You can find calm if your ADHD brain won’t shut off.
On any given evening in the past, when it was time to power down and go to sleep, I had a hard time clearing my mind.
Countless thoughts about work, family, personal goals, and everything in between would run through my head on a *loop*.
My ADHD brain *constantly* buzzed.
My ADHD brain struggles weren’t a new occurrence.
If I look through my mountain of old planners and journals, the habit of creating to-do lists, reminders, and jotting down random thoughts has plagued me pretty much my entire life. Needless to say, most of the “to-do’s” never got “to-done.”
If any of this sounds familiar to you, you likely battle ADHD brain buzz that never turns off.
Once I received my diagnosis of ADHD, it all started to make sense. Over time, I’ve discovered, by luck and chance, that there are ways to wrangle my brain into submission and gain some sense of peace.
The secret is that once you figure out the source of the relentless thoughts in your head, it becomes easier to address the issue and deploy strategies to counteract it.
If you’re ready to figure out how to get your mind under control and start calming the chaos, keep reading to find the relaxation you so deserve.
The Buzzing Brain of ADHD
Do you ever feel like your brain is running a marathon, and it never quite crosses the finish line?
If so, welcome to the fascinating world of ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder).
This neurodevelopmental disorder is known to make your mind a constant whirlwind of thoughts, distractions, and energy.
If you know, you know that ADHD can feel like trying to read a book while someone else flips the pages at hyperspeed.
ADHD symptoms often include but aren’t limited to racing thoughts, a short attention span, and persistent difficulties with executive functioning. It’s not just about being hyperactive; it’s about having a brain that won’t seem to let you hit the pause button.
If these symptoms sound familiar and your ADHD brain won’t shut off, let’s explore this buzzing brain phenomenon further and discover ways to find some calm.
Why Your ADHD Brain Won’t Shut Off: 12 Ways to Calm the Chaos
The To-Do List Dilemma
The Problem:
I don’t know about you, but as a person with ADHD, a to-do list can look about as steep and foreboding as Mount Everest.
That’s not to say that the to-do list would be impossible to complete, but it’s highly unlikely.
It’s not uncommon for things that require executive functions—like planning, organizing, and completing tasks—to be entirely out of reach and super challenging.
Simple tasks like these are often a breeze for a person with a neurotypical brain but can feel utterly overwhelming for us ADHDers.
The Solution:
- Break Things All the Way Down: Rather than trying to tackle a large, insurmountable task all at once. It’s key to break tasks into tiny, bite-size parts to make them far more manageable and likely to happen. Knowing that you won’t have to complete everything in one sitting and only need to focus on a piece at a time can make all the difference in completing the task.
- Incorporate Visual Aids: Do you frequently find yourself forgetting what even needs to get done in the first place? *raises hand* If so, visual aids can be an absolute lifesaver for keeping what’s necessary at the front of your mind. Sticky notes, dry-erase or cork boards, timers, and planners can be a smart and highly effective way to remind yourself of everything that you need to do.
The Paralysis of Too Many Choices
The Problem:
Have you ever spent an entire evening deciding which TV show to watch?
I’m not too good to admit that I’ve spent an hour (or two) searching through multiple streaming services for a 30-minute show to watch.
If this sounds familiar to you, it’s because ADHD often brings choice paralysis, where too many options make decision-making impossible.
ADHD paralysis can affect everyday life, from picking what you’ll eat for lunch to choosing a new project to work on.
The Solution:
- Give Yourself Constraints: Have you ever heard of Parkinson’s Law, which basically states that a task will take as much time as you give it? Making choices is kind of similar. If you give yourself infinite choices, your brain will try to explore them all. Rather than letting your mind wander and examine all the possibilities, give yourself constraints. If you only give yourself five minutes to find something to watch (and stick to it), you’ll find yourself making a choice much quicker and avoid wasting time pondering.
- Pre-Decide as Much as You Can: In any given task, there are things that you don’t have to think about, or at least think about very long. Predetermining these types of things early and making simple choices helps to minimize feeling overwhelmed and helps you make quicker, more confident decisions. Going back to our TV show example, rather than considering searching all the streaming services for something to watch, deciding on only one, say Netflix, can make a world of difference to help you make a quicker choice.
The Vicious Cycle of Negative Ruminations
The Problem:
Do pessimistic thoughts run through your head like little unwanted mantras? If so, you may be dealing with negative ruminations.
These doom and gloom thoughts can be like a looped soundtrack of anxious and intrusive statements and memories.
For those with ADHD, this can lead to heightened anxiety, stress, and even obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
The near-constant mental chatter and intrusive thoughts make focusing and completing tasks even harder than it already is.
The Solution:
- Incorporate Mindfulness: Breaking the seemingly neverending cycle of negative thoughts can be helped by incorporating mindfulness into your daily life. Practices like EFT tapping, meditation, and journaling are excellent ways to be more present in your mind and body and stop rumination in its tracks. Being mindful can help to redirect your cynical thoughts and emotions into more positive (or neutral) ones.
- Consider Therapy: A massively effective way to overcome relentless negative thoughts is to explore cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). This time-tested therapy method has been shown to teach invaluable problem-solving strategies, increase relaxation, and get emotions under control, all of which are important steps in reducing negative rumination.
The Untapped Benefits of Sleep
The Problem:
Having ADHD can leave you saying, “Sleep? What’s that?”
Whether your sleep issues stem from a brain that just won’t quiet down, tossing and turning, or not being able to go to sleep (or staying asleep), you’re well aware that not getting rest can be a major issue.
Unfortunately, sleep disturbances are a common struggle for individuals with ADHD.
Having unrelenting thoughts can make it super hard to fall asleep, and an irregular sleep routine can disrupt your internal clock. The result? An absolutely exhausted mind and body the next day.
The Solution:
- Establish a Rock-Solid Bedtime Routine: It goes without saying, but not having a routine at night can leave you open to late-night TV binges and doomscrolling until your heart’s content. Rather than leaving your bedtime and sleep up to chance, establishing a rock-solid bedtime routine will set you up for success. Having a set bedtime, solidifying your before-bed duties (like using the bathroom, brushing your teeth, etc.), and having a non-negotiable lights-out time are great places to start to improve your sleep quality.
- Create a Calming Environment: Trying to get shut-eye while stressed is a difficult and often losing battle. You can help yourself to destress by creating a calming environment before bed. Utilizing items like blackout curtains, soft blankets, and plush pillows can go a long way to create calm in your bedroom. Additionally, techniques like deep breathing and brain dumping can help manage a heightened nervous system before you head off to dreamland.
The Exhaustion Trying to Do it All
The Problem:
Managing a neverending running list of things to do and tasks to accomplish can feel like a boulder sitting on your chest. This is especially true if you’re trying to get everything done.
Needless to say, it’s impossible to do *all* the things *all* the time. That said, sometimes your ADHD brain may not understand or care about this fact.
Ignoring your limitations can leave you experiencing ADHD afternoon crashes and fatigue.
You may find yourself burning out in an attempt to get everything done and end up in an exhausted heap at the end of nearly every day.
The Solution:
- Embrace Your Limits: The first step to getting the brain buzz issue under control is to embrace the fact that you’re human and can’t do all the things, no matter how hard you try. Once you’ve accepted this fact, it puts your neverending to-do list into perspective, and you may be better able to clearly see what’s possible at any given time and what isn’t.
- Prioritize Tasks Based on Urgency: Once you’ve accepted that your time and energy levels are finite, it’s essential that you prioritize tasks based on urgency. It’s not possible for everything to be receiving top billing on your list. Your goal is to figure out what actually matters and should be tackled first and what doesn’t. Additionally, this will help you to conserve your energy levels and ensure that you tackle the most critical tasks when you’re at your best.
The Inability to Find Calm in the Chaos
The Problem:
Do you feel like you’re always thinking, and your brain never gets a break?
If your brain is always scattered, anxious, and high-strung, there’s a high likelihood that you struggle with finding calm amid chaos.
Your brain always feeling wired, constantly thinking, and never getting much-needed rest can be exhausting and downright disheartening.
The Solution:
- Find Your Go-To Soother: Amid the chaos of ADHD, finding calm is possible with the right soothing techniques and items on hand. Helpful actions like deep breathing exercises, physical activity that you enjoy, and sensory aids like lavender oil can help manage your ADHD symptoms and serve as your go-to soother when your brain can’t seem to get calm.
- Employ a Wind-Down Routine: Similar to a bedtime routine, a wind-down routine can be a small set of actions you take to let your mind know that it’s time to relax and calm the constant thinking. Things like taking a warm bath, giving yourself a hand or foot massage, or listening to a calming podcast can help reduce brain fog and sensory overload when you need it most.
The Takeaway
Living with ADHD isn’t always easy, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming.
With compassion, coping strategies, and deliberate actions, you can manage symptoms and quiet the persistent buzz that your ADHD brain may be experiencing.
And ADHD isn’t all bad! It can be a superpower that allows you to hyperfocus, get things done in a single bound, and more. It can also be a source of creativity, fun, and freshness.
That said, if you have ADHD (or suspect you might) and feel like you may need more help taming your brain, you have options when it comes to treatment.
Help from a doctor or mental health professional can be an absolute goldmine for creating a treatment plan suited for you. Your ideal cocktail may include stimulant medication or alternative approaches like therapy and lifestyle changes, all of which can make your life significantly easier.
No matter what you decide, when your ADHD brain won’t shut off, you’re not alone in this journey—together, we can find calm amid the chaos.
