How do you "turn off" your mind?

dseag2 said:
My mind is constantly racing, either with thoughts or songs. I had a massage today and just wanted to tune out and enjoy it but my mind was either thinking about what was being done to my body or about the chores that I had to do. I tried focusing on breathing but it didn't work. Has anyone been successful in doing this?
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During a massage (and meditation, and trigger-point injections, and dental procedures...) I turn my brain into a radio and listen to the music, or I think of something cute or profound that one of my grandkids or my foster son said and just let it repeat like a mantra. Very soon, outside noise fades and all I can hear is my music or that kid's phrase. My heart rate slows, my breathing deepens, and my body totally relaxes. But don't focus on those things! Just listen to your radio-head or the voice of [your chosen loved one] repeating that phrase you adored.
 

Pepper said:
The doctors, at least in the U.S., at least in NY State have been so threatened and bullied by state/fed regulations that they are hampered in their ability to prescribe the way THEY want to, and what is individually best for the patient. I've had several doctors tell me this, how the law interferes and deliberately frightens them.

All because of bored teens in the Appalachians. Really. Simplistic yes, but that is the reason.
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Bullied not only by government regulations, but by insurance companies. I once had a doctor hold his prescription pad up, and he asked me: "Do you know what this is?" Me: "Sure, it's your prescription pad." Doctor: "No, it's my suggestion pad." Yup, prescribed medications are frequently changed at the pharmacy because of insurance step-edit requirements as well as formulary. Most, if not all, insurance companies will want to push the cheaper alternative first, even if it is not in the same drug class as that which the doctor prescribed. SMH.
 
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hollydolly said:
For me it's not so much the getting to sleep...as the staying asleep. Within a short time, 2 or 3 hours..my mind has turned into my worst enemy...
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Pepper said:
My Xanax is prescription. I worked years to be anxious enough to get it! The drug laws in the U.S. are preposterous.
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Pepper said:
The doctors, at least in the U.S., at least in NY State have been so threatened and bullied by state/fed regulations that they are hampered in their ability to prescribe the way THEY want to, and what is individually best for the patient
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It’s the same here. My doctor said they’re watched closely if they’re perceived as prescribing too much. It’s the government, not the insurance providers.

A good night’s sleep is imperative.
 
Jules said:
It’s the same here. My doctor said they’re watched closely if they’re perceived as prescribing too much. It’s the government, not the insurance providers.

A good night’s sleep is imperative.
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As if government regulations is not enough, in the US, the insurance companies/providers play a key role in how medications are dispensed, how much and how often the Rx is filled and how much the patient's copay is.
 
I think the following..is relative..

The toll stress takes on the brain is frightening.
Among people already diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI)
those also experiencing anxiety had a higher risk of quicker decline,
according to a study published in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry.
In fact, researchers found that the chance of developing Alzheimer's disease
increased by 33% among people with mild anxiety,
by 78% for those with moderate anxiety and
by 135% for people with average anxiety.

Take care!
 
It seems that my mind is also "multitasking" much of the time...I always seem to have several things going on. I used to have trouble falling and staying asleep because of my thoughts. Then, I began a routine of drinking a small amount of "booze" about an hour before bedtime. I keep a bottle of flavored Vodka or Rum in the cabinet, and have about 1/2 a shot around 9PM. By about 10:30, I'm starting to relax, and hit the pillow. Most nights its after 7AM before I wake up....nice and refreshed.
 
On Insomnia, by Dr. Andrew Weil

https://www.drweil.com/health-wellness/body-mind-spirit/sleep-issues/natural-sleep-aids-tips/

Insomnia has been a persistent problem with me.
Many things have helped.

Temperature is a big thing for me. If it is too cold or too hot, I will wake up. My feet get cold, so I have to wear socks when I sleep.
Noise, obviously is a big thing.

Caffeine too late in the day is a no-no.

Eating too soon before bed usually messes me up.

Good mattress is essential.

I have a bad back, so I really am supposed to put a pillow between my legs to straighten out the spine. Don't sleep as well, if I forget.

If my mind is going nutso...sometimes I will play these boring history lectures. And as my brain starts to get bored, sometimes I fall asleep.

If it is super bad, sometimes I will play two things at once...like a boring history lecture and some talk radio. And as my mind tries to concentrate on both, it kind of quits...and when that happens, sometimes I fall into sleep.

Melantonin does not help me get to sleep, but it does help me stay asleep.

Tryptophan does not really put me to sleep, but actually eating turkey definitely does. I think the amount of tryptophan in the pills must be far less than eating a good sized portion of actual turkey.

so, those are a few things from my experiences with it.
 

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