To ask if your brain ever gets quiet

[thatsalad]

As in, you literally are not thinking any thoughts?

YABU - yes
YANBU - no

I have a busy brain, it never stops. If I'm not thinking, I'm playing music in my head. Whole albums sometimes.

My bestie and had a conversation about this.
We can both tap into a music playlist in our heads, so have never needed a device to play music and thoughts usually of what we should have done in various situations come back to us.

She said maybe this is why we are friends.

My brain's usually pretty quiet.

I don't have the inner monologue that people talk about, and I don't 'think' in words when I'm working something out or planning anything.

It's more a series of concepts that emerge.

I've always been fascinated when people talk about their mind racing – my body definitely gets activated and I have emotions and physical responses to worry or panic, but my mind itself usually fairly peaceful.

I generally have a quiet brain - it just seems to be the way I’m programmed. It’s only in recent years (in my 50s) that I’ve realised how lucky I am in my ability to relax and “switch off” and that many people don’t have this.

I’ve always enjoyed activities like pilates and playing a musical instrument where you have to get out of your head and be “in the moment” with your body. Again, I’ve only recently realised that one of the reasons that I enjoy these things is because it’s easy for me to get into that zone.

My parents always said that I was super chilled out as a baby and young child which is what makes me think I’ve always been this way, rather than something I learnt. My sister has a very noisy brain, but she is creative (a published author) and had a very successful career in finance before becoming a writer. I do not possess the drive (or skills) for either of these endeavours!

Thanks for being kind.

Although I'm not sure it's something to envy or aspire to, it's just different. I'm sure there are times when an active mind is really useful!

My brain is like a 24 hour roller-coaster it never switches off.

i literally had this conversation yesterday.

I have ADHD, PTSD, OCD and severe anxiety, I’m plagued with intrusive thoughts and my mind never stops racing. I take medication but it just dulls it to a quiet chatter rather than feeling like I want to run away from my own brain.

I started getting massages because of the constant tension in my neck and shoulders, I went to one place which was expensive but I walked out genuinely feeling calmer and realised my mind had slowed down during the massage.

I tried a few more cheaper places to try to get the same affect but it didn’t work, there was background noise or the therapist seemed to want a conversation, the music was loud, I could hear the therapist huffing and puffing like it was hard for her, I was cold etc…

I went back to the first place and it was just so relaxing, now I know the staff and they know why I go it’s even easier, I said I just want to switch off and relax.
I used to start off with all sorts of thoughts like trying to hold my tummy in, worrying about if I’d fall asleep and snore, then I’d feel guilty over it.

I now pay £150 a month for 3 full body massages with a scalp massage at the end and I don’t feel guilty at spending that at all. I get one every 10-12 days and they are the highlight of my month. I’ve learnt to focus on the sensation and smell of the oil and I go home and often sleep for a few hours, I could never contemplate napping before. I get the same message therapist who used to have to put muscle gel on and use her elbow to loosen my shoulders but I don’t need that much pressure now.

I know it’s a lot of money and me and DP had to do quite a lot of financial jigging around to afford it, it seems like a total luxury but it makes all the difference to me. I can’t put a price on being able to stop the intrusive thoughts and constant worries - even for such a short space of time. The fact I also get a nap out of it and my body feels looser makes it worth it as well.

I know this won’t work for everyone, I think you have to feel comfortable and build up a rapport as well, I wasted so much money trying “cheaper places” then spent the whole time in a ball of tension wondering when it’d be over.

I went to one woman where I paid for 25 minutes but noticed taking my Apple Watch off and putting it back on that it had been less then 15, I went 3 times and she was cheap but it made me angry and it’s hard to complain.

I don’t know if this will benefit anyone but I’d be so happy if anyone struggling tries it and it helps. I know for a lot of people in a cost of living crisis it seems ridiculous but it really has made a huge difference to me.

"Typing this i can hear the words in my brain. Trying to go to sleep i usually focus my brain on a story/daydream or think of a picture and focus on that."

Isn't that normal?

I have a few moments occasionally on holiday. When I'm on a sun lounger on a beach and just focusing on the sound of the waves. It happens for about 10 mins every other year.

It's great that you found something that works. I enjoy a massage, but the effects for me are almost entirely physical rather than mental. In fact, I find my mind chattering on more than usual while I'm having a massage, as there's nothing else to do!

How on earth could you know that? Do you have the ability to read minds?

I imagine she is making a distinction between brain activity and conscious thoughts/your mind.

Your brain is always active, unless you are dead. You are always thinking and processing things, you might not be aware of it though, and I think that's what OP mean by a quiet brain.

I would draw the distinction in a different place. Your brain is always controlling a gazillion things in your body, yes. However, a thought is surely a conscious thing? It seems obvious to me that some people simply think more and have busier minds than others. Meditation is a well-known and ages-old way to quieten the mind. Nobody's suggesting that anyone can literally switch off their brain function, stopping thinking altogether for brief periods of time, and practising reducing the amount of chatter in your head generally, are clearly possible.

No and it can be exhausting.

Yes. My comment was a possible interpretation of what SnowFrog meant by "Nobody’s brain gets quiet"

Thank you. ❤️

It triggered depersonalisation disorder. I suppose it was just waiting for an excuse to show itself.

Never. My mind is busy non-stop. Such fun…

I'm like this too. I have a quiet mind unless I'm upset or something.

No, I am always thinking something. I have tried meditation and I can't do it. Apparently I have to empty my mind of any thought and I cannot do that.

I don't even switch off when I am asleep. I wakeup constantly and I dream very strongly all night.

My brain is never quiet. I usually have two or three trains of thought going on and there's always a song playing too

Yikes, do you have a job where you need to focus on a single task?

I know my mind flits about when I'm not focussing, but at work I am single minded - I wouldn't be able to do it otherwise.

This!!! The concept doesn’t make sense to me at all ….surely there is always something happening in there?!

Usually when I’m on the bus travelling to and from work I just kind of sit there. No music on, no thinking

Don't you even look out of the window or think about whether your stop is next?

That's a good point, I did the same because I was still half asleep before having my coffee at work