Reducing insomnia caused by racing thoughts
Stress and anxiety can cause the feeling of having a racing mind, especially at night, with obvious consequences on someone’s sleep.
In order to improve the problem, it is recommended to:
- Manage stress;
- Relax before going to bed;
- Use relaxation techniques.
Everyone can experience insomnia, which can be caused by different factors, such as stress and anxiety.
Racing thoughts: causes
Everyone can experience racing thoughts at a certain point in life. People can describe them as some kind of movies, playing in their mind at night, or ruminating on the same negative thoughts. Racing thoughts can also focus on the sources of someone’s stress or anxiety.
This experience does not necessarily affect only those with anxiety disorders. As already mentioned, stress can also cause racing thoughts at night, especially after experiencing stressful situations or events like:
- Divorce;
- Job loss;
- Move;
- Death of a loved one;
- Financial issues;
- Problems within a relationship;
- Health concerns.
Whatever the cause is, these kinds of thoughts can truly affect someone’s life, and this is why it is important to resolve them.
Solutions
In order to manage your worries before going to bed, we recommend to:
- Schedule “Worry time”: Every day, try to list your stress sources and work actively to reduce or eliminate them. Do not think about them at night. This task should be done exclusively during the day;
- Address your stressors: Do not try to resolve your anxiety all at once. Break your stressors down into smaller chunks, and work on them. Identify the components of your stress factors, and create an action plan accordingly;
- Prepare for sleep: Adopt a relaxing routine before heading to bed to prepare your body to relax;
- Disconnect: A few hours before going to bed, switch all your electronic devices off. Their blue light can affect your circadian rhythm. It is recommended to disconnect at least 30 minutes before bedtime;
- Relax: Try relaxing activities such as reading, listening to music, stretching, meditating, doing breathing exercises, or taking a shower or a bath. These activities will send your body signals that it is time to relax and wind down. You can find many examples online as well.
Conclusions
Insomnia may be caused by different factors that are triggered as soon as you go to bed. Adopting one – or more – of the solutions above will help you manage the stress you are experiencing and get a healthier sleep.
If you struggle with anxiety, it is highly recommended to talk to your healthcare provider.