Racing thoughts at night?

Question

How do I stop my mind from going into overdrive when I am trying to go to sleep? It's not just a few thoughts, it seems like a million. Sleep meds help, but I don't like taking them. Any suggestions?

Answer 1

Some questions to think about:

* Are you experiencing this just at bedtime?
* Are you sleeping too much?
* Are you trying to sleep to escape something in your life?
* Do you feel okay and settled in your daily life?
* Do you feel like you have a lot of things to worry about and think about?
* Is this the only symptom you are having?
* Are you feeling sad or suffer from mood swings?
* Do you cry often?
* Do you have periods of shakiness, sweating or shortness of breath?
* Do you have thoughts of hurting yourself or committing suicide?

With so little information, it is hard to tell what is going on. What you are feeling may be a sign that you need professional help in dealing with some of your worries. It may just be that you are going through a hard time in your life where you have a lot of stress and concerns. On the other hand, racing thoughts are a symptom of any number of different treatable conditions such as an anxiety disorder, panic attacks, attention deficit disorder, depression, mania or obsessive compulsive disorder. As you see, there are many possibilities and it is best to be evaluated by a professional.

Answer 2

Have you recently started taking anti-depressants? When I first started, I had the same problem .. it was such a nightmare and so very exhausting. The solution for me was to change the time I took my meds (at night) to mornings after breakfast. Apparently something to do with the effect peaking and making the brain over-active?

If you're not on meds, then try some calming exercises like the others have suggested .. breathing exercises, gentle stretches or tightening and relaxing all the muscles in your body slowly starting from the feet all the way up to your eyebrows! Don't exercise soon before you sleep, or eat. Keep a couple of hours between bed time and food, exercise, cigarettes, alcohol. If there's something you're stressing over, that could be sending your mind into overdrive.

I'm so glad you're not falling into the trap of sleep meds, good for you! There are many holistic ways to make yourself feel better. Listening to some music and sipping herbal tea (chamomile is relaxing and so is rooibos). How about writing in a journal. I sometimes just write out all the zillion things I have to do, and pick a few that I tell myself I will do tomorrow, and then sort of set an agenda .. and then I feel like I've got things under control cos I've planned them (of course whether or not I actually DO those things the next day is another matter!!) But it feels good and freeing and I can sleep unencumbered of those worries.

Wonder if any of this helps you. I hope so.

Answer 3

When your mind races at night get up and do something else, read, watch tv, or write down what is on your mind. Prayer and/or meditation helps. If you can't sleep the best thing is to just get up and do something else until you are sleepy. Are you drinking too much caffeine and/or sugar before bed. Watch your diet and see. Warm milk even with some fat free chocolate syrup in it can help. Calcium also. Try herbs, such as valerian or hops. Just don't worry about not sleeping. Watch your thoughts like a game show on tv. What is bothering you? Maybe you need to go talk to someone about it.

Answer 4

FIRST OF ALL STOP TAKING MEDS, BECAUSE THEY CAN BE VERY ADDICTIVE! BUT I DO KNOW WHAT YOU CAN DO TO MAKE SLEEP TIME BETTER. FIRST DON'T EAT ANY THING AN HOUR BEFORE BED, TAKE A SOOTHING BATH, OR DRINK A CUP OF HOT, DECAFFEINATED, TEA; THIS WILL CALM YOUR NERVES A BIT, TRY TO CREATE A JOURNAL OR A DIARY. IN YOUR DIARY WRITE DOWN ANY THOUGHTS ABOUT YOUR DAY . RIGHT WHATEVER HAPPENED GOOD OR BAD. THEN WRITE WHAT YOU INTEND TO DO EARLY THE NEXT DAY. TRY TO MEDITATE OR PRAY WHICH EVER SUITS YOU, ALL OF THIS WILL HELP TO CLEAR YOUR MIND OF THOUGHTS LEFT OVER FROM YOUR BUSY DAY. I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. AND I THINK IT'S BECAUSE WE ARE SO BUSY DURING THE DAY THAT OUR MINDS KEEP GOING EITHER REPLAYING THE DAYS EVENTS OR THINKING ABOUT ALL OF THE THINGS WE HAVE TO DO THE NEXT DAY . WELL GOOD LUCK, AND I HOPE THIS HELPS!!!

Answer 5

The problems leading to this are many. Work pressure, financial pressures, emotional stress, fatigue, feeling of insecurity & who knows what others!!!

Solutions would be yoga & meditation. Only things I can think of. Yoga helps get that insecurity & inferiority out of your system & aids meditation otherwise bringing a totally crammed mind to order is very difficult. If you have done any meditation at all in your lifetime you would understand this. This is my personal experience & I have the same problem myself. Though mine is driven by a different problem that I have isolated & am yet to find a solution I would have to wait a lot longer before I can overcome it. Your case seems more logical & easier to handle.

All the very best & sweet dreams.

-Vinod

Answer 6

Keep a pencil and paper by the bed. Write down the thoughts or worries, that way, by submitting them to paper, they will be out of your mind and you won't have to worry about them and you can deal with them the next day. Works for me every time.
Things always seem worse at night, don't they?

Answer 7

You have many thoughts on your mind and you cannot sleep.Stay awake long enough and your body will demand sleep.Are you using drugs??--I mean prescribed --or otherwise??--Try meditation ,I feel you have a lot on your mind that you are not wanting to show.Best of luck with your problems.If i can offer any further support please email me at yahoo.

Answer 8

hun i have the same prob and currenlty the only thing that is helping are the meds. until u can find aternative ways to control this, stock with the meds. sorry i cnt be more help.

Answer 9

There are other meds that can help. I used to have an awful problem and Abilify helped me. Ask your psychiatrist for something to help with it.

Answer 10

my dad says meditation works. he said that you have to think of one question ask it out loud and then only think about that question. so that way you'd only have one or two thoughts running through your head instead of 50. it works for me when i can't sleep. try it! and good luck!