Discussion»Questions»Human Behavior» You can't sleep. Is it due to aches and pains or the inability to shut down your mind? How do you gear down and cruise to sleep?
I can usually get to sleep without problem. However, when I can't it's usually due to "mind chatter". My mind loves to debate itself - to a soundtrack no less. There's nothing like trying to drift off to sleep with a mind that wants to debate the cosmic existence of spaghetti while Neil Diamond sings 'Sweet Caroline' umpteen billion times in the background. Ah, good times never felt so good!
"Look it's now night. And night is a time for sleepin'. Will you shut up, it's half past 2!"
They teach you in therapy that the best way to shut down mind chatter is to give your mind something to do. Much like a child on a Saturday morning, your mind's full of energy and won't let anyone get any sleep until it's released (why aren't they that active on school days??). You've heard the old adage "count sheep". Well, it's correct. By counting sheep, you're giving your mind something to do; a task. Minds love to do tasks as that's what they're designed to do. Now you don't want to give your mind too hard of task. Don't have it try to figure out how you're going to survive once the Republicans new tax plan goes into effect. That may start up a whole new round of mind chatter (with AC/DC singing 'Highway to Hell' in the background).
Give your mind a task that is feasible yet trivial. For example, take a vowel and then add each letter of the alphabet to it one at a time - A - AA, AB, AC, AD... (etc.) and see how many words you can make, such as - "AA", "AD", "AH"... (etc.). Now do it backwards - "A" - AA, BA, CA, DA ... etc.). When you're done, go to the next vowel and do the same. ("E"- "EA, EB, EC ... etc.). There's no hurry to do it and it's no big deal ds if you make a mistake (yes, "aa" is an actual word). This also works to get back to sleep if you get woken up in the middle of the night.
Spelling not to your liking? Then try counting. You can count sheep or dogs or cats or the number of male politicians and actors who haven't been accused of sexual harassment. Anything to keep your mind occupied. Try to avoid using songs, things associated with your job, TV/movie characters, or anything that may cause you stress. The idea is to relax your mind while keeping it occupied. Before you know it you'll be sound asleep and dreaming sweet dreams - while Neil Diamond sings 'Sweet Caroline' umpteen billion times in the background.
Oh Shuhak this reply is awesomely informative, helpful and hilarious! My favorite combination. Seriously! That has plagued me ever since I can remember...even as a child. In the still of the night there is no distraction. The mind SHOULD wind down. But precisely because there is no distraction if your start thinking about something you didn't have time for during the day it can change you from drowsy to wide-awake! No one is there to interrupt you. Quiet, dark, peaceful, calm! Thank you for an extremely helpful reply m'dear. I appreciate it a lot! :)
I spent over a year in therapy learning how to overcome my severe anxiety and the crippling pain that accompanied it. I also learned how to "breathe myself to sleep" as well as to "breathe around pain" (I know, it sounds stupid to me too... but it works). It's basically mediation; focusing your mind.
WM BARR . =ABSOLUTE TRASH 