. It does help me sleep. The way I would describe it is for a few hours after taking it is puts slight static in my head, as well as just making me drowsy. This mild "static" is well, I have difficulty holding thoughts, so I can't concentrate too well but it also helps stop me obsessing and thinking, which helps me sleep.

If I could just find the off switch though, fighting for sleep gets so frustrating sometimes.

I use thought stopping and grounding techniques because mine is anxiety and depression induced most of the time. Thought stopping with affirmations works really well for me. The idea is to stop the negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones or to concentrate on the here and now by being aware of where one is.

Music helps me. I love classical music. And it really makes me much calmer.

yes, classical music helps me too. When I stopped listening to news on the radio and switched to classical I felt so much calmer.

Right now I've been stuck on 4 hour of sleep or less a night for two week had to od to sleep last night, but this morning really was tough at work sleep walking in a auto garadge isnt cool.

Lately my mind has been stuck on my social anxiety, and getting past some of it. Unfortunately, since I have to worry a problem to death until its solved, I have been so stressed out. I ended up going home "sick" from work because stressed out + frantic workplace= meltdown which I was right on the edge of. My husband doesn't really get it when I try to explain it but he let me be.
I'm going to try meditation to calm the heck down. Next stop is medication, and I really really hate being on meds. I hate overthinking things.

Same sort of story here. To relax, I catagorise my special interest which occupies my mind and creates order. I often watch a DVD or something at the same time - it's not always enough on its own.

Alcohol makes me focus, but it also gives me a big tummy, which has taken years to get rid of. Don't get into that one.

To fall asleep at night, I play word games or similar. E.g. Think of 10 brand names beginning with 'A'...'B'...'C'...etc. If I fall asleep before completing one letter, I start again the next night. Maybe that sort of thing might work for other people? Another good one is choosing a subject at random... (e.g. traffic cones...an office...bridges...) and trying to define it as though writing an encyclopedia entry in your head. Or an analysis of the characters in your favourite films or TV programs. Works for me anyhow!

Oh, gosh, I really wish I knew a healthy way to get my brain to SHUT UP. Basically I stay up until 4-5 am until exhaustion strikes. Luckily I have a job which allows me to wake up at noon, but I'd rather not continue this pattern forever. I also leave the TV on to fall asleep so that it takes the focus off of my constant thoughts. It's not even anxious thoughts all of the time, but continuous cycling of daily events and future events which segue into unrelated thoughts parts 1 and unrelated thoughts part 2.

Why are Aspie brains like this? I would really like to know.