How to fall asleep when your mind is racing: a gentle plan

It's late, the house is quiet, and your mind has decided this is the perfect moment to replay a conversation, plan next week and worry about how tired you'll be tomorrow. If you're wondering how to fall asleep when your mind is racing, you're not alone, and there are gentle, practical things you can try tonight.

The short answer: give your attention somewhere calmer to rest, such as a fond memory, use a simple relaxation practice, keep the clock out of sight, and get up for a while if you're wide awake. During the day, give your worries their own time slot so they're less likely to follow you to bed.

Below is a night and day plan you can adapt to suit you.

Why your mind speeds up at night

During the day, work, people and tasks keep your attention busy. Many people find that once the lights go out and those distractions fall away, whatever feels unresolved gets louder.

For some, the main worry becomes sleep itself. The Sleep Health Foundation explains that people who tend to worry are more likely to have insomnia, and that worrying about sleep can set up a loop of poor sleep followed by more worry. You don't need to have an anxiety disorder for a busy mind to keep you awake.

healthdirect describes insomnia as trouble getting to sleep, staying asleep, waking too early or waking unrefreshed, and lists worrying about sleep as one of its daytime signs. It also notes that more than 1 in 10 people have at least mild insomnia at any one time.

A racing mind isn't always the whole picture, though. healthdirect lists many other possible contributors, including:

• chronic pain, menopausal hot flushes, or breathing, bladder or bowel problems
• other sleep disorders such as sleep apnoea or restless legs
• caffeine, nicotine, alcohol and some medicines
• stress about work, money, relationships or grief

How to fall asleep when your mind is racing: what to try in bed

Give your mind somewhere gentle to go

Straining to empty your mind rarely feels restful. A softer option is to steer your attention towards something pleasant and absorbing. The Conversation describes this as refocusing: slowly replaying a favourite memory, or a film you know well, in your mind. When a worry tugs you away, simply notice it and come back to the scene, as many times as you need.

You may also see "cognitive shuffling" mentioned online, where you picture a string of random, unrelated things. It's a popular tip, but it hasn't been formally tested, so think of it as something to experiment with rather than a proven method.

A simple relaxation practice

healthdirect suggests breathing exercises, muscle relaxation and meditation before bed. A simple way to begin:

1. Let your breathing slow down and become comfortable.
2. Starting with your feet, gently tense the muscles for a few seconds, then let them soften.
3. Move slowly up through your legs, belly, hands, shoulders and face.

If meditation is new to you, Cleveland Clinic suggests starting with around five minutes of guided meditation before bed and building up from there. The Sleep Health Foundation names mindfulness as one option for an overactive mind, and suggests practising noticing and calming a busy mind during the day too, not only at night.

Turn the clock around

Checking the time can make anxiety about sleep worse, according to healthdirect. Turn the clock to face the wall and put your phone somewhere out of reach.

When to get up instead of lying there

If you've been lying awake for a while and feel wide awake, or more wound up rather than less, it can help to get out of bed. healthdirect suggests doing something calm, such as reading, away from screens, and going back to bed once you feel sleepy.

The idea, which the Sleep Health Foundation also supports, is that bed is for sleep. Over time, you want your bed to feel linked with resting rather than with lying there thinking.

What to do during the day so nights feel quieter

Give worry its own appointment

The Sleep Health Foundation suggests choosing a regular time of day when you're free to think, plan and worry, and keeping that thinking out of bed. Writing worries down may help as well, as The Conversation notes. A sleep psychologist quoted by Cleveland Clinic suggests about 15 minutes of worry journalling in the early evening. That's expert advice rather than something tested in trials, but it's easy to try.

You might jot down what's on your mind, one small next step for anything you can act on, and a reminder that the rest can wait until tomorrow's worry time. If a worry pops up in bed, you can tell yourself it already has a place to go.

Steady your sleep rhythm

healthdirect's sleep tips include:

• going to bed and getting up at regular times
• spending no more than about 8 hours in bed, and going to bed later if you usually take a long time to fall asleep
• keeping screens out of bed and out of the time just before sleep (Cleveland Clinic suggests 30 to 60 minutes of screen-free wind-down)
• avoiding alcohol for at least 4 hours before bed, caffeine for 3 to 7 hours and cigarettes for at least 2 hours
• avoiding naps, or keeping them to around 20 minutes

These habits are a helpful foundation. Still, RACGP guidance notes that sleep hygiene on its own isn't enough to treat long-term insomnia, which is where further support comes in.

When to talk to your GP

It's a good idea to see your GP if poor sleep is affecting your mood, if you're restless in bed or waking unrefreshed, or if tiredness is wearing you down (healthdirect). Your GP can check for other causes such as pain, hormone changes, sleep apnoea or medicines, and can refer you to a sleep clinic if needed (healthdirect).

Free online options

• The THIS WAY UP Insomnia Program is free, has four lessons and is designed for people who have had trouble sleeping for the past 3 months. You can do it on your own or with a clinician.
• The MindSpot Sleep Course is free and therapist-assisted, as listed by healthdirect.

Where psychotherapy and hypnotherapy may fit

Sometimes the racing thoughts are about more than sleep. healthdirect lists stress, grief, relationship difficulties and mental health concerns among the causes of insomnia. When that's the case, it can help to gently look at what's underneath, alongside caring for your sleep.

In psychotherapy, we look at both the past and the present to understand the patterns of thinking and feeling that may be keeping you on alert. Clinical hypnotherapy works with a deeply relaxed, focused state. Some people like to use relaxation or hypnosis recordings as one part of a calm wind-down routine, and you'll find a few in our store.

Something to try tonight

Choose one thing for the night and one for the day. Perhaps tonight you turn the clock around and replay a favourite memory when your mind starts to race. Tomorrow, you set aside 15 minutes in the early evening to write down what's on your mind. Small, steady changes are often easier to keep than a complete overhaul.

If you'd like support with the stress or anxiety behind your sleepless nights, you're welcome to book a session in Newstead, Brisbane, or online from anywhere in Australia.

This article is general information only. It isn't medical or mental health advice and doesn't replace an assessment of your own situation. If you're struggling, please talk to your GP or a qualified mental health professional. If you need support now, call Lifeline on 13 11 14, or 000 in an emergency.