When you have a lot on your mind at the end of the day, it can be tough to fall asleep. If this is a familiar annoyance for you, try a brain dump before bed.
Photo by Joi Ito.
Most of us have a ton of thoughts buzzing around our heads at bedtime. These might be reminders, ideas or just random interesting things you’ve been thinking about. In an interview with Tim Ferris, philosopher Alain de Botton explains his strategy for quieting these thoughts before bed. He tells Ferris he spends a few minutes quickly writing down all of his random thoughts before bed.
An end of the week brain dump can be useful, but doing one before bed is a great way to clear your head and still make sure your thoughts are processed. Of course, if you explore these thoughts too deeply, that can backfire and keep you awake thinking about them. To combat this, de Botton simply writes down a few short phrases or words to represent those larger ideas. This helps him make the ideas tangible so he can get them out of his head and onto paper, then revisit them later.
It’s worth a try if you have trouble falling asleep due to racing thoughts. Check out the interview for yourself at the link below.
How Philosophy Can Change Your Life [The 4-Hour Workweek via Business Insider]
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3 responses to “Fall Asleep Faster With A Before-Bed Brain Dump”
Similar is the “tomorrow” method. For every thought that appears in your head think “I will do it tomorrow” and let it go.
Kirstin you are wong!
Before bed “unload” leaves me feeling very sleepy, the second I hit the pillow I’m gone….great trick for guys only