Over stimulated brain

[tigeranne14]

Hi, this my first day here. I am 18 mnths post tbi. Need help for night time, how do i calm down my brain if i am over exhausted. I was very exhausted at weekend so tired i was in bed early , fell asllep and woke late... that i can cope with but this week is different . During the day i have started a new disbilities class of a circuit of ten stations involving physical and mental activities then i played a new lotto game with the littlest grandsons. When i went to bed i watched my new brain on bbc iplayer...thrn i could not get to sleep. Even though i meditate at bedtime brain would not switch off. Yesterday was also full on finally woke at 10 daughter picked me up for swimming then my 1st day at aqua fit. Home then phone call to car insurance...phone calls are always more difficult than face to face... then 1st appointment with lawyer, then dinner on the way home as too tired to cook. Straight to bed at 7pm but usual suspects to help me sleep read didn't work.. couple of sudoku didn't work

help i was exhausted but my brain felt over excited and i could not calm it down... any advice?

[Danslatete]

Try doing a bit less or spacing things out so that you can rest between activities.

[tigeranne14 in reply to Danslatete]

Hi Danslatete, thanks for the reply. I think i just thought i was invincible last week. My 1st physical exercise in 18mnths. I was not given any rehab after my diagnosis. So i thought one half hr disability class and i was going to be healed and doing all i was previously able for..... big had.... so i am back to resting and going to bed earlier...

[randomphantoms]

Hi tigeranne

As Danslatate says you probably need to be doing less.

You may also want to check up on sleep hygiene as watching TV in bed won't be helping.

Plan regular rest period during the day to allow your brain to settle between tasks.

Lovenhugs xoxo

Ps fatigue is a very common thing post bi and learning to manage it is one of the best things we can do to make progress possible.

[razyheath43 in reply to randomphantoms]

yeah my hubby calls it "busy head" he plays card paitnce on his phone,i see what randomphamtoms is saying about sleep hygeine,and trying to space things out,maybenot listening to brain stuff before bed! i like to read to sleep,iam a selfconfessed trashy novel addict! jackie collins,jilly cooper,dainelle steel! they all help me nod off,lol hope things improve soon

[tigeranne14 in reply to razyheath43]

Hi razyheath43, yeah agree it was not a good idea to watch brain challenging tv before bed. If i watch in bed now will stick to gentle movies. Went to bed at 6.30 last night to watch Marigold Hotel. Loved it and straight to sleep after... thanks for advice xx

[tigeranne14 in reply to randomphantoms]

Thanks for the reply randomphantoms,

i still find it really difficult to gauge my brain fatigue. I do need to build in extra rest periods now that i am going to have regular exercise.

one day at a time.... some are better than others...

xx

[cat3]

I know that viewing screens before bedtime is supposed to interfere with sleep, but every night before settling down I play 'solitaire' on my laptop in bed.

It's monotonous but addictive, and it 'cleanses' my mind of everything but the next move, and it makes me sleepy after a while. Just an idea ??

[tigeranne14 in reply to cat3]

Thanks Cat3 yeah i like to do a couple of sudoku and drink my night time tea. I am pleased that i am progressively reducing my sudoku times back down. I have not lost my continual drive to beat myself. My times went up to over 2 hrs post tbi.... this could take several days to complete 1 sudoku..

i have gradually succeeded in dropping times from over to under 2 then to under 1 now trying to get them all down from 50 mins to 30-40... this is my current goal

thanks again

[cat3 in reply to tigeranne14]

Aha ! Striving to achieve higher & higher goals is a sure way of over-stimulating the brain. Although it doesn't feel like it, the amount of concentration required to meet these challenges really gets the brain revving.

It's boring, repetitive stuff which causes sleepiness so, if possible, save the competitive games for earlier in the evening ! xx

[tigeranne14 in reply to cat3]

Thanks..... that is going to be a trial..... I will try xx

[Nutkin33]

Yes. Like everyone else has said, it seems like you are overdoing it a bit.

I am guilty of the same. A few months ago I got myself into such a state trying to do brain games, exercises, swimming, jogging, AND voluntary work at our local Headway. It was too much!

Now that I have slowed down, I do feel better sleep has been a problem for me right from the start of my TBI, but I'm trying!

Sleep hygiene is very important, and I find myself playing A couple of iPad games before tiring my light off. Nothing too mind taxing, but it helps switch me off!

Good luck!

😊😉

[tigeranne14 in reply to Nutkin33]

Thank you Nutkin33

i did try to fit in too much last week and without rest periods. So bed early this week and feeling bettervforvit though i am fuzzy tonight so need to take more breaks when i need to use computer

xx

[Jennaberri]

Try Head space, it's a meditation app for smartphones or there is a website. It teaches you to meditate, starts with 10 minutes a day. It helped me no ends when I was suffering stress and my mind was racing. There is also a mindfulness meditation app that is also great. The other thing I have is a sound pillow. It's a pillow with a speaker in it, I play calming music when I go to bed on a low volume. My brain shuts off and I can sleep. Xx

[tigeranne14 in reply to Jennaberri]

Sounds good Jennaberri, may look it up. If i can remember.

i do sometimes listen to my audio bible very low at night... only last week as you saw it didn't work. I am trying to build in more rest periods xx

[Kavib]

Overdoing things stimulates the brain. I do yoga and meditation each night to relax the brain which helps with getting a good sleep... The brain is a muscle so it needs to be relaxed

[tigeranne14 in reply to Kavib]

Thanks Kavib,

Yoga is one of the things i would love to take up again... we have made a refuge room in the house where i will be able to go to, it is still a work in progress

[EleanorS]

i have this also. you'll get there and youll figure out ways to prevent or alleviate and manage that work for you. (just had a week of only 3 hours slepp a night - i dont want to alarm you and this does NOT mean that this will happen to you. hopefulyy i'm getting there now, my brain just calmed down in the end, it worked itself out. ) so, hope youre getting there, you can get round it even if youre thinking at the time that its quite challenging.

[tigeranne14 in reply to EleanorS]

Sounds a real challenge Eleanor... have had nights where i am suddenly awake in the middle of the night and had to get up for a cup of tea and try ways to get myself back to sleep. It is a challenge but i will get there, as willyou xx