Experts recommend taking a quick time out from lying in bed and instead move to a different low-lit room to engage in low-impact activities. This might include reading, listening to music or a podcast, or simply sitting quietly. Avoid stimulating activities like trying to tackle your to-do list or watching a TV show.
Racing thoughts that make it so you can't sleep are often caused by stress, anxiety, other mental health conditions, medications, or excessive caffeine consumption. For example, imagine that you're finally settling in for the night. You're tired and ready to get some rest.
Considerations. Hyperactive behavior usually refers to constant activity, being easily distracted, impulsiveness, inability to concentrate, aggressiveness, and similar behaviors.
"Frequent racing thoughts may be related to anxiety disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), trauma, or other mental health issues that need exploring," says Fabrett.
Antidepressants: Certain antidepressants can be effective in treating anxiety and racing thoughts. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are commonly used. Antihistamines: Some over-the-counter antihistamines, such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl®), can have a sedating effect and may be used to help with sleep.
If you want to sleep but your brain won't stop talking to itself, then it could be recreational drugs. Both abuse and withdrawal from drugs have been linked with sleep disturbances and vivid or unpleasant dreams. The three most common are cocaine, ecstasy, and marijuana.
Stress, anxiety or depression
A particularly stressful day can lead to intrusive thoughts in the middle of the night — maybe they come in the form of a nightmare that jolts you up at 3 a.m. In more serious cases, some people even experience sleep paralysis. Anxiety can also make it difficult to sleep through the night.
Racing Mind and Anxiety
Rapid thoughts are often a symptom associated with anxiety. They can make people feel out of control or as if they are going crazy. When it comes to sleep, this effect of anxiety is a cyclical problem. Because your brain struggles to focus when it is tired, it often leads to racing thoughts.
Still, if you're prone to anxiety at night or are having trouble falling asleep because of anxiety, melatonin might prove a helpful tool. That's because, for people with both conditions, insomnia is often caused by a racing mind.
Benzodiazepines are a type of sedative medication. This means they slow down the body and brain's functions. They can be used to help with anxiety and insomnia (difficult getting to sleep or staying asleep).
At night, our mind is a big open space. And when we're tired and our minds are left wide open, we're a lot more vulnerable to intrusive, anxious thoughts. If your nighttime anxiety is impacting your ability to function every day, consider seeking the help of a mental health professional.
Stress. Stress is one of the “usual suspects” when you can't seem to stop thinking. Stress causes your body to release cortisol, and cortisol helps you stay alert. This means that your brain stays alert, too — even when you don't want it to.
What does having an overactive mind mean? An overactive mind is a mind that's thinking about the past, present, and future all at once. If you find that you're always bouncing between topics in your head and struggling to concentrate on what's happening in the current moment, you probably have an overactive mind.
Benzodiazepines used for the treatment of insomnia include lorazepam (Ativan), nitrazepam (Mogadon), oxazepam (Serax), temazepam (Restoril), triazolam (Halcion) and flurazepam (Dalmane). Another drug used for insomnia is zopiclone (Imovane). This drug is similar to benzodiazepines and has similar side-effects.
Find relaxation or meditation apps that appeal to you and give them try. Just breathe: Inhale and exhale slowly, evenly, and deeply for several breaths. Change your position: “Whatever you're doing, do the opposite,” Kissen says. “If you're hunched over with worry, stand up and take a Wonder Woman pose.
Experts believe anxiety is worse at night because there are fewer distractions to turn to. Thus, anxious individuals turn to their thoughts as they do not wish to disturb others (and believe they should remain in bed). Some individuals wake up at 4 or 5 with horrific anxiety attacks.
Why Is Anxiety Worse at Night? Anxiety can get worse at night as people find themselves focusing more on their worries once they are lying in bed without the distractions of the day. For example, sometimes people with insomnia may begin to develop worries about whether or not they will be able to fall asleep.