Why does even the smallest of probems always seem much worse in the middle of the night when you can't sleep?

Question

and the next day you wonder what you were fussing about?

Answer 1

because is so quiet and dark, and you crave someone to share it with but dont dare wake anyone. then your mind works harder and harder and the exhaustion kicks in and you just wanna scream and eventually you fall asleep.

Answer 2

When we are tired, we usually think about our problems. We are mentally and physically drained from the day. So we are more likely not think rationally. Or clear headed. Then next day after a good nights rest, we tend to see that the problem was not
so big after all. Maybe too, sub-conscientiously, we may of been thinking about it as we slept. I did dream of a solution to a problem once. This was because I went to sleep thinking of it.
The problem seemed so big the night before. The next day, I felt that I could handle this problem with ease.

Answer 3

I can't believe it! Somebody else noticed it too! Thank God!
I don't really know why either. I have experienced the same thing so many times myself.
Maybe it's because our mind is normally occupied by so many other things when we are awake during the daytime, that our brain does not have time to concentrate on that particular one thing.
But when we wake up in the middle of the night, our brain is not multi-tasking like during the day, so it is applying all its energy to the only thing going on in the brain at the time. Is that understandable to you?

Answer 4

Oldest of proverbs: Everything looks darkest before the dawn. You worded your question wrong. Problems do not seem worse when you can't sleep, you can't sleep because you are dwelling on problems you can do nothing about in the middle of the night.

The fact that you ask that question tells me that it should not be a real problem for you.

Here's your mantra: "Can't worry about that now."

Move your thoughts to the happy side and go to sleep.

Answer 5

God,you are sooo right,i have that problem,i start thinking when i get into bed and i end up getting back up panicking about the stupidest of things,then the next day wonder what i worried about,i thought it was just me-don't know why,but pleased I'm not the only one

Answer 6

You're tired and your brain won't shut down.

I do this all the time. I have to shut my brain down like a computer each night. I actually have to focus on nothing. Kind of like a self-hypnosis (if you believe in that type of thing, which I don't but I guess I do it!)

We don't like to go to bed with a problem unsolved. It's like going to bed with a fight unresolved with your spouse, it sucks.

Get up, right it down, go back to bed, focus on nothing. Focus on the little psychadelic swirls ~ puts you to sleep immediately. Then when you get up in the morning, read your note, think about it for a moment, realise it was silly ~ get on with life.

Answer 7

I have the opposite problem. I come up with all kinds of answers in the middle of the night when i cant sleep. The next morning... nothing. ;)

Answer 8

thats a really good question!

i often have this trouble. when we lead such busy lives and have so much to do and remember, sometimes we end up driving ourselves crazy. things can play on our mind that we take these thoughts to bed and cant wind down and drift off to sleep. our bodies are winding down but our brain remains active as we worry about how things are going to pan out the next day etc. we mull it over and over until we eventually exhuast ourselves and go to sleep. the next day we face whatever the issue is and find that its not as bad as we thought, sometimes easy and we think god why was i so worried and tensed up about it last night giving myself a headache!
i can agree totally on this one.

Answer 9

If your like me when I'm lying in bed my mind comes alive
I'm thinking sorts of things i wouldn`t normally think about during the day
I wish my brain would be just as active in the day
Maybe its because we are relaxing

Answer 10

Because you are lying there thinking and therefore worrying more about your problems. When you are up and about in the daytime you are busy doing other things which occupy your mind. I always worry about things at night and in the morning they aren't that bad.