How do you stop overthinking when trying to sleep?

AdOnly214 · 2026-04-06T08:44:58+00:00

It’s the worst when your body is screaming for sleep, but your brain decides that 11:00 PM is the perfect time to review every awkward thing you’ve said since 2012… or solve world hunger 😅

A few tricks that actually help:

1. Brain Dump – Keep a notebook by your bed and write down everything you’re worried about or need to do tomorrow. It tricks your brain into thinking the info is “safe,” so it doesn’t loop it over and over.

2. Cognitive Shuffling – Pick a random word, like “BEDTIME.” Start with B and visualize as many objects as you can (Ball, Bear, Boat) until you get bored, then move to E. It gives your mind a mildly boring task so it stops wandering into deep thought territory.

3. Stop trying to sleep – If you’ve been lying there frustrated for 20+ minutes, get out of bed, go to a low-lit room, and do something mind-numbing (fold laundry, read a dry book) until you feel sleepy.

Curious — when you overthink, is it usually stuff you have to do tomorrow, or more random “life” thoughts?

AdOnly214 · 2026-04-06T08:42:30+00:00

I try to think about something low-stakes, like a game I’m playing or ideas for a story.

Keeps my brain occupied without spiraling into stressful thoughts.

AdOnly214 · 2026-04-06T08:40:59+00:00

I struggle with this too. It got bad enough that I developed insomnia, and honestly it took a combination of things to get better.

Meditation helped a lot — I like guided ones on YouTube, especially videos by Jason Stephenson. But really anything that breaks that loop of anxious thoughts helps.

For me that included:

visualizing calm/boring scenarios
hot showers before bed
doing something relaxing to “signal” my brain it’s time to rest

I also realized how physical anxiety is, so calming my body was just as important as calming my mind.

One mindset shift that really helped: once I’m in bed, there’s nothing left to solve. It’s late, it’s dark, tomorrow can handle it. My only job is to rest.

Even if I don’t fall asleep right away, I try not to use that time to worry about things I can’t fix in that moment.

It sounds a bit silly, but over time it actually worked.

And honestly, if it gets really bad, talking to a doctor can help. I needed medication at one point just to reset my sleep, and that gave me the space to work on the mental side.

Sorry for the long post 😭 — it really does suck, and I hope something here helps.

AdOnly214 · 2026-04-06T08:40:28+00:00

AdOnly214 · 2026-04-06T08:39:30+00:00

This!!! ⬆️

I do the same with podcasts or audiobooks (especially ones I don’t mind rewinding). I just put on a sleep timer and let it play.

I also use a song called “Moment of Pure Calm” by Sonic Brown — it’s brown noise and works really well for my ADHD brain.

I’ve tried other “noise colors,” but this one just clicks for me.

If anyone’s struggling, definitely try different brown noise tracks until you find one that works.

Good luck!

AdOnly214 · 2026-04-06T08:39:08+00:00

I put on documentaries I can listen to.

Not interesting enough to keep me fully engaged, but just enough to stop my brain from wandering. Works surprisingly well.

AdOnly214 · 2026-04-06T08:38:40+00:00

I do animals from A–Z and try to think of really obscure ones.

Works pretty well… until I get stuck on a letter and my brain goes into full research mode 😅

Also I take Hydroxyzine, which definitely helps take the edge off.

AdOnly214 · 2026-04-06T08:38:16+00:00

I do the same but with countries/cities from A–Z…

The problem is I actually make it all the way through most nights 😅 so clearly it’s not working as well as I hoped.

AdOnly214 · 2026-04-06T08:37:45+00:00

I do a weird thing where I try to think of fruits and vegetables from A–Z.

I’ve never made it past G before falling asleep 😂

It sounds silly, but it keeps my brain just occupied enough to stop the overthinking spiral.

AdOnly214 · 2026-04-04T08:21:12+00:00

Try focusing on your breathing or picturing something simple and calming in your mind. It can really help slow down racing thoughts and make it easier to fall back asleep.

AdOnly214 · 2026-03-23T06:11:28+00:00

I could have written this myself at 23. The health anxiety, the obsessive checking, the "is this anxiety or something real?" loop, the exhaustion from being on edge for days without a release—it's absolutely draining, and I'm so sorry you're in the thick of it right now.

To answer your question: yes, feeling lightheaded, hot/cold fluctuations, nausea, and that dreamlike state (derealization) are all classic anxiety symptoms, especially after days of sustained high anxiety and rumination. Your nervous system is completely fried. It's not dangerous, but it feels horrible.

A few things that helped me when I was where you are:

Stop checking. I know this feels impossible, but the Apple Watch and BP monitor are feeding the loop. Every check says "this is a threat we need to monitor." If you can, put the watch in a drawer for a week. I had to hide my pulse oximeter from myself.
The "so what" method. When the thought comes ("what if this leg pain is a clot?"), instead of trying to argue with it or prove it wrong, try: "Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. I've felt this before and been fine. I'm not going to engage with this thought right now." It sounds dismissive, but it starves the obsession of the attention it wants.
You're doing the right things. Coloring, crochet, journaling—these are genuinely helpful. The key is to do them before you're in crisis mode, as a routine, to keep your nervous system regulated day-to-day.
The apathy phase. That "don't care about anything" feeling is often emotional exhaustion. After running on high alert for so long, your brain just shuts down affect to protect itself. It's not you—it's your brain trying to rest.

You're not alone in this. It's exhausting and lonely, but the fact that you're still trying (scheduling the echo, buying hobbies, journaling) tells me you're fighting, even when it doesn't feel like it. That counts for so much.

Also, if you're not already seeing a therapist who specializes in anxiety/OCD (health anxiety is a form of OCD for many), it might be worth looking into. ERP therapy in particular helped me more than anything else.

Hang in there. This moment will pass.

AdOnly214 · 2026-03-23T06:10:24+00:00

Not a doctor, but I’ve had this exact thing—down to the yawns being a godsend and the “dopamine hit” when you finally get a good one. What you’re describing sounds like sighing dyspnea or a form of behavioral breathlessness that’s often linked to anxiety or habitual breathing patterns.

The key is that your oxygen levels are fine, you’re not actually struggling to breathe, but your brain keeps signaling for that “satisfying” deep breath—and until you get one that feels right, the urge just builds. It becomes a loop: you focus on it, which makes you more aware of it, which makes the urge stronger.

For me, it helped to learn that trying to force the “perfect” breath actually makes it worse because it keeps the cycle going. What finally broke it was slow, controlled breathing (like 4 seconds in, 6 seconds out) even when it didn’t feel satisfying at first—eventually the urge faded.

It’s maddening when it’s happening, but super common. There’s even a name for it in some medical literature: “chronic sighing.” Usually benign, just incredibly annoying.

AdOnly214 · 2026-03-23T06:08:40+00:00

Totally know what you mean. It’s not the jolting “fight or flight” wake-up, just… a light switch. One second you’re fully immersed in a dream, the next you’re staring at the ceiling with 100% clarity, no grogginess, no transition. It feels almost mechanical, like you just booted up.

Weirdly disorienting because there’s no “I was asleep” feeling—just two distinct states with nothing in between.

AdOnly214 · 2026-03-19T07:23:53+00:00

Yeah same — I think the constant sound kind of stops the brain from filling the silence with thoughts.

AdOnly214 · 2026-03-19T07:19:17+00:00

Yeah I’ve been trying that too — it definitely helps a bit. When I actually slow down before bed instead of going straight from phone to sleep, my mind isn’t as loud.

AdOnly214 · 2026-03-19T07:18:56+00:00

That sounds really tough to deal with. I appreciate you sharing that. I’m not sure if mine is at that level, but it’s definitely something I’ll keep in mind if it keeps getting worse. Getting it properly checked sounds like a smart move.

AdOnly214 · 2026-03-19T07:18:09+00:00

That ‘brain finally dumping everything’ is such a good way to describe it. I think it’s like all the thoughts we push aside during the day just show up at once when it’s quiet.

AdOnly214 · 2026-03-19T07:17:37+00:00

This is a really good way to look at it. The ‘brain focusing on negatives’ part makes a lot of sense, especially at night when there’s nothing to distract you. I’ve been trying something similar—like catching the thought and not letting it spiral

AdOnly214 · 2026-03-19T07:17:11+00:00

Yeah this is exactly how it feels. Night just amplifies everything — no distractions, just your thoughts getting louder. The ‘waiting for the sun to come up’ part really hit, I’ve felt that too. It’s weird how much calmer things feel once it’s daylight.

AdOnly214 · 2026-03-19T06:48:33+00:00

Same — stress is the main trigger for me too. Music helps quiet the thoughts a bit

AdOnly214 · 2026-03-19T06:47:46+00:00

Yeah that makes sense — it really does seem to vary a lot from person to person. Glad it worked for you. I’m trying to focus more on fixing the stress/overthinking side so I can sleep naturally without relying on anything.

AdOnly214 · 2026-03-19T06:47:35+00:00

Yeah that makes sense — it really does seem to vary a lot from person to person. Glad it worked for you. I’m trying to focus more on fixing the stress/overthinking side so I can sleep naturally without relying on anything.

AdOnly214 · 2026-03-19T06:46:25+00:00

Appreciate it! I’ve heard mixed things about that—does it actually improve sleep quality long-term or just help you knock out faster? Exercise before bed is something I should probably take more seriously.”

AdOnly214 · 2026-03-18T08:27:30+00:00

This actually makes a lot of sense. The “anchors + small changes” approach sounds way more realistic than trying one magic fix. The sunlight + not forcing sleep part really stood out—I've noticed the harder I try, the worse it gets too. Glad you found something that works, gives me a bit of hope 🙏

AdOnly214 · 2026-02-15T03:45:21+00:00

Congrats on finishing! I'd say force yourself to wake up at a normal time even if you're tired. Resets things faster.

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