The Random thought thread

[pmccarthy]

New random thought needed.

[ClintonB]

How do you think of nothing, when you are thinking about it?

[old man emu]

39 minutes ago, ClintonB said:

How do you think of nothing, when you are thinking about it?

It depends on the context. In the context of philosophy you could be thinking of the concept of nothingness. In day-to-day life, "thinking of nothing" is a state of mental activity in which the conscious mind is not talking to itself. One says that one's mind is blank. There are no mental images to "see".

 

It's hard to put an answer to that question into words. 

[rgmwa]

You can think of `nothing' as in the concept of nothing, but as soon as you think, it has to be of something. If your mind is really not thinking, which it may do if there is no mental activity going on, you may need to seek medical help.

 

[Marty_d]

Ask a Buddhist 

[nomadpete]

11 hours ago, ClintonB said:

How do you think of nothing, when you are thinking about it?

This is a modern problem, psychologically.

 

I have found that many folk are disturbed by constant 'noise' in their brain.either uncontrolled thoughts or voices.  Scarey!

 

The first thing in metitation is to 'empty your mind'.

 

Many people can't.

[pmccarthy]

One way, which I use to go to sleep, is to focus on that bright spot that you see when your eyes are closed. Just try to keep looking at it. You will not be able to think about much else. With practice, you might get a slide show of beautiful, coloured images that you didn't have to think about. I have no idea where they come from.

[old man emu]

I don't look for the bright spot. I sometimes use a rotating spiral - sort of hypnotise myself. I don't have trouble nodding off when I first hit the sack about 11:00 pm, but if I have a job to do the next morning, I have difficulty getting back to sleep after getting up for a pee around 4:30. Then, with daylight saving, the bloody sunlight floods my bedroom between 5:45 and 6:00, so I've got to pull the sheet over my head to nod off until close to 7:00. 

 

To avoid feeling the heat after lunch, I take a nap, but sometimes that only lasts ten to twenty minutes and I wake up rearing to go mentally, but unwilling physically. 

[facthunter]

Do not dream  of having a Pee.   Nev

[nomadpete]

My best way to fall asleep is to practice slow breathing. One minute I'm slowly breathing, next thing I know it's time to get up.

 

A rate of around 6 breaths per minute is optimal for lowering blood pressure, promoting relaxation, and strengthening your body’s ability to tolerate stress.

To practice resonance breathing:

1. Go to bed.
2. Inhale for 5 seconds. Hold for 2.
3. Exhale for 5 seconds. Hold for 2.

Continue this cycle of breath for a few minutes.

[old man emu]

10 minutes ago, nomadpete said:

A rate of around 6 breaths per minute is optimal ....

The normal respiratory rate for an adult at rest is 12 to 18 breaths per minute. A respiration rate under 12 or over 25 breaths per minute while resting may be a sign of an underlying health condition. However, the activity level when the rate is determined must affect the rate. I imagine that settling into sleep could allow the rate to fall to a much lower rate. Perhaps when the conscious mind attempts to lower ones rate in order to go to sleep, and one does go to sleep, the subconscious mind would raise the rate to get the CO2 concentration in the blood get to the correct level.

 

[rgmwa]

1 hour ago, nomadpete said:

My best way to fall asleep is to practice slow breathing. One minute I'm slowly breathing, next thing I know it's time to get up.

Then I check the clock and it's only 1:00am.

[onetrack]

A sleep-inducing technique I learnt many years ago involves progressive muscle relaxation - starting with the toes and feet and working upwards. You tense the muscles in the body part for 5 seconds, then relax those muscles totally for 30 seconds. Then go onto the next body part above it, until you reach your neck and head.

Of course, it goes without saying that you must shut down and cease watching any screen (phone, computer, TV) for at least an hour before you go to bed. And keep a regular bedtime and wake-up time, the human body likes regular patterns. Never take any electronic item into your bedroom, keep that room a sanctuary of peace, with no electronic intrusion.

Light evening meals are also an important feature of getting a good sleep. If the body is trying to digest a big heavy meal while you're trying to get to sleep, it will interfere with the initiation of your sleep.

And one thing I find works well for me is complete darkness, with no light intrusion. Serious amounts of light intrusion during the night ruins a good sleep for me. Full moon nights will also play havoc with your sleep pattern.

 

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/relaxation-technique/art-20045368#:~:text=In one type of progressive,work down to your toes.

 

 

[nomadpete]

10 hours ago, old man emu said:

The normal respiratory rate for an adult at rest is 12 to 18 breaths per minute. A respiration rate under 12 or over 25 breaths per minute while resting may be a sign of an underlying health condition.

All true.

 

My sleeping breathing rate is around 12 ish.

 

However, a period of deliberately practiced slow, deep breathing has been shown to benefit - it lowers stress and improves sleep quality.

 

 

[nomadpete]

Since breathing rate is a pretty random subject......

 

This peer reviewed research explains the effects on blood pressure and resting heart rate. It shows that the simple practice can do good things.

 

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0002914917306185

 

There are other papers that attest to reduced stress and improved sleep.

 

When I  remember to spend 5 min practicing it before sleep, I find it helpful.

 

[spacesailor]

I must be weird!.

As I can sleep"  almost ' anywhere. even with the ' bedroom TV on .

My wife hates that I can just go to sleep . ( while she is watching  tv )

But , I fear  falling asleep while driving .

Then again those troublesome toilet stops , can't be good either  .

I have slept ( in a wheelbarrow ) next to a roaring  ' blast furnace ' .

spacesailor

 

[facthunter]

I'm still trying to come to grips with organising new RANDOM thoughts.   Nev

[onetrack]

I thought that there was no organisation involved with random thoughts? They're just that - random thoughts, out of the blue.

[pmccarthy]

It is 3.40am.

[Jerry_Atrick]

Not where I am 😉

 

And of course it beckins the question - what are you doing up at 3:40am - early rising, or late retiring?

Edited Monday at 04:58 PM by Jerry_Atrick

[old man emu]

4 hours ago, Jerry_Atrick said:

Not where I am 😉

 

And of course it beckins the question - what are you doing up at 3:40am - early rising, or late retiring?

Peeing.

[facthunter]

Make sure your aim is not random. Nev

[facthunter]

When travelling in Europe you have to form Q's to have P's.    Nev

[facthunter]

No matter HOW MUCH you jiggle and Dance , the last few drops go in your Pants.  Nev

[nomadpete]

4 hours ago, old man emu said:

Peeing.

I try to do that AFTER  I get up.