So well observed! I glance at the back of my hand to where I scribbled L and R on them when I was seven.

The turning-down-the-radio thing when you’re looking for something is biological: your brain needs to focus, so doesn’t want to be spending energy on listening.

The waking-up-calmer thing is also biological: your sub-conscious processes your problems while you sleep, hence “sleeping on it” to find the solution.