Can a racing mind stop me from falling asleep, and what helps?

Yes. A racing mind is a common reason people cannot fall asleep. At night there are fewer distractions, so worries and racing thoughts take over. What may help is slow breathing, such as the 4-7-8 pattern (in for 4, hold for 7, out for 8), progressive muscle relaxation, and writing a detailed to-do list before bed.

Writing down tomorrow's tasks hands the job to paper, and Sleep Foundation reports that doing so helped people fall asleep faster. You can also set aside a short worry time earlier in the evening, so worry has a place that is not your pillow.

In bed, try guided imagery or a body scan. If you are still awake after about 20 minutes, get up, keep the lights dim and do something calm until sleepy.

Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is usually the first treatment recommended when anxiety is tied to poor sleep. Talk to your doctor if worry disrupts your sleep often enough to affect your daytime life. A sleep diary helps that conversation.

Source: Sleep Foundation - Anxiety at Night: Causes and Tips for Relief

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