{"id":6676,"date":"2023-08-19T06:26:08","date_gmt":"2023-08-18T23:26:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=6676"},"modified":"2023-08-19T06:26:08","modified_gmt":"2023-08-18T23:26:08","slug":"monkey-mind-can-steal-your-focus-and-sleep","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=6676","title":{"rendered":"&#8216;Monkey Mind&#8217; Can Steal Your Focus and Sleep"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"drop-cap text-big text-gray\"> <span class=\"drop-cap__first text-dropcap \">I<\/span>t\u2019s been a long day, and you\u2019re beyond exhausted. But as soon as your head hits the pillow, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/sleep-doctor-technique-anxious-thoughts\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/sleep-doctor-technique-anxious-thoughts\/\">your mind starts to wander<\/a> to some seriously random places. <em>Should I make spaghetti for dinner tomorrow night? Did my sister sound mad on the phone, or am I imagining things? Why did I have to slip and fall in front of everyone in the cafeteria that one time in middle school?<\/em> If you\u2019ve ever been surprised (or frustrated) by how far your thoughts can wander when left to their own devices, you are already intimately familiar with the concept of \u201cmonkey mind.\u201d<\/div>\n<p>\u201cMonkey mind is a mental experience where we feel distracted, scattered, and overwhelmed,\u201d says <a href=\"https:\/\/meditatewithsusan.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/meditatewithsusan.com\/\">Susan Chen<\/a>, a former Wall Street executive who left the corporate world 10 years ago to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/grounding-techniques\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/grounding-techniques\/\">become a meditation teacher<\/a>. \u201cThe mind feels like it\u2019s in \u2018thinking overdrive\u2019 and often lacks completeness of action.\u201d If you meditate, monkey mind may already be in your vocabulary: The term is commonly used in Buddhist and Vedic meditation for a disquieted mind.<\/p>\n<hr\/>\n<hr\/>\n<p>In fact, the origins of the term \u201cmonkey mind\u201d go all the way back to ancient Chinese folklore. A folktale retold in the 16th century Chinese novel <a href=\"https:\/\/clicks.trx-hub.com\/xid\/leafgroup_ca5e0_wellgood?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FJourney-West-Revised-1%2Fdp%2F0226971325%2Fref%3Dpd_lpo_sccl_1%2F131-1687359-5059729%3Fpd_rd_w%3Dt11cQ%26amp%253Bcontent-id%3Damzn1.sym.116f529c-aa4d-4763-b2b6-4d614ec7dc00%26amp%253Bpf_rd_p%3D116f529c-aa4d-4763-b2b6-4d614ec7dc00%26amp%253Bpf_rd_r%3D83P69DNPKMYY6Q68M5NR%26amp%253Bpd_rd_wg%3DdCMuX%26amp%253Bpd_rd_r%3Df1c1c6c0-6b6c-46d7-82ff-054a4a90e2b2%26amp%253Bpd_rd_i%3D0226971325%26amp%253Bpsc%3D1%26tag%3Dwgtrx1135-20%26asc_refurl%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.wellandgood.com%252Fmonkey-mind%252F%26asc_source%3Ddirect%26asc_campaign%3Dno-campaign&amp;p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wellandgood.com%2Fmonkey-mind%2F&amp;event_type=click\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Journey-West-Revised-1\/dp\/0226971325\/ref=pd_lpo_sccl_1\/131-1687359-5059729?pd_rd_w=t11cQ&amp;content-id=amzn1.sym.116f529c-aa4d-4763-b2b6-4d614ec7dc00&amp;pf_rd_p=116f529c-aa4d-4763-b2b6-4d614ec7dc00&amp;pf_rd_r=83P69DNPKMYY6Q68M5NR&amp;pd_rd_wg=dCMuX&amp;pd_rd_r=f1c1c6c0-6b6c-46d7-82ff-054a4a90e2b2&amp;pd_rd_i=0226971325&amp;psc=1\"><em>Journey to the West<\/em><\/a> features a <a href=\"https:\/\/issuu.com\/benjamindavidthompson\/docs\/22023_arc30003_s1_ben_thompson_poster\/s\/24892023\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/issuu.com\/benjamindavidthompson\/docs\/22023_arc30003_s1_ben_thompson_poster\/s\/24892023\">supernatural character named Sun Wukong<\/a> (who initially takes the form of a monkey and earns the nickname of the \u201cMonkey King\u201d). In the beginning of his story, he is impulsive and childlike, using his mythological powers to transform into different animals and creatures, and conduct all sorts of mischief. But when he gets recruited by a Buddhist monk to be his disciple, the Monkey King learns the power of meditation and mindfulness as a means to achieve true enlightenment.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cMonkey mind is a term for the unconscious mind, which is run by habitual patterns rather than awareness.\u201d \u2014Jenna Ji Min Lee, life coach and meditation expert<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>In the centuries since, this story has become an allegory for the restless and rebellious nature of the mind, and the strength that comes with settling it. \u201cMonkey mind is a term for the unconscious mind, which is run by habitual patterns rather than awareness,\u201d says life coach and meditation expert <a href=\"https:\/\/jennajiminlee.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/jennajiminlee.com\/\">Jenna Ji Min Lee<\/a>. \u201cAwareness in this context means a state of consciousness that is unconditioned and can therefore <em>choose<\/em> its words and actions rather than being driven by the past, family patterns, or pain.\u201d (By contrast, monkey mind can unwittingly surface all sorts of thoughts tied to past psychological issues and unresolved wounds, without you really having any control over it.)<\/p>\n<div class=\"related-content \" style=\"\" data-module-init=\"related-content\" data-module-immediate=\"\" v-cloak=\"\">\n<div class=\"related-content__wrapper \" v-cloak=\"\" :class=\"{'is-loaded':isLoaded}\">\n<p> <span class=\"inline pr-6 text-seafoam-dark\">Related Stories<\/span> <\/p>\n<p> <related-content class=\"related-content__links\" parent-article-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/monkey-mind\/\" current-title=\"Is \u2018Monkey Mind\u2019 Keeping You From Being Able To Focus or Fall Asleep? Here\u2019s How To Tame It\" current-image=\"WG_Editorial_Monkey-Mind-425x285.jpg\" v-on:parsely-posts-loaded=\"onPostsLoaded\" start-date=\"2023-02-18\" tag=\"div\" inline-template=\"\" url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/monkey-mind\/\" secret=\"w5ztterVB03LGZJLfXS0hf3EvQBuFFIWew9hmVQxthU\" apikey=\"wellandgood.com\" limit=\"3\"> <\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"related-content__card mb-[10px] sm:mb-[20px]\" :class=\"{'related-content__card--full':posts.length === 1}\" v-for=\"(post, key) in posts\"> <a v-on:click.prevent=\"trackLinkGA($event, key)\" :href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/monkey-mind\/post.url\" data-url-source=\"related-content\" class=\"related-content__link\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"\"> <\/p>\n<div class=\"related-content__card--image bg-tan\" :style=\"{ backgroundImage: 'url(' + post.image_url + ')' }\"> <img :src=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/monkey-mind\/post.image_url\" :alt=\"post.title\"\/> <\/div>\n<p> <\/a>  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <\/related-content> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<h2>Why monkey mind can be so problematic<\/h2>\n<p>Have you ever taken a walk outside when your mind was racing, only to realize you spent the entire time worrying about work the next day and not a single moment looking at the beautiful sunset? \u201cNot having access to the present moment due to the monkey mind syndrome of constant thinking can strip us of the joy found in daily life experiences,\u201d says Chen, \u201csuch as being present for friends and family, enjoying a peaceful moment throughout the day, or even being focused at work.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Jumping from thought to thought, monkey mind can be a nagging distraction from the task at hand, whether you&#8217;re trying to doze off or get down to business. If left to run wild during the workday, it can easily erode your productivity, says clinical psychologist <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dmlpsych.com\/dr-michele-leno\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.dmlpsych.com\/dr-michele-leno\">Michele Leno, PhD, LP<\/a>. She adds that if your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/how-to-stop-racing-thoughts\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/how-to-stop-racing-thoughts\/\">racing thoughts<\/a> become overwhelming, it could point to stress or sleep loss\u2014both of which can be either the cause <em>or<\/em> effect of monkey mind, in what is often a vicious cycle. If your monkey mind becomes especially intrusive, however, and it feels much harder for you to focus than usual, it may also reflect underlying anxiety or depression, and it&#8217;s worth seeing a doctor or therapist.<\/p>\n<p>That said, the occasional appearance of monkey mind happens to everyone, says Chen. In fact, it\u2019s one of the reasons she initially developed a meditation practice. \u201cI was in my mid-30s approaching burnout,\u201d she says. \u201cMy thoughts of anxiety and worry felt, at times, all-consuming, and I came to meditation looking for a way to co-exist with what felt like \u2018enemy territory\u2019\u2014my own mind.\u201d But as she began to learn the principles of meditation and develop a daily practice, she noticed that monkey mind didn\u2019t have as much power over her as she feared. \u201cI was starting to feel the natural happiness and calm I knew I should have been feeling all those years but couldn\u2019t quite access,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n<h2>How to tame your monkey mind and return to the present moment<\/h2>\n<h3>1. Discover\u2014and accept\u2014the patterns behind your thinking<\/h3>\n<p>It may sound meta, but the best way to start getting a grasp on your monkey mind is by thinking about, well, how you think. See if you can notice when exactly your thoughts start to go off the rails, or what events prompt your monkey mind. \u201cAs you rest, do some analytical digging,\u201d says Lee. Ask yourself where this pattern [of thinking] might come from (whether that&#8217;s a parent or a past experience), and see if you can come to terms with that pattern, she adds.<\/p>\n<p>Finding that kind of acceptance for your thoughts can be a challenge, but it\u2019s an important part of a regular meditation practice. \u201cMost people who practice meditation have trouble with radical acceptance,\u201d says Lee. \u201cAs we grow up, we&#8217;re taught that certain thoughts and feelings are unacceptable, so we avoid thinking or feeling them, or judge ourselves when we notice them.\u201d But, doing so will only cause them to surface unwittingly at a later point, \u00e1 la monkey mind.<\/p>\n<p>Instead, it&#8217;s important to realize that the thoughts and feelings you&#8217;re having are all part of the human experience, says Lee. When you&#8217;re investigating your own monkey mind, \u201callow all patterns to surface, and accept them without judgment,\u201d she says. \u201cThis radical acceptance can dislodge certain [unhelpful] patterns from our minds so that we can eventually change them.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>2. Make friends with your inner monkey<\/h3>\n<p>If your monkey mind is reminding you about that embarrassing thing you said to your crush 20 years ago when you\u2019re supposed to be finishing a work presentation, your instinct might be to scold yourself for not being able to stay focused, or to force yourself to work harder in an effort to stay on task. According to the experts, however, this is just the opposite of what you should do\u2014which is befriending (rather than demonizing) your monkey mind.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBuddhist meditation techniques place value on being a compassionate ally to the thinking and making friends with the mind through witnessing thoughts and other mindfulness practices,\u201d says Chen. So, if you\u2019re feeling unhelpful thoughts come to mind, seemingly out of your control, take a step back and acknowledge with a smile that your mischievous monkey mind has appeared. Take a few deep breaths, and try to accept your mind&#8217;s natural tendency for what it is, rather than resisting it; you may be surprised at the difference a change of perspective can make.<\/p>\n<h3>3. Resist the urge to multitask<\/h3>\n<p>Although it might <em>feel<\/em> entirely possible to cook dinner, answer emails, and clean out the fridge at the same time, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/multitasking-myth\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/multitasking-myth\/\">our minds were not designed to multitask<\/a> in this way. In fact, the more things you attempt to get done at once, the more likely your mind is to start veering into monkey mind territory.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c[You] cannot adequately divide your attention to give 100 percent to several tasks at once,\u201d says Dr. Leno. \u201cEither you are focused on the task at hand, the one before, or the next one on your list.\u201d And if you continue to charge ahead with all of those tasks simultaneously, not only will the outcome of each one suffer, but also, the crossed wires in your mind will make you that much more susceptible to distraction.<\/p>\n<p>By contrast, the more you&#8217;re able to consistently practice just doing one thing at a time,\u00a0the easier it will be for your mind to stay on task.<\/p>\n<h3>4. Adopt a mantra<\/h3>\n<p>If you find yourself getting swept up in the chaos of the day, giving yourself a mantra may be a helpful way to stay centered, says Chen. In Vedic meditation, \u201cwe assign every meditator a personalized mantra, or sound vibration, that naturally cuts through buzzy, monkey-mind thinking and toward that deep, quiet layer that underlies all thinking.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>A mantra can be a simple phrase (for example, \u201cMay I be well, may I be healthy, may I be happy\u201d), or it can be a comforting word or two that doesn&#8217;t have to make sense to anyone but you; or, it can even just be a sound.<\/p>\n<p>While in Vedic meditation, mantras are not typically shared aloud, you can pick anything you want to serve as your own personal mantra and speak it to yourself whenever you need it. For example, if you\u2019re in yoga class and notice everyone seems to be nailing Warrior II except for you&#8230; and your mind suddenly starts surfacing every prior scenario where you&#8217;ve experienced self-doubt, say your mantra to yourself, take a few deep breaths, and refocus your energy back to the mat. If you\u2019re in the grocery store, and a cranky person cuts you off in the checkout line, take a moment, say your mantra, and try a new lane. You: 1, Monkey Mind: 0.<\/p>\n<div class=\"disclaimers__after_content mb-[18px] mt-[16px] pt-[16px]\">\n<div class=\"outline-earmark relative mt-[8px] pt-[10px] pl-[20px]\">\n<p>\n            Our editors independently select these products. Making a purchase through our links may earn Well+Good a commission.          <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div data-type=\"_mgwidget\" data-widget-id=\"1675549\">\r\n<\/div>\r\n<script>(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push([\"_mgc.load\"])})(window,\"_mgq\");\r\n<\/script>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It\u2019s been a long day, and you\u2019re beyond exhausted. But as soon as your head hits the pillow, your mind starts to wander to some seriously random places. Should I make spaghetti for dinner tomorrow night? Did my sister sound mad on the phone, or am I imagining things? Why did I have to slip &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":6677,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6676","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6676","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6676"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6676\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/6677"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6676"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6676"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6676"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}