Mind racing, can't sleep... How can I shut down my brain at night?

Question

I'm constantly thinking and worrying bout things... How can I clear my head and sleep?

Answer 1

Well ... the brain does not have a shutdown button.
But you can eventually do that if you do the following.
1) Don't make any other activities while in bed (except ...you know what), Try not to read ,play games,listen to radio,watching tv etc.
2) You must eat foods rich in Tryptophan <=You need this to make serotonin <-neurotransmitter .Eat carbohydrates. Drink MilkShakes. Eat sesame Its the first thing for sleep (go and buy a bottle of sesame butter or something like this, if you can't find at buy peanutebutter) Eat cottage cheese.
3) Buy lavender oil , put 4 drops on your pillow or use your oilburner.
4) Drink only ONE coffee and if you want to drink another drink a decafeined. Avoid Diet-Cola/Cola light and food that containe sugar substitute.
5) When you get to sleep don't think about what you did. Just try to visualize something related to night/sleep like the image of a fairy , the Moonpriestess of Warcraft , a sexy woman(not too sexy) etc.... Do it every night Only when you close your eyes and go for sleep.
6) Go for a Walk (Don't overdo this)
7) Buy Sitar Music or Ethnic / Spiritual / New Age Music. and listen BEFORE go for sleep.

Thats all.
I wish it will be helpfull for you.

Answer 2

in short: what you need to do is take take at least 10 minutes a day and practice relaxation techniques or some form of mediation or guided imagery.

you can buy tapes of instructional yoga at best buy or circuit city etc.. you will notice a difference but not necessarily right a way.

you can also buy audio tapes/video tapes that will walk you through breathing techniques and small exercises that really work!

if you don't have any extra money you can practice this 2 times a day.
**make sure you are in a room with absolute silence, no distractions (a place where no people that will come barging in, lock the door if you have to). Once before bed.


1. sit down and try not to think of anything, if you do don't worry about it.
2. sit up straight, no hunch in the back/shoulders.
3. close your eyes
4. start by taking a deep breath in. very deep. slow!
5. and then exhale at a bout the same pace
6. repeat 4 and 5
7. start with about 8 cycles.

when you are in bed, think about all the good things you have accomplished in your life. think about all the good things you will accomplish, think about people you love.

Answer 3

When my dad was diagnosed with terminal cancer I couldn't sleep at all from all the worry and crazy emotions. My doctor prescribed we Trazadone. It's actually a mild antidepressant with the wonderful side effect of making you very drowsy. I found that this was the greatest thing ever as I did make me so drowsy that I could fall asleep amidst my worries, and stay asleep all night. However, I suppose I wouldn't recommend this if this is an ongoing problem and not brought on by some accute stressor.

Answer 4

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Mind racing, can't sleep... How can I shut down my brain at night?
I'm constantly thinking and worrying bout things... How can I clear my head and sleep?

Answer 5

I'm reading a very interesting book called "The Diet Cure" - explores the amino acids we may be missing that cause obsessive thoughts etc. all of them available from a health food store. Just an angle to try. I take melatonin at night and have to read myself to sleep because the TV just keeps my mind too active. Good luck

Answer 6

Don't drink any stimulants after six PM.
Don't sleep during the day.
Don't watch TV in the bedroom.
Eat a light meal before you go to bed.
Meditate in bed about all the good things in your life.

Answer 7

Me too- I sit up or lie in bed, sing songs in my head (my thoughts become strangled and sedated by the melodies) and sometimes I tell myself stories, all of which containing some crush of mine or a movie star (lately, it's Zach Braff.)
music always helps, but make sure it's muzic you're ued to or your brain will be stimulated to listen to it more and find out what the lyrics, sounds are.

Answer 8

oh i know where your coming from. No caffeine right before bed, make sure your tired when you go to bed, and don't have energy to lay and think. reading make me tired and sleepy a book or mag. and then my mind isn't on things going on in my life. Look forward to going to bed like its your place to rest from everything. Most important be sure you are sleepy enough to go to sleep and not lay there and think if your not get up and do something relaxing to make you tired enought to go right to sleep.

Answer 9

the health foods and enya music are good answers - they actually can help. Not sure of your situation, but making love helps too - no joke. Ejaculation releases hormones into your blood stream to help relax you and help you sleep better.
Plus the exercise will tire you out too.
But I'm serious about the hormones though. They actually help to make you sleepy. Get to it!!

Answer 10

You're already asleep... how often do you escape the virtual reality of your thoughts? If you were to stop thinking, you would lose nothing real.

It is possible to be still within... just... let go, and be aware of being here. Every time it occurs to you.