I was talking to a fellow creative a few days ago when the topic of racing thoughts came up.
She was saying that she often had a hard time going to sleep at night because her mind would start going 90 miles an hour the second her head hit the pillow.
I could relate, as I’d had two less than optimal nights of sleep because of the same interference from my brain.
When I’ve experienced this in the past, I’ve tried things like deep breathing and visualizing a beach by the ocean to see if I could get my brain to calm down and let me sleep. Sometimes this works, but often it doesn’t, so I wondered if there were some better solutions for those of us who struggle with this problem.
Why Does the Mind Race at Night?
Why does the brain wait until it’s time for us to go to sleep to start intensely bothering us with all these thoughts?
Psychologists say that racing thoughts are a symptom of mental illnesses like anxiety and bipolar disorder. But you don’t have to have one of these illnesses to suffer from this syndrome. Any time you find yourself in an anxious or stressed state, your brain may decide to engage in this behavior.
What’s particularly frustrating is that you may be really tired before going to bed, but the instant you get comfortable your brain shifts gears and becomes wide-awake, peppering you with questions and concerns, replaying activities that happened to you and producing thoughts that stimulate your nerves and make you feel anything but restful.
Though the thoughts themselves may vary, one thing that most sufferers would agree on is that they come at a rapid pace. One thought follows the other, bam, bam, bam, to the point that they take over the brain, making it difficult to focus on any one thing.
Typical symptoms include:
- The feeling that your mind is going a mile a minute.
- An inability to “shut off” your thoughts even when you try.
- Whereas you may have been fully relaxed before bed, now you’re wide awake and possibly tense.
- You keep thinking about a problem or something that went wrong.
- You worry about a situation that feels out of your control.
- You start thinking of worst-case scenarios.
Scientists say that there is no one cause of this problem. Racing thoughts can be triggered by any of the following:
- Stress
- Anxiety
- Trauma
- Loss/Sadness
- Lack of Sleep
- Perceived Threats
- Roadblocks to Success
- Medications
- Some Medical Conditions
For many people, this is an occasional problem that tends to go away when the stressful time has passed. For others, it can be more serious, causing chronic insomnia. That can be dangerous, as we know that sleep deprivation can lead to other health problems like an increased risk in heart disease, diabetes, weight gain, and even cancer.
Unfortunately, the more you suffer from racing thoughts at night and the more you struggle to get the sleep you need, the more stress you’re likely to experience, which contributes to more racing thoughts. Soon you’re the victim of a vicious cycle that can wreak havoc in your life.
7 Ways Writers Can Stop Racing Thoughts and Get to Sleep!
I think most creative individuals would agree that our minds often run rapidly. It’s usually not a problem when we’re awake, as we can capture our thoughts in journals, conversations with friends, or in the actual projects we’re working on.
But when we go to bed, we need to sleep, so we need the brain to be quiet! If this is something you struggle with, I’ve got seven things you can try.
Keep in mind that I have not included standard recommendations like focusing on a pleasant image or deep breathing simply because these methods have not proved effective for me. That doesn’t mean they won’t work for you, so feel free to try them along with the seven recommendations below.
1. Write It Down
Sometimes this works and sometimes it only leads to more racing thoughts, see you’ll have to try it and see how it goes for you. If your racing thoughts are mostly about things that you need to do, it can be effective to write those things down in a notebook you keep by the bed. That way there is no worry about them being forgotten and sometimes that can be enough to allow you to get some sleep.
This may work well if you are struggling with a writing problem too, such as what to do in your next chapter or how to finish a story. It’s common for creative people to get ideas when they’re in that state between awake and asleep, so feel free to record those ideas after which you should be able to relax.
You can use either a notebook or a recording app on your cell phone, though I highly recommend you don’t keep your cell phone in your room at night!
Where this method may not work is in situations where you’re anxious or stressed about something.
2. Play Calming Music
Studies show that music has a direct effect on the brain, and if you choose the right kind, it can help you relax and go to sleep. In one study, listening to 45 minutes of calming music at bedtime for three weeks helped participants fall to sleep faster, get a better quality of sleep, and sleep for longer periods.
To raise the odds that this might work for you, choose the music you like that has a slow and stable rhythm and a tempo of 60 to 80 beats per minute. Music without lyrics is likely to be more effective as there are no words to spark more racing thoughts. Set the time and allow it to play for 15 to 45 minutes.
3. Read
This one is easy for writers, right? But it can work for any creative individual. As you read and get absorbed into what you’re reading about, your brain must focus on those words and can no longer focus on worrying thoughts.
Of course, the fear is that once you finish reading and try to sleep again, the rapid thoughts will return. In that case, keep reading until you’re so tired that you simply drop the book on your chest and drop off. Don’t worry about the book. It will be there in the morning.
(Note: Do make sure you’re using either a print book or adjusting your light settings on your e-reader to limit blue light exposure when reading before bed. Blue light messes with the sleep hormone melatonin and can make insomnia worse.)
4. Try Aromatherapy
Lavender, in particular, has calming properties. Studies show that it acts as a mood stabilizer, sedative, and anti-anxiety agent. In a 2006 study, 60 percent of college students exposed to a lavender fragrance before sleep experienced improvements in length of time to fall asleep and the severity of insomnia.
To try this method, simply add a couple of drops of lavender essential oil to a cotton ball or soft cloth and place it under your pillow. You can also place a few drops on your hands and wrists and then inhale deeply to deter racing thoughts. If you have an aromatherapy diffuser, run that in your room before bed.
5. Listen to Guided Meditations
While you may not have success with deep breathing on your own, a guided meditation may be just what you need to get to sleep. These usually involve a person who speaks with a soothing voice and helps guide you through a series of actions that help your body and mind relax.
As you listen to the person speak and follow his or her directions, you force the brain to focus on something besides your racing thoughts. You can find a lot of these meditations on Google by simply searching for “guided meditations insomnia.”
6. Drink a Sleepy Cup of Tea
If you’re going through a stressful or anxious period and you know you’re at risk for racing thoughts, try a cup of tea before bed. Many herbal teas are known for helping to induce relaxation and sleepiness. The following are all good options:
- Chamomile
- Lavender
- Passionflower
- Lemon balm
- Valerian root
- Lemongrass
7. Play a Brain Game
Since it’s your brain that’s keeping you up, you can employ your brain to help you go to sleep. Simply give it something else to do. Try the following exercise.
Think of the alphabet. Go one letter at a time and for each letter, name something you’re grateful for. You can be as silly as you like. All that matters is that you force the brain to match each letter with something in your life that’s beneficial.
So “A,” for example, may stand for the crispy apples in your refrigerator. “B” may stand for your child’s favorite ball. “C” could be for the bag of your favorite cookies resting in the pantry. “D” is for the 4-legged best friend snoring in the corner.
This works in two ways. First, you keep your brain busy making connections, so it won’t be able to focus on racing thoughts. Second, thinking about things you’re grateful for is known for producing positive emotions, which can then help ease stress and anxiety.
If this particular exercise doesn’t work for you, try a different one. Perhaps you could keep a booklet full of puzzles next to your bed, such as Word searches or crosswords. Solving these can also help quiet any racing thoughts.
I would encourage you not to do any of these things on a cell phone or tablet, as the blue light will interfere with your sleep. Choose those you can do with paper and pen instead.
Do you have anything that works to stop racing thoughts at night?
Sources
Koulivand, P. H., Khaleghi Ghadiri, M., & Gorji, A. (2013). Lavender and the Nervous System. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2013, 1-10. doi:10.1155/2013/681304
Lai, H., & Good, M. (2006). Music improves sleep quality in older adults. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 53(1), 134-144. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2648.2006.03693.x
Lee, I. S., & Lee, G. J. (2006). Effects of Lavender Aromatherapy on Insomnia and Depression in Women College Students. Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing, 36(1), 136. doi:10.4040/jkan.2006.36.1.136
Wang, C., Sun, Y., & Zang, H. (2014). Music therapy improves sleep quality in acute and chronic sleep disorders: A meta-analysis of 10 randomized studies. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 51(1), 51-62. doi:10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2013.03.008
This is a very helpful post: none of us can write (or do other work) well, if we’re tired.
For me, it’s not so much falling asleep initially which can be a problem, but if I wake in the “wee small hours”, that’s when my mind likes to get busy.
The situation has definitely improved, though, since I began short meditation sessions (just 10 minutes or so): doing this during the day helps build the skill of noticing where your mind is racing off to and gently bringing it back. That ability is then more likely to be available to you once your head is on the pillow.
Recently, I’ve been allowing myself to get up and drink a glass of milk, too. Who knows if it truly works, but the placebo effect is just as powerful!
That happens to me too, Pauline (the middle-of-the-night racing thoughts), and milk does seem to help! Thanks for the tip on meditation. :O)
This is a problem for me more times than I’d like. Reading works when I have something good on my Kindle, but before I resort to that eyes-open activity, I’ll try to focus on developing the details of the next scene/chapter I’m writing. Next time, I’ll try the alphabet trick!
Good luck, Jo-Anne. I hope it works for you!
Excellent post, Colleen. But, I’m surprised you only have one other creative friend with whom this subject of insomnia has come up. I have many friends — writers and tennis players — for whom this is a problem. I will share this column with them when the subject next comes up.
Personally, I like the reading remedy best although by the time I’ve switched off my Kindle and rearranged the pillows — which were stacked up for a comfortable reading position– I find I’m wide awake again.
Thanks, Joanna. Yes, it seems to be a common issue. And I’ve had the same problem with reading–like you say, once the pillows are rearranged here goes the brain again! In those cases music or one of the other methods may work better.
I like to read myself to sleep.
That often works! :O)