Excessive nighttime thoughts are usually one of the causes of inability to fall asleep. Here are a clinical psychologist’s tips to calm them down.
Do the thoughts of the night not leave you? sleep ? You could experience a Sleeping troubles a common problem among the population, where it is not easy to fall asleep or rest peacefully or adequately.
According to the clinical psychologist and specialist in sleep disorders, Lisa Strauss , Excessive thinking at night can be a sign of stress, but also of insecurity, or excessive caffeine consumption, or a symptom of an illness such as depression. , anxiety obsessive-compulsive disorder or attention deficit disorder, among others.
However, there are some strategies that can be implemented at home to help stop overthinking and get restful sleep.

1. Use a distraction to calm yourself down
According to the psychologist who holds a doctorate in University of Pennsylvania the human mind cannot maintain two narratives at the same time. For him, A good idea is to listen to audiobooks, podcasts, radio programs at a low volume or read a relaxing book in dim lighting.
“Whenever unwanted thoughts arise, don’t push them away. Let them fade into the background and gently bring your attention back to your calming distraction,” Strauss explains.
Also, you should not try to focus on sleep as a goal.
2. A calendar to worry about
This is a 30-minute technique that is recommended to be implemented in the early evening. The recommendation is Set a schedule to deal with the issues that concern you constructively, so they don’t haunt you at night.
“Make a list of all the worries and stressors. For each one, ask yourself: Is there anything you can do in the next two weeks (even if you can’t completely solve the problem)? If so, what can you do and when exactly will you do it?

3. Analyze feelings that are usually ignored
Buried feelings can resurface at night in the form of anxiety and overthinking. . For this reason, Dr. Strauss suggests reaching out to them during the day and listening to them.
“Prompt yourself with half-statements like, ‘What scares me is,’ or ‘What saddens me is,’ or ‘What disappoints me is,’ or ‘What I am ashamed of is,’ or ‘What I regret is,’ or ‘I am sorry. What traumatized me the most is.’ Choose a few half-statements per session. Commit to processing whatever happens later (not tonight) carefully,” he explained.
4. Think rationally
For example, thinking about pros and cons and correcting cognitive distortions can be great tools throughout the day to re-evaluate our worries and other distracting thoughts.
If something worries you, “Ask yourself what are the worst, best, and most likely outcomes, in that order.”
5. Self-soothe
“Cultivate a more soothing language and a kinder tone with yourself, day and night, and try to believe yourself.” recommended the clinical psychologist.
This includes other helpful techniques, such as meditation, relaxation time, and relaxation exercises. Breathe to slow down your thoughts, do yoga, or keep a notebook next to your bed to write down your thoughts.
Source: Latercera

I am David Jack and I have been working in the news industry for over 10 years. As an experienced journalist, I specialize in covering sports news with a focus on golf. My articles have been published by some of the most respected publications in the world including The New York Times and Sports Illustrated.