It’s 3 am, but your body feel exhausted, but your brain can’t stop talking this cause overthinking at night.
“What I said the wrong thing?” What if i fail in exams on my duty work in my household works?” Why this incident happens with me 3 years ago?” why I go there 2 years ago?”
You are not alone, this same thing happens with million of Americans and this thing cause lie awake and staring at ceiling. The good news is that you can train your brain to stop overthinking.
In this guide you will learn 3 steps formula that help you to sleep peacefully tonight.
3-3-3 rule for sleep
The 3-3-3 rule for sleep is a sleep hygiene guidelines design to optimize your body for full night rest.
It breakdown into three steps to complete before your bedtime
Stop eating
Complete your last heavy meal at least 3 hours before your bed time to prevent digestion problems that can rise your body temprature and breaking your sleep cycle.
Stop working
Complete your work at least 3 hours before your bed time. This thing will help you to lower your heart rate and ease meal stimulation.
Stop screen
Avoid blue light or screen at least 3 hours before your bed time.This cause your brain increase melatonin production.
Do a “brain dump” on paper before bed
Before going to bed for sleep do a “brain dump” on paper. Write your thinking, emotions and daily activity on a notebook. This thing will help you to relax your mind and reduce overthinking at night.
How to do it.
Select a medium
- First of all you have need to pick a personal and low touch notebook and pen.
- Then place them near nightstand and avoid blue lights and distraction of mobile phone.
Set a timer
Set a timer of 5 to 10 minutes to write your emotion and thinking. This thing will help you to stop overthinking.
Close it up
Once timer goes off, close the notebook, stop sending out signals to nervous system that save you from overthinking and save energies for tomorrow.
4-7-8 breathing to calm racing thoughts
4-7-8 breathing exercise is a technique that involves inhaling for 4 seconds, holding for 7 seconds and exhaling for 8 seconds.
This will help to relax mind and help to reduce overthinking at night.
This technique is popularized by Dr Adrew Weil and rooted in ancient yogic practices.
How this mechnics work
Inhale
Take a deep breath and inhale oxygen to your body make your body alert and focused. Inhale for 4 seconds.
Hold
Hold for 7 seconds. Hold for 7 seconds allow your body to absorb oxygen properly and circulate through blood stream.
Exhale
Exhale for 8 seconds. This allows your body to control your heart rate, lowers blood pressure and eliminates excess for carbone dioxide.https://calmpathonline.com/5-easy-breathing-exercises-for-instant-calm
Create a “worry time” in the day not at night
Peoples with problem of overthinking at night have need to create a worry time in the day. This thing will help to reduce overthinking at night.
A science baked Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) technique that prevent overthinking at night time.
Select the best time of day
Schedule a consistent 10 to 15 minutes each day. Best time is typically late afternoon like 4:00 PM to 5:PM which is not close to bedtime.
Create a “Worry parking lot”
when over anxious thoughts pop up in day time at work place. You just have need to open your personal diary and write about your thought and say I”ll worry about this thought on 4:30 PM. This thing will relax you mentally.
Create a exit strategy
When timer goes off close your notebook and put your phone away. Transition instantly to a physical activity like walking listening a favorite song or making a cup of coffee. This will signal your mind that your worry thoughts officially shut off.
Keep your room cool, dark and quiet for better sleep
Keep your room cool, dark and quiet this thing will help you to sleep properly. Warm room tempreture, hogh lights ad noise cause disturbance in sleep and cause increase of overthinking.
How to create ideal sleep enviroment
Here some suggestions that can help you to specifically change your sleep cycle.
Keep room cool
Keep your room temperature in between 15°C to 19°C. If you don’t have air conditioner turn on pedestal fan. Keep your room cool during warmer weather.
Keep room dark
Use Dark shades and blackout curtain to prevent lights from entering.
Use eye mask. This is a cost effective solution. Try using a contoured sleep mask like Manta sleep mask.
Hide electronic devices like LED and mobile phones these electronic devices emitis blue or white light that can cause disturbance in your sleep and increse overthinking.
Conclusion
Overthinking at night is a common problem, but it can’t control your sleep cycle completely. Small changes cause big difference. use 3-3-3 rule, doing brain dump on pape, practice 4-7-8 breathing exercise and by keeping your room cool, dark and quiet can calm your mind before going to bed.
Disclaimer
This article is just for general information only and is not a subsitute for professional medical advice. If you have serious medical problem talk to your doctor before doing these exercises.
