How to Stop Your Brain So You Can Sleep

A neurodivergent-friendly way to quiet the mind

You know the drill: You finally lie down. Your body’s tired, but your brain? Wide awake. It’s replaying conversations, rewriting tomorrow’s to-do list, catastrophizing hypothetical outcomes… all at once.

Sleep feels miles away — not because you're not tired, but because your mind won’t shut up.

Let’s change that!

Want to stop your brain so you can sleep? Don’t force it to calm down. Outsmart it. Ask Yourself: “What will I think of next?” ...and let your mind short-circuit itself into stillness.

Why Your Brain Won’t Power Down (The Science)

If you’re neurodivergent your brain isn’t built to “power down on demand.”

Here’s what’s happening:

• Your Default Mode Network (DMN) - the part of the brain responsible for wandering thoughts, internal dialogue, and self-reflection - activates when you're not focused on a task.

• At night, when external distractions fade, the DMN gets louder. That’s why your brain lights up the moment your head hits the pillow.

• If you’ve been managing external stimulation all day (meetings, notifications, noise), your mind uses the quiet to process everything it held off.

But the key isn’t to fight your brain. It’s to redirect it. Because sometimes the only way to shut down a system like yours… is to confuse it into stillness.

The Counterintuitive Sleep Hack

Ask your brain a question it can’t answer.

“What will I think of next?”

The moment you ask that, your mind hits pause.Why? Because it shifts from free-flowing thought into observation mode. And once your brain watches itself… it stops the show.

Try This: The Sleep Spiral Method™

This isn’t mindfulness. It’s misdirection. It’s designed for minds that resist shutting down by giving them something unsolvable to chew on.

Step-by-Step:

1. Lie down and get comfortable. Don’t overthink posture. You’re not meditating; you’re surrendering.

2. Close your eyes and ask: “What will I think of next?” Say it slowly, like you’re genuinely curious.

3. Wait. Most likely: nothing. Or a random thought might appear (cheese… 2007… taxes). Cool. Let it go.

4. Ask again. Each time your brain responds, gently repeat the question:"Okay… what will I think of next?"

5. Let the loop run. You’re creating a mental spiral, one your brain can’t solve. The longer the loop, the quieter things get. Eventually, it gives up.

   
   

Why This Works

• Interrupts the inner monologue without needing focus or discipline

• Engages pattern-seeking brains with a loop they can't complete

• Avoids shame traps like "I should be asleep by now"

• Triggers calm by accident instead of effort

Your brain is brilliant. And sometimes, it needs a clever detour to find its off switch.