Tired of lying in bed with 100 thoughts racing through your head? It can be tough to switch off our thoughts when our minds are racing and it happens to a lot of us right before we go to sleep. And that can keep us from getting the quality sleep we need to function the next day.
Next time it happens to you, try one of these hacks for easing night time anxiety from psychologist Noosha Anzab.
●Acknowledge how you feel - The first step is realizing there’s an issue. So instead of pretending it’s not happening, she suggests paying attention to how you feel and thinking about what might be causing it.
●Write it down - Your anxious feelings may be coming from the hundreds of thoughts popping into your head, leaving you stressed and overwhelmed, but the simple act of writing them down can help you pinpoint what you’re worried about. It can also help you feel more in control of tasks you need to do by putting a to-do list together.
●Read a book - Forcing yourself to focus on the story and get distracted from your thoughts can help calm your mind and reduce stress hormones, which improves sleep quality. Just six minutes of reading before bed can lower stress by 68%, according to a study from the University of Sussex.
●Avoid scrolling or watching too much TV - The blue light electronics give off can mess with sleep by triggering your brain to stop making melatonin, the hormone that regulates the sleep-wake cycle.
●Ease up on alcohol and caffeine - They can both amp up feelings of anxiety and they can have a negative impact on sleep as well.
●Engage in mindful activities - Get busy with things that keep you focused on the here and now so you’re not ruminating on what might happen. Cooking, meditation and yoga can help you stay in the present moment and ease anxiety, too.
●Exercise throughout the day - Being active is good for our bodies and minds and it can help alleviate feelings of anxiety. Find a form of fitness you like and let those feel-good endorphins give you a natural boost. And bonus - those daytime workouts can help you feel less anxious at night and can also help you fall asleep!
HT: Women’s Health