Can't Stop Overthinking at Night, Need Help!

I can relate to exactly how you feel. My psychiatrist just started me on Quetiapine. It works well for me. Also having a routine along with that helps. If you shower at night I was told that wakes you up. So if you like to bathe at night I suggest a bath in the bathtub. Then turn all electronics off at the same time every night. If you read at night try to keep in at 20 mins and then turn the lights of and close your eyes. This may take a little bit to work but if you stick to it you’ll feel less tired. It took me about a week to adjust to all of that but it was very helpful. If you would rather not take anything you can just try the other things. I think having a night time routine is just as important as a daytime routine. I hope that helps!

I look forward to my dreams because I see my Dad. My insomnia is passed down and I guess it’s hard to put into words but I kind of just have learned to look forward to sleeping so I can maybe see him again. I do a ritual thing too like I make sure it’s the best temperature and all that!

Box breathing!!!!

Everyone says screen time in bed is terrible for sleep but for me an orange filter and the lowest brightness on my ipad watching youtube videos puts me to sleep better than anything else I've ever tried because I can listen to someone talk about something and focus on that instead of my own thoughts.

Perhaps try 4 7 8 breathing. 4 in, Hold for 7, exhale for 8. That calms me down. Journaling helps too

Write it all out. Just start a stream of consciousness and let it take you anywhere it takes you until you feel your brain is out of direction or you start to feel the sweet release of slumber.

Tart cherry juice is the new Internet fad supposed to make you sleep. I’ve yet to try. What works for me is either a tv show, or picturing the beach. Trying to imagine everything I’d smell, hear, see, the sand between my toes. I try to picture walking in, going under, being a mermaid, all the coral and fish I would see. By then I’m usually out and sometimes the ocean makes its way into my dreams

Try listening to delta and alpha waves

I was recently approved for medical cannabis, it has helped me get in sleep mode significantly.

I love all these. Will have to try them. Thanks guys!

Listen to a guided meditation as you fall asleep. Try and focus your mind, and watch your intrusive thoughts at a distance as a nonjudgmental third party to them. It’s very relaxing and helps with your ability to control your wandering thoughts

Prayer. Telling God all the things I'm thankful for. Keeps me from my thoughts spiraling all over the place.

The only thing that has worked for me is exercising extremely hard during the day so that I am EXHAUSTED by the end of the day. Unfortunately you can’t do that every day.

SHOWER! Showering before bed makes ur body increase and then rapidly decrease which is similar to what pur body does before we sleep. I also keep my room cold and take magnesium supplements before bed. Also find a calming sound like rain or white noise and when u find yourself spiraling into those thoughts, imagine you were where the sound is coming from. For example, if u listen to wave sounds before you sleep imagine ur in a comfy hammock on the beach.

✨ BOX BREATHING ✨

Generally I have a sleep herbal tea then I write everything down that I'm anxious about so it's somewhat out of my head then have 3 strong Valerian Root tablets it may take up to 1-2 hours to fully work but it may help. I'm not going to say it works every time cause that would be unfair. I guess it's just a case of seeing how it works out for you. Oh lavender pillow spray or big lavender bag under your pillow with the above might help too. And if you have an essential oil diffuser there's a lot of good reliable blends out there that could help too. If you want prescription stuff avoid amitriptyline like the plague your likely to wake up feeling really groggy that can last ages. Nortriptyline is similar to amitriptyline as they still in the same family it just doesn't make you feel crappy in the morning, buspirone may help if your brain is running a million miles a minute my Dr said it's in a similar family to Diazepam there's also Zopiclone which is actually pretty good. Problem with these is that your body gets used to them and you will end up needing a higher dose. Hope some of this helps xxx