![]() Do this at least five to seven times to slow your heart rate. One of Breus’s favorites is 4-7-8 breathing: Inhale for a count of four, hold for seven, and then blow out for eight. In order to sleep, your heart rate needs to slow down, Breus says, and breathing techniques are one of the most effective ways to achieve this goal. You’ve heard how deep breathing can help combat stress, but it can also help you fall asleep. So try spending a few minutes each night listing three to five things you’re grateful for. The impact of those positive thoughts is greater when you write them down. Now that you’ve dumped your worries, replace the void where those negative thoughts once lived with positive ones by starting a gratitude journal, Breus suggests. Keep it consistent, and you’ll train your body to expect sleep after that relaxation period. Modern-day living has created so much stimulation during the day that brains now operate at warp speed, and if you don’t give yours time to rest, it’ll continue going at that speed at bedtime, says David Brodner, MD, founder of and principal physician at the Center for Sinus, Allergy, and Sleep Wellness in Boynton Beach, Florida.Īt least 30 minutes before you go to bed, start your preparations and then do something relaxing like listening to music or reading. Most people assume that sleep is like breathing: Your body will just do it. Create a Routine to Power Down Your Brain “Ideal sleep depends on creating routines and schedules, and this is no different,” he says. Thinking through those potential stressors earlier in the day should help ease how much you worry about them when your head hits the pillow, Chan says. In addition, create at least one action item you can do to help deal with the issue. Schedule 15 to 30 minutes a day, at least one to two hours before bed, to write down those worries. Just as you schedule time to see friends or get a massage, do the same with your worries. To protect your shut-eye, switch off your devices one to two hours before bed, ideally, or at least 30 minutes if you can’t swing that. “The internet is designed to capture attention so that you spend more eye time on screens, which can be a detriment to sleep,” says Chan. Plus, the apps, websites, and news you’re consuming on such devices are meant (in large part) to keep you and your brain engaged, he adds. This habit makes the cycle of ruminating about bothersome or unpleasant news that much worse, Dr. Not only does the light from electronic screens mess up your melatonin production, which makes sleep physiologically harder to achieve, but smart devices can also heighten anxiety and worry if you’re reading stressful news on it. Sleep doctors have been telling you for years to stop using smartphones, laptops, and tablets right before bed for good reason. Whether you’re stressed, excited, or simply replaying your day, use these tips to help quiet your racing mind - before thinking too much at bedtime becomes a habit that’s too intense to stop on your own. “It’s generally a sign that something stressful is going on in life.” If you tend to wake up in the middle of the night and a racing mind won’t let you get back to sleep, it may mean that something is bothering you more than you’d care to otherwise admit or address, Dr. “Not until you climb into bed do you have any quiet time, and all of that information, including your worries, comes flying through the door,” he says.Īnxious thoughts and rumination can also keep you awake, of course. He is also the author of The Power of When, a book on understanding your body clock and circadian rhythms. Whether you’re exploring a new city or simply plugging away at your routine to-do list, your brain is collecting new information all day long, explains Michael Breus, PhD, a clinical psychologist in Manhattan Beach, California, who specializes in sleep disorders. There’s a reason many people can’t stop thinking about things before going to bed. The researchers noted that this is different from rumination, which is defined as obsessive, repetitive thinking that tends to focus on negative content. ![]() Racing thoughts at bedtime - even if they aren’t anxious or worried thoughts - might contribute to sleep problems in people who have insomnia, according to a study published in November 2021 in the journal Comprehensive Psychiatry. “It’s one of the most common problems we hear in our sleep clinic, especially among people struggling with insomnia,” says Lawrence Chan, DO, a professor of sleep medicine at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus. Can’t put that racing mind to bed? Whether it’s stopping you from quickly falling asleep or staying asleep, there’s no question an unsettled mind can be a major obstacle to slumber.
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