Repost: [Tips for Forgetting Unpleasant Things] Calming Your Mind in the '15 Minutes Before Sleep'

The moment you finish your day and get into bed is a time to feel a little relieved, isn't it?

However, if you keep thinking about unpleasant things at that time, those negative feelings might linger into the next day.

I had a habit of only thinking about negative things before bed, and because I couldn't forget those unpleasant feelings the next day, and the day after that, I was unable to escape negative thinking 24/7, 365 days a year, which led to me developing depression.

As you can see, the 15 minutes before sleep is said to be a time when memories are particularly easily consolidated. That is precisely why 'how you spend this time' is important.

Conversely, if you can calm your mind in the 15 minutes before sleep, you can forget unpleasant things.

So, this time, I, who actually used to think only about unpleasant things before bed and developed depression but managed to overcome it, will talk about recommended 'ways to spend time before sleep' while understanding the relationship between memory consolidation and bedtime.

The relationship between 'memory consolidation' and 'before sleep'

It is said that the human brain has a property of consolidating what you think about or feel right before sleep as memories.

For example, if you fall asleep while thinking about fun things, those good memories will remain strongly. But conversely, if you think about unpleasant things, those unpleasant feelings can sometimes continue until the next morning.

When you think about unpleasant things before sleep, those unpleasant memories are strongly engraved in your brain, making them harder to forget.

That is why 'how you spend' the short time before sleep has a major impact on your mood the next day.

On that note, the key is to stop sulking and going to sleep, and instead, it is important to have even a little time to take care of yourself.

Sulking and going to sleep is dangerous! Try to have even a little time to take care of yourself...

On days when something unpleasant happens, many people might just want to 'sulk and go to sleep' thinking, 'I don't want to think about anything anymore!'

This, I have to admit, was me in the past (laughs).

But I tried to hold on just a little bit and make even a tiny bit of 'time to take care of myself'.

Then, I was able to reset my feelings without dragging the unpleasant things into the next day.

I cannot say for sure that 'I was able to reset my feelings because I stopped sulking and going to sleep,' but I was certainly able to relax my mind.

In my case, I listened to my favorite music, read a short book, or smelled my favorite scent.

By using my sense of sight, hearing, and smell to relax, I felt like I was able to help my brain feel that 'I am safe and comfortable right now'.

I believe that by doing this, I can prevent unpleasant memories from taking root in my brain and wake up feeling refreshed the next day.

No matter how unpleasant things may have been, it is important to at least spend a little time before bed doing 'things you love' and being kind to yourself.

Doing what you love lightens your mood

In your relaxation time before bed, try incorporating things you truly enjoy.

For example, watching a little bit of your favorite YouTube videos (be careful not to watch too much) or writing a short diary entry can also be effective.

In any case, the point is to do something that makes your feelings feel even a little bit lighter.

When something unpleasant happens in your daily life, it might be difficult to try to force yourself to forget it. However, by focusing on what you love, those unpleasant feelings can naturally fade away.

This might be because when the brain receives enjoyable stimuli, it tries to process pleasant memories preferentially over unpleasant ones.

And once your mind is calm, all that's left is to slowly drift off to sleep.

Once your mind is calm, slowly drift off to sleep

Once you have done something you love and your mood feels a little lighter, slowly get into bed.

Don't force yourself to sleep; just close your eyes with a relaxed feeling, wishing that 'tomorrow will be a slightly better day'.

By spending 15 minutes before bed in this way, you can prevent unpleasant memories from affecting the next day.

By waking up feeling refreshed in the morning, you will be able to spend the start of your day positively as well.

Summary

In our daily lives, unpleasant things are inevitably unavoidable.

However, you want to avoid those unpleasant memories remaining deep in your heart, right? That is why you should cherish those 15 minutes before bed and make it a time to be a little kind to yourself.

Even just a little bit of time spent caring for your own mind can make a surprising difference in how you feel the next day.

By doing what you love before bed and falling asleep in a relaxed state, you should be able to wake up feeling refreshed and start your day on a positive note.

By making this a habit, your days might gradually become a little more enjoyable.

Taking care of your mind is the first step toward creating healthy days. If you'd like, please give it a try.

Utsunuke Man