How do I stop overthinking before I fall asleep
Every single night I lie in bed and my brain just won't shut up. I start thinking about things I said 5 years ago, worrying about tomorrow, planning things that might never happen. It takes me 1-2 hours to fall asleep. I'm exhausted all day. How do I make it stop?
1 Answer(s)
I dealt with this for years and here's what actually worked for me. The key is giving your brain a specific task so it has somewhere to put all that racing energy instead of spiraling.
Try the "brain dump" method. Keep a notebook by your bed. When your thoughts start racing, write everything down — every worry, every to-do, every random thought. Don't organize it, just get it out of your head and onto paper. Once it's written down, your brain feels like it doesn't need to hold onto it anymore.
Second, use the 4-7-8 breathing technique. Inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 7, exhale for 8. Do this 4 times. It physically forces your nervous system to calm down. It sounds too simple to work but it genuinely does.
Also, stop looking at your phone in bed. The blue light plus the endless scrolling is the worst combination for an overactive brain. Try reading a physical book for 20 minutes before sleep. Boring books are actually perfect for this.
If this has been going on for months and nothing helps, talk to a doctor. Chronic sleep issues can be linked to anxiety that's very treatable.