Tips for Falling Asleep When Your Brain Just Won’t Turn Off

When nothing seems to get your brain to shut up

There’s nothing worse than trying to lie in bed and get a good night’s rest only to be kept awake by the constant hammering of your own thoughts.

Whether you have a big exam coming up, a driving test, an important job interview or meeting – it can be really hard trying to sleep with anxious thoughts running through your mind.

Why do we get so stressed right as we’re trying to fall asleep?

Overthinking at night is common because of a few different factors. Things like reduced daytime distractions, heightened default mode network activity and fluctuating hormone levels like cortisol cause the brain to bring unresolved issues to the forefront.

If we want to get into the science of it, the default mode network (DMN) is a system of connected brain areas that show increased activity when a person is not focused on what’s happening around them.

Think daydreaming, contemplating the past or future or thinking about the perspective of another person, things that all typically happen at night. In a resting state, when a person is not engaged in mental task the brain shifts into “default”.

Cortisol – the stress hormone – is generally low at night but it follows a circadian rhythm and peaks in the early morning hours around 3am before decreasing gradually though out the day.

This is why people sometimes wake up in the middle of the night and find it difficult to get back to sleep. During this time, the core body temperature starts to rise, sleep drive is reducing, secretion of melatonin (the sleep hormone) has peaked, and levels of cortisol are increasing as the body gradually prepares to wake up.

Managing stress, unwinding before bed, and using distraction and relaxation techniques can be a good way to slow your thoughts and get a good night’s sleep.

Habits to try before you hit the hay.

When trying to find ways to help you sleep at night, it’s a good idea to start by taking time to identify what is stressing you out. Put a name to the sources of your stress and take a second to bring your attention to your senses.

Relax your shoulders, unclench your jaw, slow your breathing and remind yourself that you’re okay and no matter the outcome of what you’re stressed about, you’re going to be okay. Trust yourself that you’ve prepared for the situation and know that it’s okay to fail.

Some other habits before bed you can try to help yourself sleep can include:

• Spending at least 30 minutes decompressing before bed (do some meditation, journalling or some deep stretches to get yourself relaxed and grounded).
• Avoiding using your cell phone and other electronics at least 30 minutes before bed.
• Listening to a guided meditation audio that has breathing exercises to help you sleep.
• Making yourself a cup of chamomile, lavender, decaffeinated green tea or just a nice herbal tea before bed (you could also have a warm milo if you’re not a tea person 😉).
• Listening to a relaxing audio book or some ASMR videos.

Consider if you might need extra help.

Not getting enough sleep can be a cause of a larger issue and you may want to reach out to someone to talk about what’s bothering you. Whether that’s a close friend, family member or a therapist – it’s always important to let others know how you’re going and seek help when you need it most.

But not being able to sleep also could be linked to a larger medical issue. So if continues to persist, don’t be afraid to take the leap and hound your GP to do something about it.

While it may be hard to put down the devices before bed and switch off all distractions, hopefully these habits can calm your brain down into catching those Z’s.