# How do you turn off your brain before going to bed? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 28, 2012, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-turn-off-your-brain-before-going-to-bed/620207 "2012-04-28T04:15:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2012, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-turn-off-your-brain-before-going-to-bed/620207/61 "2012-04-30T19:29:56Z")
Reading, but not a new or terrifically involving book. I use beloved old familiar stuff. I’ve had Terry Pratchett’s books on constant rotation for about 20 years now. Occasionally I’ll throw in one of the \*No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency \*series. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2012, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-turn-off-your-brain-before-going-to-bed/620207/62 "2012-05-01T08:25:21Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > Masturbation to orgasm? Most of us know that one already. 😉 Uhh, yeah buddy, right. That’s not what I meant, but don’t let me stop you. ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2012, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-turn-off-your-brain-before-going-to-bed/620207/63 "2012-05-01T17:23:01Z")
All of my methods have been mentioned, but here’s the combination that works most of the time for me: First, no caffeine after mid-afternoon. Second, I take trazadone. As mentioned above it’s a prescription anti-anxiety drug that has the annoying side effect of making most people sleepy. Finally, I tell myself a story. I’ve actually composed a couple of novels mentally, although I have a feeling that if I wrote them down they would be horrible. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2012, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-turn-off-your-brain-before-going-to-bed/620207/64 "2012-05-01T18:47:53Z")
TV with sleep timer. I usually set the timer for 30 minutes and never hear it turn off. ---
**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2012, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-turn-off-your-brain-before-going-to-bed/620207/65 "2012-05-01T20:06:03Z")
On Nyquil and Tylenol PM: Ever taken more than the recommended dose? It says 30ml on the liquid Nyquil. How about 60ml? ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2012, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-turn-off-your-brain-before-going-to-bed/620207/66 "2012-05-01T20:23:53Z")
Probably nothing will happen, except you’d get more tired. OTC drugs aren’t usually sold with a small margin of safety between therapeutic dose and adverse effects. If the NyQuil has dextromethorphan, you can [del]Robotrip[/del] NyTrip if you take enough (probably more than 60 mL), but the acetaminophen can’t be good for your liver. And some products may put something in to prevent DXM abuse. ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2012, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-turn-off-your-brain-before-going-to-bed/620207/67 "2012-05-02T00:36:08Z")
> [@MLS](#): > > Finally, I tell myself a story. I’ve actually composed a couple of novels mentally, although I have a feeling that if I wrote them down they would be horrible. I haven’t had many issues with racing brain in recent years, but when I was younger I had a terrible time turning it off. I had a basic story outline involving Indiana Jones and time travel, and I’d spin a detailed story out of that. Worked like a charm. ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2012, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-turn-off-your-brain-before-going-to-bed/620207/68 "2012-05-02T00:39:53Z")
> [@MichaelEmouse](#): > > On Nyquil and Tylenol PM: Ever taken more than the recommended dose? It says 30ml on the liquid Nyquil. How about 60ml? Skip the Tylenol PM if you don’t need a painkiller and just take 50mg of original Benadryl - diphenhydramine hydrochloride. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2012, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-turn-off-your-brain-before-going-to-bed/620207/69 "2012-05-02T01:31:15Z")
> [@Motorgirl](#): > > Skip the Tylenol PM if you don’t need a painkiller and just take 50mg of original Benadryl - diphenhydramine hydrochloride. I’m coming in to second this. Several posters mentioned also taking Tylenol PM - it’s the antihistamine in there that makes you feel sleepy. There’s no reason to tax your liver unnecessarily by taking a pain killer you don’t need. Just a cheapo store-brand diphenhydramine 25mg tablet or capsule (or two) is all you need. The NyQuil also has even more ingredients that you don’t need. The antihistamine in that stuff goes by a different name (Doxylamine) but makes you sleepy just like the diphenhydramine that you can buy alone, and, much cheaper. ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2012, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-turn-off-your-brain-before-going-to-bed/620207/70 "2012-05-02T12:11:43Z")
Reading works for me. Annoyingly having a tv on does aswell, I keep falling asleep with it on and think the hell with it, and go to bed…and lie there wide awake . [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-turn-off-your-brain-before-going-to-bed/620207.md?page=3)