Settling the mental pot

[Eulogy]

Say that you've had a very busy day. A lot of things have happened, people have come and gone, and now you have a bazillion thoughts running through your head, very little of them doing you any good.

Is there any way to make your brain take a rest and stop wasting power on wandering every which way?

[Joun_Lord]

Really loud music to drown out the thoughts, preferably music with no lyrics or lyrics in a language you can't understand so as to not make you start thinking on the inane crap the music spews. Thats aboot the only thing that really seems to help me when I have a really restless mind. It is unfortunately a problem I have often, just really random bullcrap that starts floating through my head, chains of thought that go way, WAY off the original thing I was thinking about.

This unfortunately won't help you while you are trying to sleep (atleast it never has for me, some white noise like a fan might help there) or while at work when you can't really be jamming out to your iPood.

[madd0ct0r]

Meditation. Concentrate on the breathing. It gets more effective and easier over time

[slebetman]

Note that meditation, prayer, reading religious texts etc. are just various techniques to quiet down. Different things work for different people. If one doesn't work, try something else.

For me, just drawing doodles tend to work. Or building a model airplane. Or playing with my kids' Lego.

Ten years ago, in my late teens I'd go out running to clear my mind.

My father used to do gardening.

[Brother-Captain Gaius]

TV.

Whenever I recognize a mental imbalance of some sort or another in myself, I turn to the tried-and-true answer of TV. An episode of a show I'm currently watching, or one of my old favorites is like hitting a mental restart button that gets things back on track.

[LaCroix]

Writing. Or forging. Focussing my brain on a creative task drowns out all the other things.

[salm]

Writing. Or forging. Focussing my brain on a creative task drowns out all the other things.

This can be the other way round as well. If I work late on some design problem and instantly afterwards go to bed my brain is often still working on the problem and wont let me sleep. I have to do something dull, like watching an episode of Voyager or doing a couple of Sonic Racing Cart laps.

[LaCroix]

Writing. Or forging. Focussing my brain on a creative task drowns out all the other things.

This can be the other way round as well. If I work late on some design problem and instantly afterwards go to bed my brain is often still working on the problem and wont let me sleep. I have to do something dull, like watching an episode of Voyager or doing a couple of Sonic Racing Cart laps.

True. But for me, the brain never stops pondering something, no matter how dull things are - even stuff like raking leaves or mowing the laws still has me running my brain full speed on other things. By directing it at one task, I keep it from jumping topics all the time, which is the most relaxation I can achieve.

[Me2005]

Minor sedatives - Tylenol PM and similar (I think Benadryl is the sleep-inducing ingredient?). Shouldn't be physically addictive (can by psychologically addictive though, as can anything), take one or two a half-hour before bed and you'll sleep 8-12 hours. Don't do it too many days in a row, usually one or two days will do the trick and get your brain to settle down for sleep.

[Iroscato]

Breathing. No, seriously. If you breath using your diaphragm and stomach, rather than the conventional way using your chest muscles, it triggers a reflexive thingy that I'm not clever enough to understand that can have hugely relaxing effects.
I also find that writing parts of my story can help, almost like you're 'pouring' all the excess thoughts onto the page/screen.

[SCRawl]

I've mentioned this before, but if I listen to a boring podcast (or audiobook or whatever) I can usually get myself to sleep in a reasonable time frame, even if the brain is still working on something.

[Eternal_Freedom]

I open up my port of the original Doom and play a few levels on god mode. No real thought required and it relaxes me no end.

[TheFeniX]

Minor sedatives - Tylenol PM and similar (I think Benadryl is the sleep-inducing ingredient?).

It's Diphenhydramine which tends to cause me to have fitful sleeping spells. For me, it knocks me out but my brain keeps going so I don't sleep well and wake up tired.

I found video games years ago, however this can cause issues with sleeping. Some long sessions will literally have me imagining HUDs in my sleep. It became a semi-issue when I started in on an MMO or two and I would see "cooldown" timers in my head (the circling reset an icon does until you can use it again).

My wife has recently rediscovered how nice it is to get home after dealing with teaching highschool kids, load up a console, and stab/shoot baddoods for an hour or two. As long as she doesn't hit it to hard, her stress level is noticeably lower and she sleeps better. I'd recommend avoiding competitive multiplayer as a night ender and anything with a high-skill ceiling or frustratingly difficult sections. It's better to end on an easy win after an hour or so.

For myself, going to bed worrying about how I'm going to beat X boss or do Y task the next day makes it easier to get to sleep rather than worrying about the loads of bullshit I have to deal with at work the next day because the former does not matter to me emotionally. Unless it's Titan EX because fuck that guy.

[LaCroix]

I also find that writing parts of my story can help, almost like you're 'pouring' all the excess thoughts onto the page/screen.

This. Writing a novel has a way to wring you out mentally.

[Eulogy]

So if I'm reading all this right, the solution is monotony?

[DesertFly]

So if I'm reading all this right, the solution is monotony? :?

I think it would be better to say that the solution is doing something un-stressful you enjoy. Whether that's a (relatively) simple video game, writing, running, or just concentrating on something else (tv, your inner self, or deep breathing), the key here is to do something that will take your mind off of what is occupying it at the moment. Obviously what works for you will vary; this thread has suggested a variety of starting points. Experiment with different things and you will probably find something that works for you.

[salm]

I´d say the solution is doing the opposite of what is causing the stress.
If you are stressed because of a boring, monotonous day, do something that challenges your brain, some creative task for example. Writing, designing, cooking, planing a vacation, whatever floats your boat.
If you are stressed because your brain can´t stop thinking about solving a creative problem do something silly that distracts you from this problem but doesn´t challenge you either. Like Voyager or Sonic the Hedgehog.
If you´re exhausted because of an exciting, loud and fast day do something monotonous, like lying on the couch or going for a walk in the woods. Or perhaps go fishing or something.

Or just drink 7 beers. That works for all scenarios.

[Alyrium Denryle]

I have a couple solutions.
1) I kill fictional things. I take a medieval english army and invade france, or conquer the world as the roman republic. If I am feeling particularly blood thirsty, I play skyrim and kill Every Thalmor I See.

2) I take a shower. Seriously. It helps.

3) Do something social. Even if it is just getting on skype.

4) I do a side project. I have a set of ridiculously complicated Babylong 5 calcs. I work on them, and try to figure out how the FUCK the EA--without artificial gravity--manages to have ships that accelerate at hundreds of Gs. And yes, they do accelerate at hundreds of Gs.

5) Documentaries about random things that have Absolutely Nothing To Do With My Dissertation. WWII is a good choice.

The point is to do something that takes one's mind off the things that are preoccupying it. Either to give it an easy thing (if what is preoccupying you is something difficult and you are mentally exhausted or spazing out), or by distracting it completely.

[Raw Shark]

Say that you've had a very busy day. A lot of things have happened, people have come and gone, and now you have a bazillion thoughts running through your head, very little of them doing you any good.

Is there any way to make your brain take a rest and stop wasting power on wandering every which way?

My usual solution to that problem is named within your original thread title.

[TheFeniX]

So if I'm reading all this right, the solution is monotony?

Well, yea. That or drugs. You're talking about slowing your brain down because it's essentially in overdrive. Monotony is a pretty good way to do that. Compare driving in rush-hour traffic vs a long drive on a mostly empty interstate. Low stress activities tend to be easy on your brain.

Were you expecting some kind of magic bullet?

[Iroscato]

Say that you've had a very busy day. A lot of things have happened, people have come and gone, and now you have a bazillion thoughts running through your head, very little of them doing you any good.

Is there any way to make your brain take a rest and stop wasting power on wandering every which way?

My usual solution to that problem is named within your original thread title.

Seconded, though I wouldn't call it my 'usual' solution personally

[Raw Shark]

Say that you've had a very busy day. A lot of things have happened, people have come and gone, and now you have a bazillion thoughts running through your head, very little of them doing you any good.

Is there any way to make your brain take a rest and stop wasting power on wandering every which way?

My usual solution to that problem is named within your original thread title.

Seconded, though I wouldn't call it my 'usual' solution personally

Imagine it was legal... it's easy if you try...
No overcrowded prisons, or pepper spray in your eye...
Imagine all the people, buying legally, oh-ooh-hoo
You might say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one
I hope someday the UK can join us, and the world can blaze as one...

[General Zod]

I've found a good wank goes a long way.

[TOSDOC]

Physical exercise. I had a trainload of thoughts in my head this weekend, and simply raking up the damn leaves in my yard straightened everything out for me as I was working. Got two things done at once, and the physical tax / relief from my thoughts both really helped me get a good night's sleep, which also helped the thoughts get themselves in order.

[Eternal_Freedom]

I've found recently that reading a chapter or two from one of my favourite books helps immensely. Even if I've read it a dozen times or more, delving into familiar and loved writing settles the mind wonderfully.