Why Your Brain Gets Stuck in Cognitive Loops and How to Break Free | Praise Podcast

What are cognitive loops, why do we experience them, and how can we rid ourselves of them? Tune in for this and more! All links mentioned are under the episode at https://momo634.com/p/cognitive-loops or search the titles mentioned on your platform of choice.

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00:00:00 --> 00:00:01 What are cognitive loops?

00:00:02 --> 00:00:03 Why do we experience them?

00:00:04 --> 00:00:06 And how can we rid ourselves of them?

00:00:07 --> 00:00:09 Tune in for this and more.

00:00:09 --> 00:00:12 Hello,

00:00:13 --> 00:00:14 and welcome to Momo 634,

00:00:14 --> 00:00:20 the daily podcast chock full of faith-filled inspiration and motivation.

00:00:21 --> 00:00:23 Please like, share, and subscribe.

00:00:24 --> 00:00:28 Momo 634, motivational moments just for today.

00:00:43 --> 00:00:46 In our last episode, I mentioned cognitive loops.

00:00:46 --> 00:00:50 I had no idea what these mind blips were called,

00:00:50 --> 00:00:54 so I had to kind of describe them to search for information.

00:00:55 --> 00:00:58 First off, what do I mean by cognitive loops?

00:00:59 --> 00:01:03 When I'm lying in bed in a half-dream state or lightly dozing,

00:01:04 --> 00:01:05 a word or phrase,

00:01:05 --> 00:01:09 maybe a snatch of lyrics or a song will loop.

00:01:09 --> 00:01:11 It's super short in length,

00:01:11 --> 00:01:13 anywhere from one to five seconds,

00:01:13 --> 00:01:17 and it plays over and over and over until I wake up.

00:01:18 --> 00:01:18 In fact,

00:01:18 --> 00:01:22 they play in the background of any dream I may have or work

00:01:22 --> 00:01:23 themselves into being

00:01:23 --> 00:01:24 part of the dream.

00:01:25 --> 00:01:30 I called them OCD loops or mental earworms as they are to the

00:01:30 --> 00:01:32 brain what earworms are to sound.

00:01:33 --> 00:01:35 The official description of these occurrences is

00:01:36 --> 00:01:37 called cognitive loops,

00:01:38 --> 00:01:38 goes like this,

00:01:39 --> 00:01:39 quote,

00:01:40 --> 00:01:43 those brief looping mental replays of short clips,

00:01:43 --> 00:01:44 like a scene from a movie,

00:01:45 --> 00:01:45 a funny moment,

00:01:46 --> 00:01:48 or even random flashes from real life,

00:01:48 --> 00:01:53 are often called involuntary mental imagery or cognitive loops,

00:01:53 --> 00:01:54 end quote.

00:01:55 --> 00:01:56 So now that we know what they are,

00:01:57 --> 00:01:58 what causes them,

00:01:58 --> 00:01:59 and more importantly,

00:02:00 --> 00:02:03 how can we get rid of them and get a good night's sleep?

00:02:04 --> 00:02:05 In researching this phenomenon,

00:02:06 --> 00:02:09 one of the causes really resonated with me,

00:02:09 --> 00:02:12 so let me set the stage for you as to why.

00:02:13 --> 00:02:15 I've mentioned that I struggle with social anxiety,

00:02:16 --> 00:02:20 particularly on Saturday nights because I'll be gathering with

00:02:20 --> 00:02:20 others the next

00:02:20 --> 00:02:21 morning for worship.

00:02:22 --> 00:02:26 Keep that in mind as I read this list of known causes.

00:02:28 --> 00:02:28 1.

00:02:28 --> 00:02:29 Repetition and impact.

00:02:30 --> 00:02:33 Clips or moments that are particularly striking,

00:02:33 --> 00:02:33 funny,

00:02:33 --> 00:02:34 emotional,

00:02:34 --> 00:02:37 or surprising are more likely to stick.

00:02:37 --> 00:02:41 Your brain prioritizes novel or meaningful experiences.

00:02:41 --> 00:02:44 replaying them to process or reinforce the memory.

00:02:44 --> 00:02:45 2.

00:02:46 --> 00:02:47 Emotional connection.

00:02:48 --> 00:02:50 If the clip resonates emotionally,

00:02:50 --> 00:02:51 makes you laugh,

00:02:51 --> 00:02:52 cringe,

00:02:52 --> 00:02:53 or feel nostalgic,

00:02:53 --> 00:02:55 it leaves a deeper impression.

00:02:56 --> 00:03:00 This emotional tie can make it stick in your mind.

00:03:01 --> 00:03:04 3.

00:03:02 --> 00:03:04 Default Mode Network, DMN.

00:03:05 --> 00:03:07 When your brain is at rest or idling,

00:03:08 --> 00:03:09 like during daydreaming,

00:03:10 --> 00:03:15 the DMN may replay these clips as a kind of mental background activity.

00:03:15 --> 00:03:19 It's a way for the brain to decompress or reflect.

00:03:20 --> 00:03:22 4.

00:03:21 --> 00:03:22 Stress or fatigue.

00:03:23 --> 00:03:25 If you are tired or stressed,

00:03:25 --> 00:03:28 your brain may latch on to certain repetitive thoughts or clips

00:03:29 --> 00:03:30 because it has less

00:03:30 --> 00:03:32 cognitive bandwidth to focus on something else.

00:03:33 --> 00:03:37 Repeated loops in a light sleep state may stem from unresolved

00:03:37 --> 00:03:40 pre-sleep stress or overstimulation.

00:03:41 --> 00:03:43 Five, mirror neurons.

00:03:43 --> 00:03:46 If the clip involves an action or gesture,

00:03:46 --> 00:03:48 your mirror neurons may engage,

00:03:49 --> 00:03:53 creating a loop as your brain replays and mirrors that action,

00:03:54 --> 00:03:54 end quote.

00:03:55 --> 00:03:55 In my case,

00:03:56 --> 00:03:57 I believe number four,

00:03:57 --> 00:04:00 the stress around the social anxiety is key.

00:04:00 --> 00:04:02 If you recall from the episode,

00:04:02 --> 00:04:05 Anxiety and Stress Relief in Under a Minute,

00:04:05 --> 00:04:09 linked below this episode at momo634.com.

00:04:09 --> 00:04:11 I mentioned the study by Dr.

00:04:11 --> 00:04:15 Lucas Lafreniere that stated that 91.4% of the things we worry

00:04:15 --> 00:04:16 about never come to fruition.

00:04:20 --> 00:04:24 So exactly what it is about a gathering I've been to thousands of times,

00:04:25 --> 00:04:26 I don't know,

00:04:26 --> 00:04:30 especially considering the Wednesday night Bible study doesn't

00:04:30 --> 00:04:31 provoke as strident

00:04:31 --> 00:04:32 a response.

00:04:33 --> 00:04:36 Part of it is that I am in a half-sleep state on Saturday.

00:04:37 --> 00:04:42 The other part, as I mentioned in the episode Holding Space, also linked.

00:04:42 --> 00:04:45 is a subtype of OCD called scrupulosity,

00:04:46 --> 00:04:51 which could be discussed over a number of episodes just by itself.

00:04:52 --> 00:04:54 Whatever the case may be,

00:04:54 --> 00:04:58 good sleep hygiene is supposed to assist with minimizing these

00:04:58 --> 00:04:59 cognitive loops.

00:05:00 --> 00:05:01 That and relaxation,

00:05:01 --> 00:05:04 which I've tried to address with binaural beats,

00:05:05 --> 00:05:05 breath work,

00:05:06 --> 00:05:06 belly breathing,

00:05:07 --> 00:05:08 discussed here often,

00:05:08 --> 00:05:11 and the recent acquisition of a sleep mask.

00:05:12 --> 00:05:16 Here is the full list of ways I found to reduce or eliminate

00:05:16 --> 00:05:17 cognitive loops,

00:05:17 --> 00:05:20 including those I mentioned as ones I've been focusing on

00:05:20 --> 00:05:22 without even knowing what

00:05:22 --> 00:05:24 these loops were called or how to address them.

00:05:27 --> 00:05:29 1.

00:05:27 --> 00:05:29 Progressive relaxation.

00:05:29 --> 00:05:33 If you notice you're stuck in a loop, try to consciously relax your body.

00:05:34 --> 00:05:36 Focus on each part of your body,

00:05:36 --> 00:05:39 starting from your toes and working upwards to shift your

00:05:40 --> 00:05:41 attention from the loop

00:05:41 --> 00:05:43 to physical sensations.

00:05:44 --> 00:05:44 2.

00:05:44 --> 00:05:47 Shift focus using visualization.

00:05:47 --> 00:05:49 Instead of fighting the loop,

00:05:49 --> 00:05:51 visualize something calming,

00:05:51 --> 00:05:53 like a peaceful landscape or a flowing river.

00:05:54 --> 00:05:58 This gentle redirection can help the mind let go of the

00:05:58 --> 00:06:00 repetitive thoughts.

00:06:00 --> 00:06:00 3.

00:06:01 --> 00:06:01 Deep breathing.

00:06:02 --> 00:06:05 Engage in slow, rhythmic breathing.

00:06:05 --> 00:06:09 For example, inhale for four counts, hold for four counts,

00:06:09 --> 00:06:11 and exhale for six counts.

00:06:12 --> 00:06:16 This calms the nervous system and can help you drift into a deeper sleep.

00:06:16 --> 00:06:16 4.

00:06:17 --> 00:06:19 Introduce positive associations.

00:06:20 --> 00:06:23 Prepare for sleep by listening to soothing radio,

00:06:23 --> 00:06:26 like nature sounds or binaural beats,

00:06:26 --> 00:06:30 which can steer your mind away from repetitive thoughts as you

00:06:30 --> 00:06:31 relax into sleep.

00:06:33 --> 00:06:35 5.

00:06:33 --> 00:06:35 Lucid dreaming techniques.

00:06:35 --> 00:06:37 If you're familiar with lucid dreaming,

00:06:37 --> 00:06:40 you can try to take conscious control of the dream,

00:06:40 --> 00:06:42 gently guide the narrative away from the loop,

00:06:43 --> 00:06:46 or introduce new elements to break the cycle.

00:06:47 --> 00:06:49 6.

00:06:48 --> 00:06:49 Pre-sleep routine.

00:06:50 --> 00:06:52 Avoid stimulating activities before bedtime,

00:06:53 --> 00:06:54 like scrolling on your phone,

00:06:55 --> 00:06:57 and establish a calming routine to settle your mind.

00:06:59 --> 00:06:59 7.

00:06:59 --> 00:07:00 Accept and observe.

00:07:01 --> 00:07:05 Sometimes, the harder you fight a loop, the more persistent it becomes.

00:07:06 --> 00:07:09 Practice accepting the loop as a natural occurrence,

00:07:10 --> 00:07:11 observing it without judgment,

00:07:12 --> 00:07:13 which can reduce its intensity.

00:07:14 --> 00:07:14 End quote.

00:07:15 --> 00:07:19 Check out the episodes 5 Positive Prompts to Combat Negative

00:07:20 --> 00:07:22 Thoughts and Versus to

00:07:22 --> 00:07:26 Combat Your Personal Kryptonite as other items to center your

00:07:26 --> 00:07:27 thoughts on.

00:07:28 --> 00:07:30 Today's Momoism says,

00:07:30 --> 00:07:35 schedule rest for the mind and guard it as zealously as you do

00:07:35 --> 00:07:36 rest for the body.

00:07:38 --> 00:07:41 If you have experienced cognitive loops, what's helped you the most?

00:07:42 --> 00:07:43 Chime in below.

00:07:46 --> 00:07:51 Thanks for listening to Momo 634, motivational moments just for today.

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