How to calm a busy mind

having been an insomniac for any years, i have often struggled to find the elusive sleep that people talk about , i often find though the main things that keep me awake tho is when my mind is running wildly with worries, thoughts, hopes, etc etc. I have found that if i try to quiet my mind at least for a while my mind and body can get some rest time, even if it is not full on sleep. I thought perhaps i could share some of my methods with you all and mayb help some of you with similar issues or help to de-stress a little. Not many people realise but as well as causing sleep issues, when your mind is buzzing around and your stressed out etc this can have a profound effect on your body and health, it can cause headaches, body pain, chest pains, flue like symptoms, it can effect your eating habits, to name only a few.

Method 1

First off i would like to direct you to a site i found a while back that has a few techniques that are very useful the site can be found HERE i found the guidance to be very helpful in relaxing (also helped me with my stress headaches)

The following guided exercises should be read and then practiced. Each exercise should not only be understood intellectually but should be committed to practical experience.

Guidance: Be fully present right now. Discard any thoughts about the past or the future that may arise. Enter your senses fully — feel the weight of your body in the chair, your feet on the floor. Notice the feel of the air on your skin. Feel yourself breathe. Be receptive to the sounds around you and sights in front of you.

Guidance: Just listen to all the sounds that come to your sense of hearing. Do not move your attention from one sound to the next. Rather, listen to all the sounds together as one sound. Hold all sounds equally in your attention at the same time and do not let your attention jump from sound too sound.

Guidance: Relax the muscles of your eyes so that your vision falls in front of you and slightly downward. Without moving your eyes, notice your whole field of vision from side to side and top to bottom. This is done with the eyes relaxed and motionless. Place your attention on your entire field of vision without fixating on any single object in your field of vision. Receptively experience your whole field of vision.

Method 2

One major thing that has helped me over the years aswell is writing. Yes i know not everyone likes to write etc but trust me this actually helps, before you go to bed for sleep/rest take a notepad and pen and jot down things that have been worrying you, jot down to do lists or anything else that you find yourself thinking about. if you are having difficulty with this, sit quietly for a few minutes, close your eyes and take some deep slow breaths, keep the pen in your hand on the paper and rest it on the note pad whilst you do this exercise, you will find when you have finished breathing you are already writing. Trust me alot of the time you will just see gibberish on the pad
random thoughts etc that enter your head. Another way for this is to doodle your worries, am serious, i cant draw worth a poo but i find when i sit and doodle random things it does actually help.

Method 3

Take perspective of your problems/issues, just remember that no matter how bad things seem, IT COULD ALWAYS BE WORSE & remember that Every day a new masterpiece is created and they are all different, take stock everyday and think of at least 3 things per day that your thankful for.

I would say talk to someone about your stresses,fears, annoyances etc (this does help) however if you are like me you will tend to just bottle it up - which can cause more tension,stress, headaches etc etc. This is were the writing mentioned above can be very helpful.

And remember to find at least 1 thing a day to laugh about, laughter is great medicine and does wonders.

Method 4

Another method that was shared to me was by a cousin of mine, its called Primordial Sound Meditation. i have linked some content below as its easier to explain that way

Primordial Sound Meditation is a healing practice that allows us to experience inner calm and deep relaxation. For thousands of years, people have used meditation to move beyond the mind's busy activity and emotional turbulence into profound peace and expanded awareness.

The most direct way to experience inner silence and well-being is meditation. As scientific research reveals, when you meditate, your breathing slows, blood pressure decreases, and stress hormone levels fall.

Primordial Sound Meditation isn't about forcing your mind to be quiet, but about experiencing the quiet that is already there. Even when your mind is filled with agitated thoughts, you still have access to the inner stillness and calm that always lies beneath the choppy surface of thought and emotion.

Source

below is what you need to do taken from yoga site HERE

Get on your feet. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, your knees slightly bent and your hips centered, as though you’re about to squat. Or, if you wish, sit or lie down. Keep your body loose and comfortable with your arms at your sides or on your hips. Begin by taking a few cleansing breaths. Pick a word, any word. Choose a word that alternates vowels and consonants – like "serenity." The word that you select doesn’t necessarily have to be a spiritual one. It just has to feel good when you say it.

Repeat after yourself. Repeat the word, chant the word, focus on nothing but saying the word over and over again. Let the sound of it vibrate through your body. Let the word resonate up from your abdomen and let it go to your hands and feet. Let your muscles move as you chant the word. Some people have a tendency to clench their muscles when they’re tense. It’s important to roll the sound through your body so that you can clear out the tightness in your muscles.

This technique i can confirm actually does work and helps the whole body not just the mind.

Method 5

The Balloon Method

Think of a balloon sitting in front of you in the air.
With every deep breath you breathe out, the balloon sinks lower until it hits the ground.
Take deep breaths and picture the balloon sinking until you are at ease

method 6

This is for the guys aswell by the way not just gals , run a nice hot bubble bath using scented oils, i recommend lavender oils - lavender has a calming effect. light some candles and put around the bath, turn out the lights and put on some nice relaxing music and enjoy.

Method 7

Attempt to spend some time each day in a natural space such as a garden, park or by some trees. Sit and relax for a few moments and allow the natural life about you to infuse your body. Share your breath with the plants and trees around you and immerse yourself in the plant and bird life. Take a deep breath, relax and let it all flow over you, now how does that feel. Become re-connected to nature, beginning with your feet, feel the ground under you. Observe the detail of the shape and texture of the plants and trees around you.

Let your attention fall upon a flower or leaf, see it and be aware of it but don’t think about it by labelling it with names. Hear the rustle of leaves in the wind, and the hum of insects flying by. Immerse yourself and your senses in the natural activity around you, and then become aware of the stillness of the plants and trees. Let this stillness envelop your mind.

Don’t use the weather as an excuse not to go out, all forms of weather bring something different to observe and experience.

Lunch break’s are an excellent opportunity for getting out, if you usually sit in front of your computer to eat lunch, break routine this week and go for a walk in a green space.

Conclusion

I do hope that some of these methods help some of you out there, as they have certainly helped me to at least get some rest time each day. If you have any advice or methods of your own then please do share them

reply to post by ronishia


Excellent and practical advice. Funny how I was just thinking and writing something to the effect of ...how many things do we really need to know? All we really need to learn and know is how to relax. And here you are with this. It is an incredible beautiful life. Thanks for just being and writing this now when I need to see it. S&F.

reply to post by ronishia


Good useful and practical advice ronishia, I've wrote a few thread concerning similar topics recently and I'll definitely have a proper read of this thread when I get chance tonight, S+F!

I have the same problem! Vodka is my solution. It even makes me either block out and\or completely forget about my horrible nightmares.

reply to post by Drunken


ahh but you see drunken, one thing i learned long ago is that the solution can never be found at the bottom of a bottle, or a pill box for that matter, all they do is blot out the problems for a bit, but they are still gonna be there when the self medication runs out.