To ask if your brain ever gets quiet

When I can't sleep (due to brain) I count my breathing. As soon as a thought pops in, I have to start again. I haven't reached nirvana or anything, but it seems to help me get to sleep.

Also in yoga (and similar classes) when the instructor gets us to close our eyes and guides us through relaxation and breathing I do feel very peaceful.

I'm pretty highly strung and these pockets of calm help me.

I wish! I will say screens are especially not helping- I gave up looking at my phone after six o clock for two weeks and found I fell asleep quickly and had a better sleep, not overthinking at night, but I went back to them:(

Yes they do...I know right . Some adhd meds can quieten the brain right down

My brain's always on the go, I swear that one day I'll drive myself crazy with constant brain chatter. When I was still with my XH, we spoke about this, and he said he often doesn't think about anything at all. He's always been a lights on but nobody's home kinda guy, so that made sense! After that conversation, I decided to embrace the inner noise as I really do believe it's a sign that at least the cogs are turning, which has to be better than absolutely nothing going on up there.

TBH I wouldn't know any other way, I don't feel I'm missing out but maybe I am.

It’s a fucking 24/7 party with the radio on the whole time in my head.

im not diagnosed anything but ive had many mention ADHD to me. Ive quietly accepted that but i dont want to go to the bother of being diagnosed, or have help. Ive managed to self help myself in ways i can, and the rest is just a part of me.

I'm not sure if I'd call them thoughts exactly, but what I do have is my own voice talking constantly inside my head. It seems to be having a conversation with somebody, but the other person doesn't get a word in edgeways. It describes past events, what other people did, how I was feeling, etc. It's quite frustrating because it constantly distracts me from real-life conversations/situations, and it makes it very difficult for me to concentrate when I'm listening to the radio (my inner voice does however seem to enjoy watching TV and also scrolling through MN, because both of these make it shut up for a bit!).

The ironic thing is that if you were to meet me IRL, you'd probably think I was very quiet!

Thinking can be peaceful too. I tend to run parallel streams and have places I put part of my thoughts if I need to reduce stress. It's just like daydreaming but I'm in it with others and there's an intent to have some additional calmness to whatever else I'm doing.
I have a big wooden house, beach house and set of cross roads that I go to in the day and often dream about. I also draw imaginary parallel yellow lines around visual spaces. Keeps me happy and I wouldn't like empty thoughts.

Some peoples do often apparently. My partner can think of nothing or choose to think only about one thing. He says he can easily shut thoughts out. My mind naturally thinks of many things at any time and jumps around, which is what I can control with meditation as well as exercise and journalling.

That must be incredible, I feel so exhausted and agitated all the time

Nope and since menopause I feel like somebody has turned the volume up and tinkered with the colour settings, in feels bonkers in there some days. Meditation does help a bit though.

Mine never stops. I also cannot see pictures in my head if that makes sense. Like, if you told me to imagine a familiar face or a tree for example, I know what it looks like but, can’t see it. I know now that most people can visualise in their head.

I imagine meditation might lead a person to that state between being awake and being asleep, which I think is a lovely, relaxing state.

Sometimes I wish my brain would just give me a break - especially if I have a song going round and round in my head. But I actually find a flow of thoughts (often past memories) helps me get to sleep - provided they are not worrying thoughts.

My mind is frequently blank, I can go for days without thinking anything more profound or extraneous as ...ummm I fancy another cuppa.

Something is going on in there because I can drum up conversation easily and if someone asks me for ideas, they come forth like a fountain. I just don't seem to have much going on at any one given time. I practise meditation too but that's a little different

My best friend can't grasp the concept of silence in any aspect and became quite agitated with me when she discovered I don't really think about much at all

Nobody’s brain gets quiet

I used to be like that. It took a lot of time for me to be able to meditate effectively and be able to control my mind wandering, but I’m glad I persevered.

It’s called being alive…that you have thoughts is not abnormal. If your thoughts are causing anxiety that’s an issue in itself- but just thinking, I can’t get my head around you thinking anyone/everyone else has no consciousness?

I think having no thoughts at all is not achievable, but what is achievable is living in the here and the now.

So not remembering the past or planning the future but paying attention to what’s happening right at this very moment. Eg have a cup of tea slowly, tasting the tea, noticing the temperature, feeling the mug, looking at the pattern on the mug etc.

You can also think about “taking refuge” in the present moment. If you suffer from excessive ruminating on the past or being anxious about the future you can return to the present and notice that you’re (very likely) in a safe environment right now. That’s very peaceful and calming.

Never, it can be overwhelming and exhausting at tines. I can’t meditate either I feel suffocated and my mind races when I try

Nope. Never. I have literally never experienced that. Mine is a mile a minute.

I’m also an ADHD’er, diagnosed and medicated.

Exactly. To notice that your brain is quiet you would have to be thinking about it that, so not quiet at all.

Don’t take magnesium then.. they get even more bonkers

Only when I embroider or knit. Otherwise, no.

No. Never. And when I’m talking to someone or listening to something I try to translate what they are saying into another language, spell the word in my head or write it in teeline in my head as they speak.
i seldom do just one thing - watching tv I read, reading I listen to music or radio. I’ve done this since I was a child and have always slept with the radio on. Which helps me relax. I think I have ADHD (everybody I know says I do and have done for a few years).