Devin Burke, Sleep Science Academy founder and guide to better sleep shares five things to help you calm your racing mind at night.
First and foremost, if you have a racing mind that keeps you up, you are not alone. This issue is the number one question I get at workshops, seminars, and from online clients.
#1 – The Mind Is Not a Computer
Unlike a computer, you cannot shut your mind off; it doesn’t work that way. My first recommendation is to build micro-breaks into your day. At Sleep Science Academy, we call these “energy breaks.”
These short breaks between tasks will allow your mind to calm down. Throughout the day, our mind builds momentum; if we are not careful, that momentum carries into the night. If you are in the habit of going from one task to the next, and then the next again, without taking micro-breaks to allow your mind to slow down, that is the number one thing creating a racing mind at night.
#2 – Write It Down
Writing down your thoughts is helpful because our brain works much faster than our fingers. Because of this, our brain must slow down to commit the information to writing, a very effective strategy.
#3 – Focus on Breathing
I share a lot of different breathing techniques, but my favorite is bed breathing (a.k.a. box breathing), the same technique the Navy SEALs use.
You do this exercise by inhaling for a count of five, holding for a count of five, exhaling for a count of five, and holding that exhale for a count of five. Doing this exercise about 12 times helps to shift focus from your head and back into your body.
One of my mentors says, “When you’re in your head, your dad.”
It’s essential to get out of your head and back into your body, and breathing is the most effective strategy to accomplish that.
#4 – Embrace Your Thoughts
This concept may seem counterintuitive, but if you have a racing mind, don’t go to bed or get out if you’re already there and allow yourself to have those thoughts. Don’t merely notice those thoughts; become aware and curious about them.
Often, people try to distract themselves from such thinking, but what we resist persists. If you allow yourself to have your thoughts, your mind will begin to slow down. Eventually, the mind will exhaust itself.
This great strategy works very well for certain types of people. If your mind is really racing with a heightened sense of anxiety, this may not be the best strategy for you, but it is definitely worth trying.
#5 – Stretches
Anything that gets you out of your mind and into your body is good. Classic stretches on the floor, yoga, and similar activities can help relieve tension and get us out of our heads.
Stretches shouldn’t be painful, but they should be uncomfortable, which, again, will get you into your body.
Final Thoughts
If your racing mind is keeping you up at night, it’s essential that you develop strategies to alleviate this problem. Taking short breaks between activities, journaling, breathing exercises, stretches, and allowing yourself to evaluate the thoughts in your racing mind are all effective strategies to get out of your head and into your body.
Sleep Science Academy’s uniquely empowering and successful sleep coaching program can help you calm that racing mind and enjoy a lifetime of restorative rest. Gaining the insights, tools, and skills necessary for managing your thoughts and racing mind can be life-changing.
Contact us today and schedule your complimentary sleep consultation with one of our professional sleep coaches. You have nothing to lose and a lifetime of rejuvenating and restorative sleep to gain. Right
In this article, you can learn more about our process, Dynamic Sleep Recalibration (DSR), and how you can benefit.