Lying awake with racing thoughts? You're not alone! Here's how to break the cycle without turning bedtime into a battle:
1️⃣ Bedtime Routines Have a loose routine, not rigid rules. If you have to do something to "ensure" sleep, it can easily be turned into a moment where you're ruminating and "checking" to see if you're sleeping. Thus, keeping yourself awake.
2️⃣ Accept Imperfect Sleep Some nights will be rough - and that's normal! Don't do extra rituals to "guarantee" good sleep. Checking the time, doing breathing exercises for hours, or rearranging your pillow 10 times won't actually help.
3️⃣ Practice Uncertainty "I might sleep well, I might not." If you sleep, you sleep. If you don't, then you don't. Fighting the possibility of bad sleep often makes it worse. Your body knows how to sleep - trust it!
4️⃣ Allow Thoughts to Come In Welcome thoughts instead of trying to push them away. Don't problem-solve them at 2am. They'll move on when they're ready. The harder you fight your thoughts, the stickier they become.
Remember: One bad night won't ruin you. Your body is more resilient than your anxious brain thinks!
OCD and Anxiety
Can't Sleep? Here's What Actually Helps 😴
Lying awake with racing thoughts? You're not alone! Here's how to break the cycle without turning bedtime into a battle:
1️⃣ Bedtime Routines
Have a loose routine, not rigid rules. If you have to do something to "ensure" sleep, it can easily be turned into a moment where you're ruminating and "checking" to see if you're sleeping. Thus, keeping yourself awake.
2️⃣ Accept Imperfect Sleep
Some nights will be rough - and that's normal! Don't do extra rituals to "guarantee" good sleep. Checking the time, doing breathing exercises for hours, or rearranging your pillow 10 times won't actually help.
3️⃣ Practice Uncertainty
"I might sleep well, I might not." If you sleep, you sleep. If you don't, then you don't. Fighting the possibility of bad sleep often makes it worse. Your body knows how to sleep - trust it!
4️⃣ Allow Thoughts to Come In
Welcome thoughts instead of trying to push them away. Don't problem-solve them at 2am. They'll move on when they're ready. The harder you fight your thoughts, the stickier they become.
Remember: One bad night won't ruin you. Your body is more resilient than your anxious brain thinks!
Sweet dreams! 🌙
2 weeks ago | [YT] | 415