Here’s another topic that I buried within another post, and want to expand upon. To quickly define brain dumping, for me, it’s- the daily writing down of everything in my head right before bed.
Right before I go to bed every night, I spend 10-15 minutes with my journal brain dumping. I don’t worry about how long it is, I don’t typically use any grammar, and I really don’t care if it makes sense. I just need to clear my head so I can sleep.
Some people, like me, prefer a physical journal, but some do this in an app. It typically concerns the same things: work, ideas for this blog, people who are driving me nuts, and things I need to remember to do the next day. That way, I don’t have to rely on my memory, so it’s harder to forget to do something.
I’ve noticed that when my head is clear, I go to sleep quicker, sleep sounder, and wake up the next morning more refreshed.
Strattera, the med I take for my ADHD, warns us that insomnia can be a side effect of the med. However, I find that if my head is clear, I sleep better than if I try to lay down and just try to crash out.
Also, by writing down the things I need to do, I don’t forget anything. Each morning, I spend 5 minutes re-looking over the night before’s entry and adding anything I’ve written down to my to-do list. This also gives me a chance to re-read through the to-do’s to make sure they’re important enough to really be done, or are they just something I want to do.
It’s a great way to get better sleep, and another way to make sure I’m doing the important things every day.
What do you do to help you sleep??
Written by
NotAChevy
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Several months ago (maybe a year ago), I was doing the same thing. Like you, I found it helpful for helping my mind to settle down, so I could sleep.
I don't know why I stopped, because it was so helpful.
I've had to use over the counter sleep aids (melatonin and GABA) for the last few months, so that I could get to sleep (with the help of melatonin), and be able to stay asleep/get back to sleep if I wake up at 3am (which GABA helps me with).
My son takes melatonin and then reads before bed. I think that reading helps to settle his thoughts down.
For the record, the first way I remember hearing the term "brain dumping" used, it used about brain dumping in conversation with someone else. (It generally had a negative connotation that way.)
I later had to learn that it could be used for stream-of-consciousness journaling. I like this definition better.
Dim the lights starting in the evening. Sometimes take a low low dose of melatonin. Listen to podcasts .... think of something I am really psyched about ...
I get up at 5.30am for an exercise class most mornings. This means I’m pooped by 9.30 🥱 though I’ve only been on meds for 3 months I am beginning to feel a bit more burnt out… but not sure if this is being back at school again (I’m a teacher). I do notice if I skip my classes I tend to lie and ruminate more. I might give brain dumping a go.
I'm an obsessive journal writer. I don't however go back and read my entries (I type my entries in a document) and I think this would probably help me. I use it mainly as a way of letting the subconscious do its work - letting things percolate, an d yes, also a little reminder of things that need to be done - but I also keep a Habit Tracker to remind me to do things, and a large To Do List - if I don't write this stuff down, it gets forgotten quickly. I journal mostly first thing in the morning and sometimes throughout the day (I'm retired) but I usually try to read at night in bed to help me fall asleep. However, I admit to singing on Facebook or TikTok most nights instead of reading. I do also use ASMR at night to fall asleep... but here I am at 1:26 AM..... sleep is a real issue for me, and part of that is just the aging process, and part of it is the level of stress that changes over time.... I do have the luxury of napping during the day, tho. I try not to stress myself out about "not getting enough sleep" and yet I know how important it is.... a continuing work in progress.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Need help adhd anxiety
Longing for therapy 
How do you deal with brain fog/difficulty thinking & concentrating?
I’m struggling a LOT
The lows of ADHD
