Lying awake, thinking and overthinking... tossing and turning again. It's incredibly frustrating when you can't sleep because you're thinking about scenarios, what you should have said back then, or all the things that need to happen tomorrow. Fortunately, there are things you can do to reduce overthinking and fall asleep more easily.
- You can try conscious breathing exercises. You focus your attention on your breathing and, for example, inhale for 4 seconds and exhale for 8 seconds. This calms your body, and by keeping your attention on your breathing and counting, you leave no room for worrying thoughts.
- Choose a meditation focused on sleep. Listen beforehand to see if the meditation suits you and if you feel good about it. This prevents you from scrolling for a better meditation when you want to fall asleep. You can do the meditation in bed. But you can also choose to integrate meditation into your evening routine at an earlier time.
- Stretching or yoga. Do very gentle stretching exercises or (yin) yoga in the evening. This calms your body and provides a moment to connect with yourself. It might help you put your thoughts into better perspective.
- Decide that the thought is for tomorrow. In the evening, things seem worse... you seem less able to relativize. Mark the thought as a 'tomorrow-thought' and decide that there's nothing you can do about it now while you're in bed. Put the thought on a cloud and let it blow away.
- Create a peaceful sleeping environment. Make sure your bedroom is tidy and calm. A place where you can relax as soon as you open the door. Make your bed in the morning, and ensure soft, calming lighting.
- Create an evening routine. Choose one or more habits that you do every evening. This prepares you for sleep and signals that it's time to go to bed. For example, take a shower or bath, read a book, meditate, put on comfortable pajamas, etc. Choose things that give you peace and prepare you for a good night's sleep.
- As little caffeine and alcohol as possible. These two affect your ability to fall asleep and the quality of your sleep. So, if you're having trouble falling asleep, it might be worth cutting down or stopping them.
- Ensure healthy nutrition and sufficient exercise throughout the day. Exercise can help reduce stress, and healthy nutrition supports a healthy body. You can also choose to use supplements if you feel you could use some extra support for your health.
Do you have trouble falling asleep due to overthinking? Then try one of the tips above (or all of them ;)) and see what it does for you!
