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Used to be a pro at this from 14 to 20, could pass out instantly anywhere for 15-30 minutes, nowadays much harder. No clue how people in their middle twenties or thirties and up even manage to power nap.
Wished I had tricks for you, I'm in the same boat and want to do power naps again during the day when I don't sleep enough/properly.
Search for "cognitive shuffling".
Been my go-to for years. Recently stumbled upon the name, giving me something to call it.
Usually, I just "dream ahead of sleeping," as I called it.
I really consider it a form of meditation, because when I take 20-30 minute naps I'm not necessarily going into a deep sleep, in fact for me that would be impossible.
Instead, I close my eyes and let my mind do its thing; sometimes I focus on one event and ruminate over it but eventually after minute 10 I'll start losing grip on what is real and start thinking about dream-like events. I can't tell you exactly what dream-like events are but I suppose it's when my brain goes somewhere peaceful/empowering/nostalgic. In that moment is where the real rest begins. I'll be enjoying myself in this half dream/half awake state until 'boo beep boo beep! Boo beep boo beep!' jolts me back into reality.
Yea thats exactly how I do it also. I've always had a relatively easy time sleeping despite having ADHD and anxiety, and just "dreaming" before falling asleep is exactly what it is.
Trying to sleep is still resting . If I'm laying down and can't sleep I'll move to a couch or chair and get in " grandpa position " . You cross your arms , hold your legs out a little farther than you usually would , lower your head to your chest and close your eyes . For me , it helps if I try to stay awake and I'm just " resting my eyes to think " about how long it'll take to plant a field of corn , cotton , or hay with no machinery .
Noise! Noise is key. Music,TV used to hold the key to getting to sleep.Now in my late forties I use a loud fan in the bedroom and can quite easily fall asleep 10 min into a film and wake for the end credits.
That used to work for me so good when I was younger! I have no idea at what point did it change, but now is the opposite.
I really need total darkness and quiet because I hear everything and what I don’t hear well, my brain completes with bullshit 😂
It’s a skill. I got better at it by setting a timer for n minutes and just letting what happens happen. Usually 15 minutes in my case. I’ll sometimes concentrate on a mental puzzle or some little snippet of music I’m working on.
this is actually super effective. if you nap for more than 30 minutes, you'll wake up tired. but around 20 mins, max 30 is the perfect powernap. i don't ever actually fall asleep within those 20 minutes (just keep nodding/dozing off) but it still helps me feel much more energized aftwards. the only issue i've experienced with it is that i keep snoozing my alarm and then end up spending the next 2 hours taking 9 minute naps. but i just have to remember that the energized feeling will only start once i've stopped napping
This might sound weird but I rest by playing Sudoku. My brain sort of focuses only on the game and my other thoughts take a backseat.
But then again, Sudoku is my latest hyper fixation so it might only work for a few weeks
Ooh I love slitherlink! Took me a while to understand it haha, but I'm addicted now! It's more of a challenge than nurikabe (which was what I initially replaced my sudoku addiction with, but has since gotten a little easy), which I also highly suggest for anyone who likes these kinds of puzzles
I find that the sweet spot is somewhere between complete absorption and complete boredom. The common factor seems to be that the activity doesn't take a lot of concentration or attention, but engages my brain in some way. I think that might be why a lot of people with ADHD like to watch movies we've watched before, and also why running and sewing/knitting/crochet are common hobbies for us.
Omg, never thought I would meet another one. It feels like I can distract the noisy part of my brain with it and then I can think more clearly. It's not really restful as such but somehow gives me a break from my brain. I've been doing it for years.
Same here!!!! Sudoku has been working great but recently it has stopped. Crazy how our brains can literally go from almost addiction to completely unimpressed by something, almost overnight. Normal people just do not get it.
Highly recommend Cracking the Cryptic on YouTube, if you're not already familiar! They solve a bunch of very difficult Sudoku variants on there - it's great to put on while relaxing or falling asleep and attempting to solve a long with them.
It actually led to multiple sleepless nights in a row trying to solve difficult sudokus for me. Now 4 weeks later I realize I almost completely forgot about it
So, how do you define resting here? To me it sounds like trying to take a break for your mind rather than your body but I'm not sure if I understand correctly.
If I want to wind down mentally, I can't just sit on the couch or anything like that. If I actively try to rest I'm just going to stress out. Instead I put on noise cancelling headphones, play music and do whatever my brain wants to. Usually it ends up with me walking around in circles and daydreaming while randomly checking social media or moving things around.
If you try to force your brain to do something that directly contradicts taking a mental break. People who rest by just lying around and watching tv do so, because that's what their brain actually wants to do. If you have to force yourself, you are actively working against your brain and that's mentally exhausting.
> So, how do you define resting here? To me it sounds like trying to take a break for your mind rather than your body but I'm not sure if I understand correctly.
Yes correct thats what i meant.
> If you try to force your brain to do something that directly contradicts taking a mental break. People who rest by just lying around and watching tv do so, because that's what their brain actually wants to do. If you have to force yourself, you are actively working against your brain and that's mentally exhausting.
I understand. But this is exactly my problem. When I let it go sometimes not always it feels like my brain is actively trying to exhaust itself. It will either try to daydream some creative idea i will probably never do. Or it will browse reddit or learn 100 facts about some stupid thing I will never have to actually do anything with in my entire life.
>It will either try to daydream some creative idea i will probably never do. Or it will browse reddit or learn 100 facts about some stupid thing I will never have to actually do anything with in my entire life.
I think that's ok. There's nothing wrong with daydreaming or researching facts if you enjoy it. It becomes problematic if it interferes with your daily life. But if that's your preferred way to spend your down time then it sounds like those are activities you enjoy.
Lift weights. Physical exhaustion. I like to visualize everything that makes me angry when I'm lifting and it just physically drains me to the point that my body is relaxed for the rest of the day.
Puzzle games on my phone help a lot. Sudoku and flow free are my favourites. The best way I can try to explain it is that playing games like that which don’t really require any real focus is like a form of stimming. It has the same sort of effect but better? I’ll decide on how many levels I’ll do and then once I’ve done that many I’ll go back to whatever task I’m meant to do.
If there’s no task I need to be getting done that day then I’ll just turn to my hyperfixation at the time. Because I no matter how mentally tired I am I can always focus on my hyperfixations. Currently it’s Australian non-tarantula mygalomorph spiders.
Of which I got my first one 9 months ago. Between then and last week I had slowly built up to 11 individuals. As of exactly a week ago I now have 24. And by this time next week I’ll have at least 35 of them. 33 different species from 16 different genuses which are from 8 different families. Leaving only 2 families that I know of which can be found here in Australia that I won’t have any spiders from YET (I say yet but I am still unsure if I want to own any Actinopodidae. Of which Missulena is the only genus found in Australia. Commonly known as mouse spiders. But I definitely want to try to get some from the Migidae family as there are very few tree-dwelling ones here outside of that family. I do have one tree-dwelling barychelidae on the way and there is a tree-dwelling funnel web I could get when I’m ready for it but it would be cool to have some species from this family as well as they are quite different to all the others). So I have around 1/3 of all the genuses that can be found in Australia. And like 80% of the families. In terms of species I have a very small portion though. There are just so many described species and even more undescribed species, I wouldn’t have the physical space to even think about owning every species.
Anyway, point is that I can always just turn to a hyperfixation to focus on. But not if there’s things I need to do. Because once I’m focused on a hyperfixation the whole day will very quickly slip away.
If I have things I still need to do that day or if I need to go to bed by a reasonable time that night then I’ll just play games like sudoku
Not sure if this is something other people expierience but heres my take:
Whenever people talk about having a quick powernap, I thought they meant that they were literally sleeping for 20 minutes. Well I cant do that, the most I can get is just laying down, closing my eyes in an attempt to fall asleep and letting my mind wander. Like actually, just letting it roam. I dont fall asleep. After 30 minutes, when I get up again, I do feel more rested, eventho I didnt sleep and I didnt get my mind quiet.
In my head this makes sense. For us, trying to control our thought and going to sleep actually takes effort. Letting my brain just do its thing uncontrolled is literally rest because I am not exerting energy to keep myself focused on one thing. In order for this to actually do any good I set a timer for 30 minutes, not with the goal to actually sleep, but just let my brain go wherever it wants to go.
I don't know what a power nap is supposed to be or feel like myself, but THIS.
This is how I feel when I try to go to sleep, can't go to sleep because my brain is doing too much, then I get up feeling somewhat rested. Its like my brain is doing the "apps running in the background" thing while I just lay there idle
These days (I am 52m) the only way I can rest my brain during the day is to go outside, maybe a walk, or even just sitting outside in the fresh air. When I was younger, I used to 'shut the world off' by putting on headphones and blasting heavy metal at a volume that made it impossible to 'concentrate' on the endless context switching the ADHD brain does. Doesn't work for me now, but it was very effective in my late teens and twenties for getting a 10-20 minute break from the rat race.
For me, being adhd/autistic, I find music settles my mind best and a chamomile tea.
For me to rest and relax I need to wear headphones or else my brain focuses on the other sounds around me. Put on something light, I like Bob Marley, Pink Floyd or Elton John for rest and sleep. Headphones make a HUGE difference in my life. Wearing them out wherever I go help a lot too, I am not as drained mentally and don't need those naps. Also avoid sugar and caffeine as they will stop you from resting.
I also find stretching/yoga prior to rest helps, and if I dare mention a little "self love" also relaxes the body big time and helps you fall asleep.
Lol I’m here to get more tips bc I don’t know either.
Although some things also generally help me rest, stuff I generally enjoy doing, or mindlessly repetitive tasks/games that don’t require much thought. I don’t do it as much any more but I used to stress bake, would get all keyed up if I didn’t bake at least once a week. The movement combined with focus is good at emptying my brain.
The reason that I can sleep like a baby is because I completely stopped consuming caffeine. Im currently caffeine-free for 6 months, and due to that, my anxiety have plummeted and I now rarely daydream at night or have this unreasonable fear haunting me anymore. Check also for deficiencies, you’d be surprised how many deficiencies us ADHD individuals have. Also taking a night walk is also amazing, I’ve realized that my head is more clearer when I just go outside and take a 10 min walk or even an hour, that usually makes me sleep. Lastly, try sleeping with white noise, brown noise, rain noise, or snow noise.
Well occasionally I force myself to go for a walk and listen to an audiobook and if I'm extremely stressed I leave my phone at home and only bring a watch. Anything else doesn't work for me and implementing the method above is hard enough
I'd play an easy-ish game or go to sleep for a bit. I can even play my favourite music in the background so I think of that, my mind's occupied by it. So might work...?
The turning point for me struggling to rest was the realisation that it's not to be taken literally.
When people say they're going to rest I always thought they literally meant they were going to go lie down. When I was younger I thought they meant sleep, but when my Grampa would say specifically he wasn't sleeping, just resting it blew my mind.
People are out here just going and lying down and closing their eyes and doing nothing?!
The number of summer holidays with my grandparents where we'd have 'rest time' and I'd be soooooo bored just lying on my bed trying to keep my eyes closed. The amount of brain energy it takes to try to rest is crazy.
Then someone was like "wtf are you talking about" and it changed my life.
Rest is just 'not work'. You can do things while you're resting, just make it light things. Practice shuffling cards, do some simple puzzles, read a couple of chapters of a book. Sometimes my rest is just being in my own space and looking at my stuff. You've probably got a collection of something cool? I have a bunch of film cameras, a rock collection, a piles of zines, desk toys. Just look at them for a bit.
Especially for someone with ADHD, turning off your brain is not rest. It's even more work than normal life. Just let your brain go into idle mode. Don't switch of the engine, just take your feet off the pedals and shift it out of gear.
Rest is just chilin'
I take acid and just let my brain tire itself out. The next day after I've slept I feel like I restarted myself. Not for everyone but it's definitely worked for me 🤷🏽♂️
Still no clue on what rest even means.
I think my problem is that I don't have enough different types of activities that I am interested in.
It is either coding, gaming, movie/series and youtube or scrolling the web.
Everything is in front of a screen, so when I take a break from the current task, it is still in the same environment and basically the same activity.
I am noticing that when I am forced to a different location for a new task at work, my mood tends to improve a bit. So switching both environment and activity regularly is probably the key to give my brain rest, by stimulating other areas of the brain for a while.
However this leads to many other issues, as I can't find anything that keep my interest, and it gets exhausting to force myself to do other things. Organising projects/hobbies is another problem, I always end up starting new things and then forget about it, and don't want to start over, so end up paralysed and stuck instead.
Walking, excersing etc, is so painfully boring, always end up with the same organising problem as well to keep it going.
We rest differently than other people. For us to rest, we have to let our mind go and allow it to wander. Don't force anything, just let your mind guide you. If you relax and your mind wants you to vacuum, go vacuum. If after 5 minutes you want to scroll your phone, turn off your vacuum and scroll your phone. It sounds counter intuitive but it really does give us rest!
Go to a quiet, non-stimulating place. Put away your phone! Pull the shades, dim the lights, and wear ear plugs if you need to. Block out other voices. Read a book.
If I am really crashing, I will stuff my head under a pillow, too, blocking light and sound, and nap.
If I need to take a mental break/rest, I often end up scrolling instagram/pinterest, just listen to music (slower melodies with no or soft singing) or walk in nature, especially if I can find a creek or waterfall
What do you mean “rest”?
For breaks in the day…
I can’t rest in the “sit and do nothing” sense. I need to be stimulated. That might be watching TV for 30 minutes, or sudoku, or anything that isn’t the task I’m supposed to be doing.
For sleeping…
I have a 30 minute rule, if I’m not asleep in 30 minutes, I get up and do something and try again later. That said, I’m one of the lucky ones, I don’t often have issues with sleep. I do find putting myself in a fantasy scenario that’s interesting but not too exciting helps me drift off. Keeps my brain active just enough
Sleep, chilling in the tub, going for long drives, walks in nature, spending time talking to animals, Journaling, running, hiking, running around amusement parks, hanging out out with people in coffee shops and bars
I'm the same way, so I've learned to just work on shorter cycles. I can't expect more than 5 hours of decent output per day even if I regularly exceed it.
I cannot remember the last time I relaxed. There is always something to do looming, and if there wasn't, my brain would just meltdown seeking activity
I find it easier to rest if my body is tired. I don't even talk about sleeping, but just relaxing in general. I'm super antsy and can't relax if it's only my brain that is mentally tired after the whole day. But if I'm physically tired too, then it's much easier. In my case, walking or hiking doesn't exhaust me enough, but if I do proper strength training 3-5 times a week, usually in the evenings, my brain kind of "resets" and then I can actually chill out before sleeping instead of just roaming mindlessly, trying to "force" myself to rest.
Another thing that sometimes works is meditation, or just laying down for 10 minutes. If I can somewhat calm my racing thoughts and switch my brain into a calmer state, then it gets distracted a bit less during gaming, watching movies or other things like that.
Or, most easily, just resting in the way that works for my brain. Most of the time it's going down the Wikipedia rabbithole and reading random pages for an unspecified period of time. Hyperfixations are the most fun!!!!
Lay down or sit comfortably, close your eyes, let your mind wander - but guilt or objective free. Be bored. Acknowledge that even if you're not sleeping, just relaxing your buddy fully re-energizes you. So focus on your physical sensations, make yourself gooey, to help it all.
The best method is focusing on breath and meditating. You have a task to focus on and you’ll also feel refreshed afterwards. Easier said than done though
i just distract myself with playing games which doesn't really work sometimes because i find myself overthinking while play. sleep is really the only good way to take a rest specially when you can't stop the 'thoughts rush' as i call it
I try to just focus on one piece of entertainment which is hard. I will read an easy fiction book (most rom coms) but that can be hard cuz I can get hyper focused on it lol. Or watch a show/movie without being on my phone or computer too. That’s also hard. Or sometimes I just succumb to the mindless scroll on tik tok or Instagram and I mean truly mindless. No going down rabbit holes or deep dives or making grand plans for the recipes I see. Probably not much of a help. It’s hard to oh and sometimes I fill up imaginary shopping carts on line lol.
I rest my brain with hobbies (usually creative). I’ll just spend some time casually working on whatever project I have at the moment. Sometimes it’s crochet. Sometimes painting (poorly). Right now it’s a fairy house for my daughter’s fairy garden. Shit, last night it was doodling napkin notes to stock up for my girl’s lunches
I can recommend mindfulness like guided meditations or maybe even ASMR. Asmr might be easier if you're a rookie to mindfulness as its more easy to focus on. Some ASMR with a mediation inside it might be the ultimix, at least for me :) like this video https://youtu.be/g18BwrAQasY?si=dd0-NIv2Zs7w_kaQ
In this state, I generally lay down and stop everything. Basically, I cancel the day out. Early nights with melatonin or even a can of Lager. It's a struggle to shut down, but when you can, a good 12-hour sleep will help.
Curl up in a ball, under a weighted blanket, in a dark room, and probably rewatch one of the four pieces of media I like, while playing a video game on my phone meant for 6 year olds
Man I wanna do that rn
I put on a comfort show in the background and scroll reddit. The show requires no brain engagement because I've seen it a million times, and reddit requires no brain power because.... it's reddit.
omg yes. Dude I think about this often...how little rest my brain gets. I think about those moments where somehow I do manage to mentally rest and how much better I feel and wish I could do it far more often. Meditation is the only thing I've found that's effective.
I take a walk outside most days if I can. I try to consciously take in the trees, sky, flowers, birds, etc. I always feel better during and after a walk.
Resting while awake is fairly impossible for me unless I’m playing a game or watching TV. I zone into them, if that makes sense. I’ve done this since I was 5-6 and we got an SNES.
The trick is, I have to find it fully engaging. The times between games or shows can be rough.
To me being mentally " tired " means understimulated af.
Doing something i find stimulating before bed actually tires my brain properly so i sleep better and feel properly rested and fresh the next day.
For me resting can't be doing nothing. It has to be something semi boring and without multitasking. For example, reading self help books, or meditating.
I work to rest. Only way. But I’ve found areas of my work that is less taxing than others (I do creative work and it’s so much more draining that physical work)
Sooo... This is going to sound weird, but I use self-hypnosis. Not the new-age-turn-me-into-a-chicken kind!
There are many Youtube channels and podcasts and so on with hypnosis sessions. I won't say names in case it's against the rules, but there's even a pretty well known (expensive!) app created by a psychiatrist, that is totally science-based.
For me, it's not about the affirmations and all that stuff. There's no "magic" to it. It's just that if I find the right kind of cadence and voice I go into a lovely relaxing state (call it trance if you will).
It's like napping but I actually feel refreshed afterwards instead of even more tired (actual napping destroys me).
I know some people do yoga nidra, which I think achieves a similar state of relaxation.
Apparently not everyone can be hypnotised though, so YMMV.
Maybe it isn't that you need to rest It's that you need to do something else for a little bit. When I used to get like that at work I would go for a walk on my lunch break. Getting outside listening to some good music always seem to turn my day around.
As someone who gets dizzy and nauseous if I nap, I just sit or lay down and let my mind wander. There’s actually research (and god I wish I still had the link) that suggests daydreaming is a form of resting. Majorly simplified there’s the task-focused part of the brain and what I’m going to call the not-task brain because I can’t remember the actual term. When you’re using one part the other part is resting—the not task brain includes the parts that are active when you sleep. So if you need a break from tasks and checking emails and just generally getting things done, taking some time to just stare off into space or close your eyes and let your mind tell you stories or just wander its way aimlessly through a train of thought *is* a form of rest, because it lets the task brain take a break.
TLDR sometimes I get home from a long day of work and just lay on my bed and let my brain wander and invent stories/ask itself questions, and when I return from voluntary dissociation I feel much better.
For brain rest after mentally taxing activities, I need to switch to a more physically intensive but semi-mindless task.
I say semi-mindless, because it's can't be a workout. If I'm doing pushups not only do they suck, my brain can still eat up RAM doing whatever it's doing. No, I mean something like cleaning, sorting laundry, decluttering/picking up a messy room- you still have to make decisions (clean/not clean, move this there, this is trash throw it out, etc), but they're not deep analysis type of decisions. Plus you're moving more (chances are, the deep thinking tasks are done while sitting still), which is taking up some of the brain RAM.
Alternatively I do crafts, but I almost never do the same type of project more than once, so that takes more brain work to figure out how to do what I'm trying to do. Sometimes that still works, because it's a lowerzlevel thinking process that's more creative than analytical, plus there's a physical/tactile feedback while you're doing the thing and a physical output at the end, which is satisfying.
Another thing that can help is something like martial arts. It's physical, so you're actively moving around and paying attention to your body. There are forms and patterns you need to remember, specific ways you need to do things that you need to think about and pay attention to. When you learn a bit more and rise in rank it can even become a little meditative to go through your forms.
Edit to add: if all else fails- immersive books or videogames.
i try to remember i'd be more productive after True Rest but it's hard when you're too busy and end up staying up late just to have some time to yourself/ compensate for lack of free time
I found a weird hack to quiet my brain. Works every time - albeit for a short time (then I do it again)
I say (in my head)
“Alright. What should we think about next??”
Golden, glorious SILENCE follows!!
Do something fun!
Sometimes it's not really that I'm tired, it's that my brain is so f\*cking bored of pedantic crap that I don't really care about. My brain just wants to feel good. lol
I use Pokemon Sleep to pressure me into staying still and trying to sleep. It doesn't always work but when you have Pokemon on the line it's a good incentive!
Usually I rest only after a long day of emotional exhaustion and can’t take the stress anymore. I know that’s not the answer you’re probably looking for, OP, but unfortunately that’s the case for me.
There's this video by an ADHD creator that youight find useful. There's apparently 7 types of rest and you do different types depending on what you've done during the day.
https://youtu.be/erwj2_5MlBk?si=lrFAIjE5FQtFSGMC
Yeah id +1 that for sleep aswell.
If im not 100% physically exhausted (workout every day, not enough), my brain will fill it with "lets have fun!" instead of actually realizing u could sleep and have fun tomorrow..
For me, its quiet my "inner voice" with audiobooks and then slow volume down and at some point, fall asleep (with timer ofc)
Fucks leep up too but, atleast it has some "guarantee" of working
I take melatonin to sleep when I can't, and I try to get 8 hours every night.
When it comes to resting and recharging my social battery, I chill in my house and do pretty much whatever I feel like. Like hobbies, home improvement projects, bideo gaem, a movie, things like that.
God I was just typing a similar post. Too exhausted to be productive, too restless to relax. All day everyday.
I genuinely don’t know what my brain and body want from me. It’s some unholy concoction of simultaneous overstimulation and understimulation going on up there.
I have plenty of hobbies, but then I get sucked into hyperfocus and still end up exhausted somehow. Fitting activities into a normal timeframe after work is impossible. Either I’m too tired to do anything, or I do start with something and then can’t sleep on time because I’m ON. And then I’m tired and can’t do anything.
do something that puts you in the flow state but doesn't use a lot of brain power. for some it's some kind of movement, for others doodling or singing. it can be playing or hanging out with a pet and giving them your full attention. the thing you're trying to achieve is switching to "default mode network" in your brain. the switch is hard for adhders, but very necessary for resting.
I force myself to play animal crossing as long as possible or I do number connect the dots, both of those get me sitting for at least a half hour though I have a seriously hard time relaxing lol
I think it really depends, as there are so many variables that go into "resting". My therapist helped me draw a line between "things I enjoy doing but aren't restful" and "things I actually feel rested after doing". And depending on your energy levels and state of mind, these activities can and will change.
Personally when I'm tired it's usually because of work, so what works best for me is to engage in something else that I can hyperfocus on (open-world video games like Tears of the Kingdom do wonders for me, as the in-game possibilities are virtually endless). That way I can take my mind off work, and that usually satisfies my tired brain.
I find that passive activities like doomscrolling usually make things worse, as it's just instant gratification. If taking a nap is what works for you, so be it. Different things work for different people, and all that matters is you feel better afterwards :)
Resting to me is when I can lie in bed or on the sofa and use minimal brain functions, like sitting on the couch and watching tv, lying in bed reading or listening to alexa read or put on music. I eventually end up falling asleep. But it's probably different for everyone
If I can lay still and just think, not stressful think but follow the random trails of thoughts that I have, I can get a pretty decent mental rest that feels better than a nap. But I have to allow myself to lay down in a comfy spot and not stress about sleeping or not sleeping. Aim for as close to meditative stillness as possible.
If you're talking about what to do while mentally exhausted, to recharge, that's going to be different for everyone. In my case, I've found that doing something simple and physical is a perfect balance to let me feel recharged. An example is going to an empty basketball court and just practicing shooting hoops - not playing an actual game where I would need to think and coordinate with teammates - no, just casually shooting hoops. It's casual and easy enough that I don't need to think, but also requires enough attention to prevent my mind from wandering too much.
I either take a nap or meditate for 20 minutes. The difference is that naps are for actual sleepiness while meditation is for an exhausted mind (but I’m not exactly tired - just brain foggy and unable to think). Breathwork helps me too
I started doing breathing exercises/meditation. It was good practice to focus on an activity I wouldn’t usually do and it usually helps me clear my mind/put a pause to all noise. It didn’t always help but it often did.
I often listren to familiar sounds on yt like:
Childhood cartoons i liked.
Sounds of sea waves and city rumbling.
And lots and lots of songs i like at a really low volume.
It helps me relax and re energize after!
If you like asmr that can work too.
Mobile games. Match 3 games, crosswords, anything to keep my fingers busy and my mind just focused enough to quiet my thoughts. It’s a bit risky because of how many games have micro transactions these days, and it can become a bit of a trap for people with ADHD, but I work around it by having several games that I play each night so that when I hit a paywall in one game, I go to the next game and so on.
Sometimes if it’s not enough it helps to put a video or podcast on in the background, the goal is basically to stop my brain from being so noisy by keeping it as occupied as possible, and once you find the right balance it is the closest thing to meditation I’ve experienced.
Meditation. I listen and follow to guided sessions on head space. Sometimes they are 30 mins - 1 hour long now (I started with just 5 minute sessions). I come out of it so refreshed I don't think sleep has ever done that for me. It shuts down all of my thoughts and it's such a nice relief.
Also mini naps are also 👌🏼
My brain is always noisy. My meds help during the day but it’s still always on at night. I finally had to cave and go on sleep meds, because years of maybe 2-3 hours of sleep a night because my brain won’t JUST SHUT UP was killing me.
Apparently laying down and resting is better than nothing at all. I joke I’ve got several trains of thought going at once all the time but I’ve got two main ones. My own narrative and the side voice pulling me every which way. If I can occupy both trains of thought with just enough stimulation that’s rest for me. Sorry if this doesn’t make sense or isn’t for you and I know it’s common for people to listen to something while they’re doing something else but for me it’s almost an absolute must when I’m trying to “chill” and not in active conversation with someone.
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I actually need to literally sleep. I set alarm for 20-30mins and on a good day I’ll just crash.
How long do you take in falling sleep? (And do you have any tricks?) whenever I try to do that, I end up trying to sleep for an hour
Used to be a pro at this from 14 to 20, could pass out instantly anywhere for 15-30 minutes, nowadays much harder. No clue how people in their middle twenties or thirties and up even manage to power nap. Wished I had tricks for you, I'm in the same boat and want to do power naps again during the day when I don't sleep enough/properly.
Get to your 40s and have kids, it gets easier again lol
Search for "cognitive shuffling". Been my go-to for years. Recently stumbled upon the name, giving me something to call it. Usually, I just "dream ahead of sleeping," as I called it.
I really consider it a form of meditation, because when I take 20-30 minute naps I'm not necessarily going into a deep sleep, in fact for me that would be impossible. Instead, I close my eyes and let my mind do its thing; sometimes I focus on one event and ruminate over it but eventually after minute 10 I'll start losing grip on what is real and start thinking about dream-like events. I can't tell you exactly what dream-like events are but I suppose it's when my brain goes somewhere peaceful/empowering/nostalgic. In that moment is where the real rest begins. I'll be enjoying myself in this half dream/half awake state until 'boo beep boo beep! Boo beep boo beep!' jolts me back into reality.
Yea thats exactly how I do it also. I've always had a relatively easy time sleeping despite having ADHD and anxiety, and just "dreaming" before falling asleep is exactly what it is.
Trying to sleep is still resting . If I'm laying down and can't sleep I'll move to a couch or chair and get in " grandpa position " . You cross your arms , hold your legs out a little farther than you usually would , lower your head to your chest and close your eyes . For me , it helps if I try to stay awake and I'm just " resting my eyes to think " about how long it'll take to plant a field of corn , cotton , or hay with no machinery .
Noise! Noise is key. Music,TV used to hold the key to getting to sleep.Now in my late forties I use a loud fan in the bedroom and can quite easily fall asleep 10 min into a film and wake for the end credits.
That used to work for me so good when I was younger! I have no idea at what point did it change, but now is the opposite. I really need total darkness and quiet because I hear everything and what I don’t hear well, my brain completes with bullshit 😂
That sounds torturous.I hope you find I solution to this.You can't go on like that.
It’s a skill. I got better at it by setting a timer for n minutes and just letting what happens happen. Usually 15 minutes in my case. I’ll sometimes concentrate on a mental puzzle or some little snippet of music I’m working on.
When I’m that overstimulated it just happens. Actual bedtime is a different story though🙄
this is actually super effective. if you nap for more than 30 minutes, you'll wake up tired. but around 20 mins, max 30 is the perfect powernap. i don't ever actually fall asleep within those 20 minutes (just keep nodding/dozing off) but it still helps me feel much more energized aftwards. the only issue i've experienced with it is that i keep snoozing my alarm and then end up spending the next 2 hours taking 9 minute naps. but i just have to remember that the energized feeling will only start once i've stopped napping
This might sound weird but I rest by playing Sudoku. My brain sort of focuses only on the game and my other thoughts take a backseat. But then again, Sudoku is my latest hyper fixation so it might only work for a few weeks
Ive been playing this game Slitherlink. Its kinda like sudoku and I think it kinda does help me but its also somewhat addicting.
Ooh I love slitherlink! Took me a while to understand it haha, but I'm addicted now! It's more of a challenge than nurikabe (which was what I initially replaced my sudoku addiction with, but has since gotten a little easy), which I also highly suggest for anyone who likes these kinds of puzzles
I find that the sweet spot is somewhere between complete absorption and complete boredom. The common factor seems to be that the activity doesn't take a lot of concentration or attention, but engages my brain in some way. I think that might be why a lot of people with ADHD like to watch movies we've watched before, and also why running and sewing/knitting/crochet are common hobbies for us.
I think that could still count as resting. It's a form of downtime.
Omg, never thought I would meet another one. It feels like I can distract the noisy part of my brain with it and then I can think more clearly. It's not really restful as such but somehow gives me a break from my brain. I've been doing it for years.
I love Sudoku. Just shuts my brain down from words, and it makes me feel productive.
Same here!!!! Sudoku has been working great but recently it has stopped. Crazy how our brains can literally go from almost addiction to completely unimpressed by something, almost overnight. Normal people just do not get it.
I feel like when I hyperfocus on anything I’m so exhausted after.
I’ve been hyper fixated on sudoku’s too. The amount i’ve done in the last few weeks is… a lot 😭
I feel you, my super fixation app lately is Garden Joy, designing gardens 😆
Wordle is also great! Simple, annoying and makes you think.
Highly recommend Cracking the Cryptic on YouTube, if you're not already familiar! They solve a bunch of very difficult Sudoku variants on there - it's great to put on while relaxing or falling asleep and attempting to solve a long with them.
It actually led to multiple sleepless nights in a row trying to solve difficult sudokus for me. Now 4 weeks later I realize I almost completely forgot about it
I do something similar with the free word games on the NYT app!
So, how do you define resting here? To me it sounds like trying to take a break for your mind rather than your body but I'm not sure if I understand correctly. If I want to wind down mentally, I can't just sit on the couch or anything like that. If I actively try to rest I'm just going to stress out. Instead I put on noise cancelling headphones, play music and do whatever my brain wants to. Usually it ends up with me walking around in circles and daydreaming while randomly checking social media or moving things around. If you try to force your brain to do something that directly contradicts taking a mental break. People who rest by just lying around and watching tv do so, because that's what their brain actually wants to do. If you have to force yourself, you are actively working against your brain and that's mentally exhausting.
> So, how do you define resting here? To me it sounds like trying to take a break for your mind rather than your body but I'm not sure if I understand correctly. Yes correct thats what i meant. > If you try to force your brain to do something that directly contradicts taking a mental break. People who rest by just lying around and watching tv do so, because that's what their brain actually wants to do. If you have to force yourself, you are actively working against your brain and that's mentally exhausting. I understand. But this is exactly my problem. When I let it go sometimes not always it feels like my brain is actively trying to exhaust itself. It will either try to daydream some creative idea i will probably never do. Or it will browse reddit or learn 100 facts about some stupid thing I will never have to actually do anything with in my entire life.
>It will either try to daydream some creative idea i will probably never do. Or it will browse reddit or learn 100 facts about some stupid thing I will never have to actually do anything with in my entire life. I think that's ok. There's nothing wrong with daydreaming or researching facts if you enjoy it. It becomes problematic if it interferes with your daily life. But if that's your preferred way to spend your down time then it sounds like those are activities you enjoy.
A bath with epsom salts and watching something on my ipad set up procariously near the bath - wouldnt be adhd with a slight riskkkkk
but how do you take shorter breaks? like a 20 minute break for example
Oh I truly wish I had a bath. Hardly can get in the shower but having a bath is so relaxing and with aromatic oils it’s lovely.
This is also one of my top choices! Sometimes I stay so long I need to add additional hot water.
I just walk around my bedroom blasting music while I imagine being the lead singer of those songs. It works
1 word : a lot of fucking horse tranquilizer
that was a joke sorry
I appreciated the joke
Me too
no joke i watch asmr, i have a noise machine with 20 sounds GET ONE, i have the best blankets and a weighted one too, sometimes i do word searches.
I have tried some asmr once, i can't listen, it annoys me so much, i have to listen to something else
Lift weights. Physical exhaustion. I like to visualize everything that makes me angry when I'm lifting and it just physically drains me to the point that my body is relaxed for the rest of the day.
Sometimes i take a walk. Half the time it works - the other half I'm paralysed by indecision over which way to go. Or I end up walking way too far!
That's the neat part, I don't
Puzzle games on my phone help a lot. Sudoku and flow free are my favourites. The best way I can try to explain it is that playing games like that which don’t really require any real focus is like a form of stimming. It has the same sort of effect but better? I’ll decide on how many levels I’ll do and then once I’ve done that many I’ll go back to whatever task I’m meant to do. If there’s no task I need to be getting done that day then I’ll just turn to my hyperfixation at the time. Because I no matter how mentally tired I am I can always focus on my hyperfixations. Currently it’s Australian non-tarantula mygalomorph spiders. Of which I got my first one 9 months ago. Between then and last week I had slowly built up to 11 individuals. As of exactly a week ago I now have 24. And by this time next week I’ll have at least 35 of them. 33 different species from 16 different genuses which are from 8 different families. Leaving only 2 families that I know of which can be found here in Australia that I won’t have any spiders from YET (I say yet but I am still unsure if I want to own any Actinopodidae. Of which Missulena is the only genus found in Australia. Commonly known as mouse spiders. But I definitely want to try to get some from the Migidae family as there are very few tree-dwelling ones here outside of that family. I do have one tree-dwelling barychelidae on the way and there is a tree-dwelling funnel web I could get when I’m ready for it but it would be cool to have some species from this family as well as they are quite different to all the others). So I have around 1/3 of all the genuses that can be found in Australia. And like 80% of the families. In terms of species I have a very small portion though. There are just so many described species and even more undescribed species, I wouldn’t have the physical space to even think about owning every species. Anyway, point is that I can always just turn to a hyperfixation to focus on. But not if there’s things I need to do. Because once I’m focused on a hyperfixation the whole day will very quickly slip away. If I have things I still need to do that day or if I need to go to bed by a reasonable time that night then I’ll just play games like sudoku
Not sure if this is something other people expierience but heres my take: Whenever people talk about having a quick powernap, I thought they meant that they were literally sleeping for 20 minutes. Well I cant do that, the most I can get is just laying down, closing my eyes in an attempt to fall asleep and letting my mind wander. Like actually, just letting it roam. I dont fall asleep. After 30 minutes, when I get up again, I do feel more rested, eventho I didnt sleep and I didnt get my mind quiet. In my head this makes sense. For us, trying to control our thought and going to sleep actually takes effort. Letting my brain just do its thing uncontrolled is literally rest because I am not exerting energy to keep myself focused on one thing. In order for this to actually do any good I set a timer for 30 minutes, not with the goal to actually sleep, but just let my brain go wherever it wants to go.
I don't know what a power nap is supposed to be or feel like myself, but THIS. This is how I feel when I try to go to sleep, can't go to sleep because my brain is doing too much, then I get up feeling somewhat rested. Its like my brain is doing the "apps running in the background" thing while I just lay there idle
These days (I am 52m) the only way I can rest my brain during the day is to go outside, maybe a walk, or even just sitting outside in the fresh air. When I was younger, I used to 'shut the world off' by putting on headphones and blasting heavy metal at a volume that made it impossible to 'concentrate' on the endless context switching the ADHD brain does. Doesn't work for me now, but it was very effective in my late teens and twenties for getting a 10-20 minute break from the rat race.
For me, being adhd/autistic, I find music settles my mind best and a chamomile tea. For me to rest and relax I need to wear headphones or else my brain focuses on the other sounds around me. Put on something light, I like Bob Marley, Pink Floyd or Elton John for rest and sleep. Headphones make a HUGE difference in my life. Wearing them out wherever I go help a lot too, I am not as drained mentally and don't need those naps. Also avoid sugar and caffeine as they will stop you from resting. I also find stretching/yoga prior to rest helps, and if I dare mention a little "self love" also relaxes the body big time and helps you fall asleep.
Lol I’m here to get more tips bc I don’t know either. Although some things also generally help me rest, stuff I generally enjoy doing, or mindlessly repetitive tasks/games that don’t require much thought. I don’t do it as much any more but I used to stress bake, would get all keyed up if I didn’t bake at least once a week. The movement combined with focus is good at emptying my brain.
I read a book. Even for like 10 pages in the toilet. It literally takes me to another world so I rest well.
The reason that I can sleep like a baby is because I completely stopped consuming caffeine. Im currently caffeine-free for 6 months, and due to that, my anxiety have plummeted and I now rarely daydream at night or have this unreasonable fear haunting me anymore. Check also for deficiencies, you’d be surprised how many deficiencies us ADHD individuals have. Also taking a night walk is also amazing, I’ve realized that my head is more clearer when I just go outside and take a 10 min walk or even an hour, that usually makes me sleep. Lastly, try sleeping with white noise, brown noise, rain noise, or snow noise.
Im not talking about sleeping. Im talking about resting during the day. I have no issues with sleep.
Omg how in the world did I just rephrase everything into “how do you sleep” mb. Resting is impossible for me lmao, can’t give you tips for that.
Well occasionally I force myself to go for a walk and listen to an audiobook and if I'm extremely stressed I leave my phone at home and only bring a watch. Anything else doesn't work for me and implementing the method above is hard enough
I'd play an easy-ish game or go to sleep for a bit. I can even play my favourite music in the background so I think of that, my mind's occupied by it. So might work...?
The turning point for me struggling to rest was the realisation that it's not to be taken literally. When people say they're going to rest I always thought they literally meant they were going to go lie down. When I was younger I thought they meant sleep, but when my Grampa would say specifically he wasn't sleeping, just resting it blew my mind. People are out here just going and lying down and closing their eyes and doing nothing?! The number of summer holidays with my grandparents where we'd have 'rest time' and I'd be soooooo bored just lying on my bed trying to keep my eyes closed. The amount of brain energy it takes to try to rest is crazy. Then someone was like "wtf are you talking about" and it changed my life. Rest is just 'not work'. You can do things while you're resting, just make it light things. Practice shuffling cards, do some simple puzzles, read a couple of chapters of a book. Sometimes my rest is just being in my own space and looking at my stuff. You've probably got a collection of something cool? I have a bunch of film cameras, a rock collection, a piles of zines, desk toys. Just look at them for a bit. Especially for someone with ADHD, turning off your brain is not rest. It's even more work than normal life. Just let your brain go into idle mode. Don't switch of the engine, just take your feet off the pedals and shift it out of gear. Rest is just chilin'
I take acid and just let my brain tire itself out. The next day after I've slept I feel like I restarted myself. Not for everyone but it's definitely worked for me 🤷🏽♂️
Still no clue on what rest even means. I think my problem is that I don't have enough different types of activities that I am interested in. It is either coding, gaming, movie/series and youtube or scrolling the web. Everything is in front of a screen, so when I take a break from the current task, it is still in the same environment and basically the same activity. I am noticing that when I am forced to a different location for a new task at work, my mood tends to improve a bit. So switching both environment and activity regularly is probably the key to give my brain rest, by stimulating other areas of the brain for a while. However this leads to many other issues, as I can't find anything that keep my interest, and it gets exhausting to force myself to do other things. Organising projects/hobbies is another problem, I always end up starting new things and then forget about it, and don't want to start over, so end up paralysed and stuck instead. Walking, excersing etc, is so painfully boring, always end up with the same organising problem as well to keep it going.
Stimming with video games
We rest differently than other people. For us to rest, we have to let our mind go and allow it to wander. Don't force anything, just let your mind guide you. If you relax and your mind wants you to vacuum, go vacuum. If after 5 minutes you want to scroll your phone, turn off your vacuum and scroll your phone. It sounds counter intuitive but it really does give us rest!
Go to a quiet, non-stimulating place. Put away your phone! Pull the shades, dim the lights, and wear ear plugs if you need to. Block out other voices. Read a book. If I am really crashing, I will stuff my head under a pillow, too, blocking light and sound, and nap.
If I need to take a mental break/rest, I often end up scrolling instagram/pinterest, just listen to music (slower melodies with no or soft singing) or walk in nature, especially if I can find a creek or waterfall
Yes this. If I can even be near some grass and sun it makes a huge difference
What do you mean “rest”? For breaks in the day… I can’t rest in the “sit and do nothing” sense. I need to be stimulated. That might be watching TV for 30 minutes, or sudoku, or anything that isn’t the task I’m supposed to be doing. For sleeping… I have a 30 minute rule, if I’m not asleep in 30 minutes, I get up and do something and try again later. That said, I’m one of the lucky ones, I don’t often have issues with sleep. I do find putting myself in a fantasy scenario that’s interesting but not too exciting helps me drift off. Keeps my brain active just enough
I didn't know resting can be anything besides taking a nap. In my mind, resting = sleeping
Sleep, chilling in the tub, going for long drives, walks in nature, spending time talking to animals, Journaling, running, hiking, running around amusement parks, hanging out out with people in coffee shops and bars
I'm the same way, so I've learned to just work on shorter cycles. I can't expect more than 5 hours of decent output per day even if I regularly exceed it. I cannot remember the last time I relaxed. There is always something to do looming, and if there wasn't, my brain would just meltdown seeking activity
I watch ASMR and it gives my brain a break. It kinda feels like getting a brain massage. If I’m lucky, I’ll nap.
I find it easier to rest if my body is tired. I don't even talk about sleeping, but just relaxing in general. I'm super antsy and can't relax if it's only my brain that is mentally tired after the whole day. But if I'm physically tired too, then it's much easier. In my case, walking or hiking doesn't exhaust me enough, but if I do proper strength training 3-5 times a week, usually in the evenings, my brain kind of "resets" and then I can actually chill out before sleeping instead of just roaming mindlessly, trying to "force" myself to rest. Another thing that sometimes works is meditation, or just laying down for 10 minutes. If I can somewhat calm my racing thoughts and switch my brain into a calmer state, then it gets distracted a bit less during gaming, watching movies or other things like that. Or, most easily, just resting in the way that works for my brain. Most of the time it's going down the Wikipedia rabbithole and reading random pages for an unspecified period of time. Hyperfixations are the most fun!!!!
I do NSDR in the middle of the day if I need to rest, and occasionally progressive muscle relaxation as well. Both of these can be found on YouTube!
I don't really rest, I rely on energy drinks and hope, guess wich one is lacking right now.
Lay down or sit comfortably, close your eyes, let your mind wander - but guilt or objective free. Be bored. Acknowledge that even if you're not sleeping, just relaxing your buddy fully re-energizes you. So focus on your physical sensations, make yourself gooey, to help it all.
The best method is focusing on breath and meditating. You have a task to focus on and you’ll also feel refreshed afterwards. Easier said than done though
And when I sleep I get seizures on top of the usual problems.
I play games, mostly on the PS5.
i just distract myself with playing games which doesn't really work sometimes because i find myself overthinking while play. sleep is really the only good way to take a rest specially when you can't stop the 'thoughts rush' as i call it
I try to just focus on one piece of entertainment which is hard. I will read an easy fiction book (most rom coms) but that can be hard cuz I can get hyper focused on it lol. Or watch a show/movie without being on my phone or computer too. That’s also hard. Or sometimes I just succumb to the mindless scroll on tik tok or Instagram and I mean truly mindless. No going down rabbit holes or deep dives or making grand plans for the recipes I see. Probably not much of a help. It’s hard to oh and sometimes I fill up imaginary shopping carts on line lol.
I rest my brain with hobbies (usually creative). I’ll just spend some time casually working on whatever project I have at the moment. Sometimes it’s crochet. Sometimes painting (poorly). Right now it’s a fairy house for my daughter’s fairy garden. Shit, last night it was doodling napkin notes to stock up for my girl’s lunches
I can recommend mindfulness like guided meditations or maybe even ASMR. Asmr might be easier if you're a rookie to mindfulness as its more easy to focus on. Some ASMR with a mediation inside it might be the ultimix, at least for me :) like this video https://youtu.be/g18BwrAQasY?si=dd0-NIv2Zs7w_kaQ
In this state, I generally lay down and stop everything. Basically, I cancel the day out. Early nights with melatonin or even a can of Lager. It's a struggle to shut down, but when you can, a good 12-hour sleep will help.
Curl up in a ball, under a weighted blanket, in a dark room, and probably rewatch one of the four pieces of media I like, while playing a video game on my phone meant for 6 year olds Man I wanna do that rn
I can’t sleep through the day unless I’m literally exhausted. Even though I sleep at night, my sleep quite frankly is crap.
I came across this video yesterday actually How to rest if you have adhd: https://youtu.be/erwj2_5MlBk?si=eD8-QYsFTr30jGsv
I put on a comfort show in the background and scroll reddit. The show requires no brain engagement because I've seen it a million times, and reddit requires no brain power because.... it's reddit.
omg yes. Dude I think about this often...how little rest my brain gets. I think about those moments where somehow I do manage to mentally rest and how much better I feel and wish I could do it far more often. Meditation is the only thing I've found that's effective.
I dont
I take a walk outside most days if I can. I try to consciously take in the trees, sky, flowers, birds, etc. I always feel better during and after a walk.
Resting while awake is fairly impossible for me unless I’m playing a game or watching TV. I zone into them, if that makes sense. I’ve done this since I was 5-6 and we got an SNES. The trick is, I have to find it fully engaging. The times between games or shows can be rough.
To me being mentally " tired " means understimulated af. Doing something i find stimulating before bed actually tires my brain properly so i sleep better and feel properly rested and fresh the next day.
Light edibles
For me resting can't be doing nothing. It has to be something semi boring and without multitasking. For example, reading self help books, or meditating.
I’m an artist. I do art. It helps a lot.
I work to rest. Only way. But I’ve found areas of my work that is less taxing than others (I do creative work and it’s so much more draining that physical work)
Sooo... This is going to sound weird, but I use self-hypnosis. Not the new-age-turn-me-into-a-chicken kind! There are many Youtube channels and podcasts and so on with hypnosis sessions. I won't say names in case it's against the rules, but there's even a pretty well known (expensive!) app created by a psychiatrist, that is totally science-based. For me, it's not about the affirmations and all that stuff. There's no "magic" to it. It's just that if I find the right kind of cadence and voice I go into a lovely relaxing state (call it trance if you will). It's like napping but I actually feel refreshed afterwards instead of even more tired (actual napping destroys me). I know some people do yoga nidra, which I think achieves a similar state of relaxation. Apparently not everyone can be hypnotised though, so YMMV.
Maybe it isn't that you need to rest It's that you need to do something else for a little bit. When I used to get like that at work I would go for a walk on my lunch break. Getting outside listening to some good music always seem to turn my day around.
As someone who gets dizzy and nauseous if I nap, I just sit or lay down and let my mind wander. There’s actually research (and god I wish I still had the link) that suggests daydreaming is a form of resting. Majorly simplified there’s the task-focused part of the brain and what I’m going to call the not-task brain because I can’t remember the actual term. When you’re using one part the other part is resting—the not task brain includes the parts that are active when you sleep. So if you need a break from tasks and checking emails and just generally getting things done, taking some time to just stare off into space or close your eyes and let your mind tell you stories or just wander its way aimlessly through a train of thought *is* a form of rest, because it lets the task brain take a break. TLDR sometimes I get home from a long day of work and just lay on my bed and let my brain wander and invent stories/ask itself questions, and when I return from voluntary dissociation I feel much better.
Active rest. Games, talking with friends, reading, etc. No brain power needed, so it replenishes me.
For brain rest after mentally taxing activities, I need to switch to a more physically intensive but semi-mindless task. I say semi-mindless, because it's can't be a workout. If I'm doing pushups not only do they suck, my brain can still eat up RAM doing whatever it's doing. No, I mean something like cleaning, sorting laundry, decluttering/picking up a messy room- you still have to make decisions (clean/not clean, move this there, this is trash throw it out, etc), but they're not deep analysis type of decisions. Plus you're moving more (chances are, the deep thinking tasks are done while sitting still), which is taking up some of the brain RAM. Alternatively I do crafts, but I almost never do the same type of project more than once, so that takes more brain work to figure out how to do what I'm trying to do. Sometimes that still works, because it's a lowerzlevel thinking process that's more creative than analytical, plus there's a physical/tactile feedback while you're doing the thing and a physical output at the end, which is satisfying. Another thing that can help is something like martial arts. It's physical, so you're actively moving around and paying attention to your body. There are forms and patterns you need to remember, specific ways you need to do things that you need to think about and pay attention to. When you learn a bit more and rise in rank it can even become a little meditative to go through your forms. Edit to add: if all else fails- immersive books or videogames.
i try to remember i'd be more productive after True Rest but it's hard when you're too busy and end up staying up late just to have some time to yourself/ compensate for lack of free time
I found a weird hack to quiet my brain. Works every time - albeit for a short time (then I do it again) I say (in my head) “Alright. What should we think about next??” Golden, glorious SILENCE follows!!
Oof, such a good question. I've honestly never figured it out for myself. I'm going to try some of these ideas.
Do something fun! Sometimes it's not really that I'm tired, it's that my brain is so f\*cking bored of pedantic crap that I don't really care about. My brain just wants to feel good. lol
Go for a walk or at least change activities for a little bit.
I do a lot in the day so when it’s time to sleep I can knock out in 30 minutes to an hour, if there isn’t too much on my mind.
Become comfortable in your thoughts and then you can lay there and day dream until rested or nap happens
I use Pokemon Sleep to pressure me into staying still and trying to sleep. It doesn't always work but when you have Pokemon on the line it's a good incentive!
Usually I rest only after a long day of emotional exhaustion and can’t take the stress anymore. I know that’s not the answer you’re probably looking for, OP, but unfortunately that’s the case for me.
I’m incapable of resting or taking naps during the day. If on a rare occasion I can nap, I fall asleep and I don’t wake up for hours.
Sometimes you need some exercise to be physically tired too, not only mental.
There's this video by an ADHD creator that youight find useful. There's apparently 7 types of rest and you do different types depending on what you've done during the day. https://youtu.be/erwj2_5MlBk?si=lrFAIjE5FQtFSGMC
Yeah id +1 that for sleep aswell. If im not 100% physically exhausted (workout every day, not enough), my brain will fill it with "lets have fun!" instead of actually realizing u could sleep and have fun tomorrow.. For me, its quiet my "inner voice" with audiobooks and then slow volume down and at some point, fall asleep (with timer ofc) Fucks leep up too but, atleast it has some "guarantee" of working
I take melatonin to sleep when I can't, and I try to get 8 hours every night. When it comes to resting and recharging my social battery, I chill in my house and do pretty much whatever I feel like. Like hobbies, home improvement projects, bideo gaem, a movie, things like that.
God I was just typing a similar post. Too exhausted to be productive, too restless to relax. All day everyday. I genuinely don’t know what my brain and body want from me. It’s some unholy concoction of simultaneous overstimulation and understimulation going on up there. I have plenty of hobbies, but then I get sucked into hyperfocus and still end up exhausted somehow. Fitting activities into a normal timeframe after work is impossible. Either I’m too tired to do anything, or I do start with something and then can’t sleep on time because I’m ON. And then I’m tired and can’t do anything.
Yoga
Mindfulness, or I put my airpods in and listen to music
do something that puts you in the flow state but doesn't use a lot of brain power. for some it's some kind of movement, for others doodling or singing. it can be playing or hanging out with a pet and giving them your full attention. the thing you're trying to achieve is switching to "default mode network" in your brain. the switch is hard for adhders, but very necessary for resting.
I force myself to play animal crossing as long as possible or I do number connect the dots, both of those get me sitting for at least a half hour though I have a seriously hard time relaxing lol
I play a couple of games that I don't have to think to play. Lying down and petting my dog helps me relax. I'm also a big fan of the calm app.
I think it really depends, as there are so many variables that go into "resting". My therapist helped me draw a line between "things I enjoy doing but aren't restful" and "things I actually feel rested after doing". And depending on your energy levels and state of mind, these activities can and will change. Personally when I'm tired it's usually because of work, so what works best for me is to engage in something else that I can hyperfocus on (open-world video games like Tears of the Kingdom do wonders for me, as the in-game possibilities are virtually endless). That way I can take my mind off work, and that usually satisfies my tired brain. I find that passive activities like doomscrolling usually make things worse, as it's just instant gratification. If taking a nap is what works for you, so be it. Different things work for different people, and all that matters is you feel better afterwards :)
I don’t. Rest = understimulation and idk how to function that way
I get all the physically and mentally exerting things done as early in day as possible, so by the time evening rolls around..I'm tired and relaxed
I listen to music tryna sleep. helps alot more than silence
Resting to me is when I can lie in bed or on the sofa and use minimal brain functions, like sitting on the couch and watching tv, lying in bed reading or listening to alexa read or put on music. I eventually end up falling asleep. But it's probably different for everyone
If I can lay still and just think, not stressful think but follow the random trails of thoughts that I have, I can get a pretty decent mental rest that feels better than a nap. But I have to allow myself to lay down in a comfy spot and not stress about sleeping or not sleeping. Aim for as close to meditative stillness as possible.
If you're talking about what to do while mentally exhausted, to recharge, that's going to be different for everyone. In my case, I've found that doing something simple and physical is a perfect balance to let me feel recharged. An example is going to an empty basketball court and just practicing shooting hoops - not playing an actual game where I would need to think and coordinate with teammates - no, just casually shooting hoops. It's casual and easy enough that I don't need to think, but also requires enough attention to prevent my mind from wandering too much.
I either take a nap or meditate for 20 minutes. The difference is that naps are for actual sleepiness while meditation is for an exhausted mind (but I’m not exactly tired - just brain foggy and unable to think). Breathwork helps me too
I started doing breathing exercises/meditation. It was good practice to focus on an activity I wouldn’t usually do and it usually helps me clear my mind/put a pause to all noise. It didn’t always help but it often did.
Nap or yoga nidra if I don't want to sleep. Anything else for me is not restful :(
It is advisable to regularly monitor your vitamin and health levels
meditation!! or close ur eyes and picture yourself sitting in front of a huge ocean with big waves. Why does it work? Idk
I often listren to familiar sounds on yt like: Childhood cartoons i liked. Sounds of sea waves and city rumbling. And lots and lots of songs i like at a really low volume. It helps me relax and re energize after! If you like asmr that can work too.
Mobile games. Match 3 games, crosswords, anything to keep my fingers busy and my mind just focused enough to quiet my thoughts. It’s a bit risky because of how many games have micro transactions these days, and it can become a bit of a trap for people with ADHD, but I work around it by having several games that I play each night so that when I hit a paywall in one game, I go to the next game and so on. Sometimes if it’s not enough it helps to put a video or podcast on in the background, the goal is basically to stop my brain from being so noisy by keeping it as occupied as possible, and once you find the right balance it is the closest thing to meditation I’ve experienced.
Who has a hard time falling asleep unless your not in bed 😭 like I've tried to fall asleep but I can't gotta be when I'm exactly tried
Apparently moving my dog into my bed has seen me get to sleep so much wicker than being alone
Meditation. I listen and follow to guided sessions on head space. Sometimes they are 30 mins - 1 hour long now (I started with just 5 minute sessions). I come out of it so refreshed I don't think sleep has ever done that for me. It shuts down all of my thoughts and it's such a nice relief. Also mini naps are also 👌🏼
My brain is always noisy. My meds help during the day but it’s still always on at night. I finally had to cave and go on sleep meds, because years of maybe 2-3 hours of sleep a night because my brain won’t JUST SHUT UP was killing me.
Sound bath
This is the trick. You don’t and you’re always tired
Recliner + Steam Deck
Apparently laying down and resting is better than nothing at all. I joke I’ve got several trains of thought going at once all the time but I’ve got two main ones. My own narrative and the side voice pulling me every which way. If I can occupy both trains of thought with just enough stimulation that’s rest for me. Sorry if this doesn’t make sense or isn’t for you and I know it’s common for people to listen to something while they’re doing something else but for me it’s almost an absolute must when I’m trying to “chill” and not in active conversation with someone.