How To Put Overthinking To Rest Before You Go To Bed

It’s time to reclaim your precious sleep with a few gentle techniques to help distract your busy brain from overthinking at night.

Many of us may occasionally experience difficulties sleeping. Some nights, you just can’t seem to keep your mind from agonising over a lot of things – until you find yourself stuck in a mental loop. It’s a state where your thoughts run around in circles as you review the parts of the day that didn’t go according to plan. You may even find yourself previewing the days ahead, which only seems to make you more anxious.

Sometimes, your mind might take a trip down memory lane to bring up something embarrassing you did back when you were twelve years old. Or perhaps your nightly thoughts move randomly from one memory to another. The result? Your head becomes full of “what-ifs” and regrets as you over-analyse situations from every possible angle. And before you know it, more than half the night has disappeared and you’re supposed to be up within a few hours! 

What Is Overthinking? 

While it’s perfectly normal to want to solve a problem, find an answer, or make a decision, overthinking can happen when you dwell on the same thoughts repeatedly. There’s a big difference between trying to understand a problem and overthinking. Generally, problem-solving involves thinking things through to find a solution, while overthinking focuses on the problem itself, which is not helpful at all. This act of repetitive thinking may be part of the human experience, but when it becomes the norm, it can take a toll on your mental health and overall wellbeing, according to some research.

In addition, overthinking can be a major obstacle to sleep. While several factors may contribute to the onset of too much thinking at night, experts suggest that it is mostly due to your brain needing time to unpack and evaluate all the key events that have occurred during the day. It’s hard to process your thoughts and make sense of what’s happening when you’re right in the middle of the action. Hence, the most convenient time to reflect is when you’re in bed. The problem often arises when overthinking at night turns into a habit that’s too intense to stop on your own. This may severely affect your sleep quality and expose you to all the negative consequences that can come with a lack of rest.

If you find yourself getting tangled in your thoughts almost every night, help is at hand! Here are some essential tips to help quiet your racing mind as you get ready to kick your worries out the door. 

1.Establish A Pre-Bedtime Routine

Ritual is the language of the brain. Therefore, one of the best ways to coordinate with your brain is to have a daily routine. Try some relaxing activities at least an hour or two before you plan to go to bed. You may wish to explore some pastimes that can help soothe your mind, body, and spirit, such as:

• Channelling your inner ‘yogi’ by doing some yoga poses
• Writing a journal entry about your day
• Preparing a basic to-do list for the following day
• Enjoying some herbal tea
• Lighting some candles
• Listening to some soft music or motivational podcasts
• Reading your favourite novel
• Pampering your skin
• Having a nice warm bath

Taking a moment to wind down before bedtime will allow you to clear up your thoughts and activate your ‘alpha brainwave state,’ which, in turn, inspires your mind to switch off and fall asleep. Keep this routine consistent in order to train your mind to expect sleepiness after relaxing evening activities.

2.Schedule Your “Worry Time” Earlier In The Day

Let’s be honest here. None of us can completely get rid of all our worries and sorrows. So, it may sometimes be helpful to go ahead and overthink when you need to (within reason). Sometimes, the more you tell yourself not to overthink, the more likely you are to overthink! This dynamic can make your thoughts seem more crowded than ever. Instead of banishing overthinking from your life, try to schedule a small window of time during the day when you can sit peacefully to assess your thoughts. It’s good to be honest with yourself and allow these moments of deep reflection. And as you go over the things that worry you the most, don’t forget to consider some practical action plans. Dealing with these thoughts earlier in the day should help ease your stress and worries when your head hits the pillow at night. 

3.Unplug Yourself From A Tech-Driven World

Many sleep experts have been telling us to avoid using smartphones, laptops, and other sources of blue light before bedtime – and for a good reason. Did you know that the blue light coming from your gadget screens could be contributing to your sleep struggles? Not to mention the late-night ringing and buzzing that can interfere with your slumber. In fact, one study published in a journal called the Nature and Science of Sleep has shown that artificial blue light can influence our ability to produce melatonin (a sleep hormone), thereby interfering with our sleep/wake cycles. Silence and privacy are underrated tools that can help us sleep more soundly, so make sure you have your electronic devices switched off (or put on mute) at least an hour before bed.

4.Consider Taking Natural Sleeping Capsules

Many people who struggle to get a good night’s rest experiment with sleeping pills for potential assistance – and perhaps you can relate. However, it’s very important to be careful when it comes to purchasing sleep supplements. It’s also a wise idea to be as picky as possible! Sometimes, we opt for items that we think are healthy options only to realise later that we’ve been deceived by impressive marketing strategies. Here’s some friendly advice: the ingredients list is the most powerful tool at your disposal. You should use it to determine whether a product is worthy of consideration or not.

With an impressive selection of all-natural and organic ingredients, the team at Yawns are offering a fresh take on sleeping capsules (aka. Night Caps). This supplement might just help you feel more level-headed and less tempted to overthink as you prepare for a restful night. Let’s hold a magnifying glass to each nutritious plant extract that’s present within our formula and see what each one may be able to offer you.

• Ashwagandha powder is a herbal component extracted from a small, evergreen shrub called Ashwagandha (aka. Ajagandha, Asgandha, or Ashagandha). Its roots and berries, which are often used to make traditional supplements, are reported to have natural properties that might help with relaxation and immunity. 

• Valerian root powder has long been used as a natural supplement for many common sleep problems, including insomnia (or the inability to fall and stay asleep). The Valerian plant is said to contain valerenic acid, which may help influence our gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors in the brain. These receptors are responsible for regulating fear and anxiety, which explains how this extract may help supplement some of the symptoms that might interfere with your sleeping patterns.

• Griffonia seeds are touted to be rich in 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), a chemical that may impact natural serotonin production in the brain. This hormone influences many functions, including mood, sleep, appetite, and pain perception.  

• Black pepper powder is more than just a spice that’s used to season food. It has long been reported to offer many potential wellbeing benefits due to its bioactive compounds, including piperine (a plant-based antioxidant). In addition, black pepper may also have a positive impact on some of the natural processes that enable nutrients to be absorbed into your bloodstream.

We’ve opted for transparent shells so you can see the real and natural ingredients that are packed into each capsule. If you’re prone to feeling overwhelmed with your thoughts and worries at night, you might want to try taking two sleeping capsules before bedtime – preferably on a full stomach. Unlike some other sleep supplements, we don’t use any lab-created ingredients or hidden nasties: what you see is what you get.

Each dose contains:

• 380 milligrams of Ashwagandha powder
• 100 milligrams of Valerian root powder
• 20 milligrams of Griffonia seed extract
• 5 milligrams of Black pepper powder

Key Takeaways

There you have it – a few tips and tricks to keep you from overthinking at night. As we’ve learned, overthinking and sleep problems may be interconnected in some cases (making it hard to tell the difference between the cause and the effect). Racing thoughts are often associated with many sleep issues – including some symptoms of insomnia. And the more you stay awake at night, the more likely you are to stress until it becomes a vicious cycle. In some cases, overthinking can be part of a larger health problem. So, as you start your Night Caps routine, it’s also wise to raise any concerns you might have with your family doctor.