"You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you; all whose thoughts are fixed on you." ~Isaiah 26:3
It’s 2 a.m. and the sound of the ceiling fan isn’t the only noise keeping you awake. Monkey Mind, better known as the steady cadence of your racing thoughts, has your brain and body on high alert. What to do? You try getting up, going to the bathroom, lying back down, and still sleep proves elusive. What strategies can you put into place to quiet the noise in your head?
- Evaluate your sleep hygiene. Is your bedroom dark, cool, and free of electronic devices (i.e. cell phone, laptop, iPad, television- yes, the television needs to be turned off.) Thirty to sixty minutes before bedtime all of these electronic devices need to be silenced.
- An hour or so before bedtime, relax with a calming beverage ~ chamomile tea or tart cherry juice are healthy choices.
- Avoid exercise in the late evening hours. Exercise powers your body and brain up when you are attempting to power down.
- If you are married or have a roommate, agree not to discuss conflicts or intense concerns after 9 p.m. Tense discussions ramp up your stress hormones and lead to an inability to fall asleep and remain asleep (Not to mention resolution or beneficial discussion rarely happen when you’re tired!).
- Consider a brain dump twenty to thirty minutes before bedtime. You simply journal about all that you’re thinking and feeling. Your journal is for you so there’s no need to aim for complete sentences, correct spelling, etc. This is a safe space for you to get all that’s on your mind and heart up and out.
- Ask yourself an important question: What went well today? Many times when your head hits the pillow you begin ruminating on all that you could have, should have, would have done differently or better. This negative self-talk begins a downward spiral, leaving you in a place where at 2 a.m. your brain picks right back up where you left off.
- Pray or Meditate on a passage of Scripture that comforts you and reminds you of who God is and His steadfast love for you.
- Practice slow, deep belly breathing. Place your hand on your belly, inhale slowly and deeply through your nose for 4 seconds or so. Your belly fills up with air like a balloon, moves up through your diaphragm all the way up to your collarbones. Pause at the top for 6 seconds or so. Then, exhale slowly and deeply through your mouth for 8 seconds or so, as if you are blowing through a straw. You need at least 3 to 5 cycles of slow, deep belly breathing to calm your central nervous system and slow those racing thoughts down.
- Try progressive muscle relaxation. Start with your feet, tensing and then relaxing your muscles all the way up your body. Notice how each muscle feels when it is relaxed and heavy.
- Go on a mini-vacation in your mind. Visualize a favorite place, person, or memory. Notice the details ~ sights, sounds, smells, etc.
If you continue to experience insomnia after having tried many healthy strategies, reach out to your family physician. He or she may recommend a temporary sleep aid and/or some integrative approaches such as acupuncture, massage, or talking with a counselor. The noise in your head does not have to drown out the song in your heart.