# How Do You Quiet Your Racing Mind Before Bed? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 18, 2008, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-quiet-your-racing-mind-before-bed/473209 "2008-11-18T00:42:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-quiet-your-racing-mind-before-bed/473209/21 "2008-11-18T02:22:51Z")
2 ibuprofen and a benadryl an hour before. My sister’s doctor told her it’s like some OTC meds but the ingredients work better when taken separately. Also, rub your feet together. Concentrate on how it feels. ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Bruin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Queen\_Bruin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Bruin)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-quiet-your-racing-mind-before-bed/473209/22 "2008-11-18T02:34:56Z")
I listen to a meditation podcast. Sometimes it takes a few. Benadryl leaves me groggy for days and gives me terrible nightmares. ---
**Author:** ![Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heffalump_and_roo/32/7691_2.png) [@Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heffalump_and_Roo)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-quiet-your-racing-mind-before-bed/473209/23 "2008-11-18T02:36:00Z")
I use this: [Stresseraser](http://stresseraser.com/) It’s not a magic pill, and the effects are cumulative and based on consistency like meditation, but it has helped me lately. \*I’m almost afraid to post this since the results have been so good, I don’t want to jinx it. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-quiet-your-racing-mind-before-bed/473209/24 "2008-11-18T02:38:02Z")
I also make up stories. I have been making up stories with essentially the same cast of characters since I was in 5th grade. I’m significantly older now! Also, picturing myself sitting near the ocean, or swinging on a swing works too. Sex is good also. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![phil417](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6bbea6/32.png) [@phil417](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phil417)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-quiet-your-racing-mind-before-bed/473209/25 "2008-11-18T02:38:42Z")
> [@jkusters](#): > > If you have a small table, you can also enjoy a nightcap of some sort: some chamomile tea or warm milk. I second the chamomile tea. Drink only one cup, though, unless you’ve a strong bladder. Love, Phil ---
**Author:** ![trapezoidal\_jellyfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6f9a4e/32.png) [@trapezoidal\_jellyfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/trapezoidal_jellyfish)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-quiet-your-racing-mind-before-bed/473209/26 "2008-11-18T02:52:42Z")
have you tried [progressive muscle relaxation?](http://www.guidetopsychology.com/pmr.htm) it gives your mind something to focus on, and you end up completely relaxed. ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-quiet-your-racing-mind-before-bed/473209/27 "2008-11-18T02:53:47Z")
> [@lobotomyboy63](#): > > 2 ibuprofen and a benadryl an hour before. My sister’s doctor told her it’s like some OTC meds but the ingredients work better when taken separately. > > Also, rub your feet together. Concentrate on how it feels. Oops, brainfart. Make that 2 acetaminophen and a benadryl. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-quiet-your-racing-mind-before-bed/473209/28 "2008-11-18T03:13:13Z")
I have exactly the same problem. The irony is my mind seems way more active at this time than any other time of day - I kind of wish it was that way all through the day when I need to be working but am succumbing to feelings of fatigue instead. I haven’t found any real solution - have tried masturbation and sleep-aid drugs but even these only have marginal effectiveness for me. Music can sorta help as well but the only reliable way is to wait it out - it can sometimes take upwards of an hour to fall asleep. ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-quiet-your-racing-mind-before-bed/473209/29 "2008-11-18T03:24:10Z")
Klonopin. To be fair though, I have a number of sleep disorders it was prescribed for, which I don’t think anyone would want to trade a racing mind for. It has been a godsend, though. ---
**Author:** ![sovtawen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@sovtawen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sovtawen)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-quiet-your-racing-mind-before-bed/473209/30 "2008-11-18T03:29:58Z")
Meditate for 20 minutes before you get in bed. For many years I thought meditation was foolish pseudoscience, until I put a good effort into learning it. Find meditation instructions online, and if you can’t make any progress after a few tries, sign up for a class. You can put yourself into a calmer, more peaceful state, but it takes some practice and diligence. I can take benadryl at night without feeling groggy in the morning, so it might be worth a try. For a 180 lb male, 50 mg seems to do the trick. Also try melatonin. Someone mentioned caffeine – very important – don’t take any caffeine after noon. The effects can last for 12 or more hours in many people. Caffeine will make a person’s mind race like nothing else. Most importantly, don’t get into bed until you’re absolutely ready to fall asleep. If you’re not tired, get up and do something else (make sure it’s not something stressful). Trying to force yourself to fall asleep never works. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-quiet-your-racing-mind-before-bed/473209/31 "2008-11-18T03:35:17Z")
I picture myself traveling through a worm hole. (sci-fi style) At various intervals my mind will come out of the worm hole to view a random image. Usually a very bizzare one at that. Like a bear choking a rabbit while ridding a skate board. Anyway, the image only last for a couple a seconds and then I’m right back in the worm hole again on my way to the next weird image. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-quiet-your-racing-mind-before-bed/473209/32 "2008-11-18T03:39:13Z")
I masturbate [del]while fantasizing about a bear choking a rabbit while riding a skateboard.[/del] Then I settle down with a good book - but one I’ve already read, or I’ll keep myself awake in order to finish it. ---
**Author:** ![Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Speaker_for_the_Dead)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-quiet-your-racing-mind-before-bed/473209/33 "2008-11-18T03:49:03Z")
I pull the covers over my head and pretend that I’m in a spaceship with invincible shields and powerful weapons. I always begin with “shields up!” and see where it takes me. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-quiet-your-racing-mind-before-bed/473209/34 "2008-11-18T04:34:36Z")
> [@Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](#): > > I pull the covers over my head and pretend that I’m in a spaceship with invincible shields and powerful weapons. I always begin with “shields up!” and see where it takes me. Really? I would have thought that you’d just chat up some really boring dead people. [QUOTE=Rigamarole] it can sometimes take upwards of an hour to fall asleep. [/QUOTE] Most nights I only wish I could get to sleep that fast. Guess I’ve gotten used to it. Helps that many of my recent jobs have involved later hours and I’m going to bed (relatively) early enough so that the alarm is only a safety measure against sleeping too late. ---
**Author:** ![Pyper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Pyper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pyper)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-quiet-your-racing-mind-before-bed/473209/35 "2008-11-18T04:41:37Z")
I’m another auto-storyteller. I also “listen” to music in my head. I’m a music visualizer, so imagining following the sheet music or visualizing the instruments is calming and relaxing for me. I use another technique that’s difficult to explain, but helps me get to sleep in less than a minute when I want to take a power nap during the day. You know how when you’re falling asleep, your thoughts start to get bizarre? When I feel those bizarre thoughts start to come, I follow them, like walking down a pathway. This will probably take practice, as you can’t concentrate on it, or you will wake up. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-quiet-your-racing-mind-before-bed/473209/36 "2008-11-18T04:43:00Z")
Ipod music. I have some ear-canal-sealing earbuds that are small and comfortable enough to wear to sleep. They wip out exterior sound. The music actually seems like it’s being generated inside my head. I can pick from a really wide variety of musical styles that make up my playlists. Plus, on occasion it contributes to some really interesting vivid dreams. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-quiet-your-racing-mind-before-bed/473209/37 "2008-11-18T05:26:26Z")
Try changing your reading materials. A nice fat copy of _The Federal Register_ really knocks me out. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-quiet-your-racing-mind-before-bed/473209/38 "2008-11-18T05:46:21Z")
When you start drinking about 2pm, you never really remember “going to bed”. Hell, I’m just happy when I find myself there in the morning/afternoon/when I regain conciousness. Sometimes not so lucky… ---
**Author:** ![Mosier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ea924/32.png) [@Mosier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mosier)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-quiet-your-racing-mind-before-bed/473209/39 "2008-11-18T05:53:57Z")
A few ounces of rum does the trick. Also, waiting to go to sleep until you’re actually tired helps too. The only times I’ve had trouble going to sleep because of the “racing mind” problem was when I was sick and feverish. Edit to add actual useful advice. Get some exercise a few hours before bed, and put a fan in your room. Make yourself just a LITTLE uncomfortable, like by turning down the thermostat a few degrees. That little chilly nip will help distract you from mindless brain wandering. ---
**Author:** ![jellyblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e480ec/32.png) [@jellyblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jellyblue)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-quiet-your-racing-mind-before-bed/473209/40 "2008-11-18T07:22:09Z")
Ambien. Best EVER. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-quiet-your-racing-mind-before-bed/473209.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-quiet-your-racing-mind-before-bed/473209.md?page=3)