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Everyone has probably experienced worrying or overthinking about work, personal life, family matters, and so on. You might think, "I'll sleep on it and clear my head before I think about it again!" and get into bed, but then your worries and thoughts won't leave your mind. The more you try not to think, the more you think, leading to a vicious cycle of not being able to sleep. Does this sound familiar?
In this article, we'll discuss the reasons why you can't sleep due to overthinking and introduce measures to help you achieve a good night's sleep.
Understanding the Causes of Sleeplessness Due to Overthinking
Sleep problems come in various forms, such as difficulty falling asleep, waking up in the middle of the night, light sleep, or intense daytime sleepiness. Here, let's explore the reasons why you might struggle to sleep due to overthinking.
Psychological Factors
If your brain remains in an excited state due to overthinking about work or personal problems, or things you need to do, you will have difficulty falling asleep. Additionally, a disrupted autonomic nervous system caused by stress and fatigue can also lead to insomnia.
Stress from Worries and Thoughts
When you feel stress, a hormone called cortisol is secreted. Cortisol increases heart rate and blood pressure, preparing the body to deal with stress. Therefore, anxiety, impatience, and stress can make it difficult to fall asleep.
HSP (Highly Sensitive Person)
If you "think deeply about everything," "react strongly to stimuli and get tired easily," "have weak emotional boundaries with others and are easily affected by their emotions," or "notice subtle stimuli like sounds, light, or smells that others don't," you might be an HSP (Highly Sensitive Person).
HSP refers to individuals with a delicate nervous system and high sensitivity, estimated to be 15-20% of the population, or about 1 in 5 people.
Characteristics observed in HSPs include the following:
- Overthinking every single thing
- Reacting excessively to sensory stimuli like sounds, light, smells, and weather changes
- Being highly empathetic to others and often conforming to opinions around them
- Low self-esteem
Because of these traits, HSPs are said to often have a dominant sympathetic nervous system, leading to a state of hyperarousal. However, being an "HSP" is not an illness but an inherent characteristic, so it is important to understand your own traits and create an environment that is comfortable for you.
Physical Factors
Beyond mental aspects, physical factors can also contribute to sleeplessness.
Firstly, it is said that the quality of sleep tends to decline with age.
Additionally, lifestyle habits such as alcohol and caffeine consumption, smoking, irregular routines, and environmental issues like noise, room temperature, or brightness can also lead to symptoms of insomnia.
For example, exposure to blue light from smartphones or computers can reduce the secretion of melatonin, which regulates the sleep-wake rhythm. This can disrupt the body's internal clock, making it difficult to fall asleep.
Furthermore, difficulty falling asleep might be due to a high internal body temperature (core body temperature).
Sleep Misperception
Among those who feel they suffer from insomnia, it is not uncommon for there to be cases of sleep misperception. Sleep misperception means that "you are actually sleeping much better than you think." Your insomnia might not be something to worry about excessively.
However, since you are unconscious while sleeping, it is difficult to grasp your own sleep state or insomnia. If you are concerned, try using devices or apps that measure sleep quality, such as difficulty falling asleep or waking up in the middle of the night, to analyze your sleep.
6 Immediate Solutions for When You Can't Sleep Due to Overthinking
When you can't sleep, you tend to overthink and worry, which further prevents you from sleeping, creating a vicious cycle. Here are six tips to try when you're struggling to sleep due to overthinking.
Relax with Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Progressive muscle relaxation is a technique to relax by tensing and slowly relaxing muscles in various parts of the body. The steps are as follows:
- Lie on your back.
- Close your eyes and take several deep breaths.
- Make a fist with your right hand and tense it for 10 seconds.
- Relax and hold for 20 seconds.
- Repeat the same for other body parts: tense for 10 seconds, then relax and hold for 20 seconds.
- Once all parts are done, take several deep breaths and open your eyes.
Try Yoga Breathing Techniques
In yoga, there is a breathing technique called "shisoku" (breath retention), where you intentionally hold your breath. By holding your breath, you can shift your focus from your thoughts to your breathing, thus controlling your mind. The general method is as follows:
- Exhale completely through your mouth for 6 seconds.
- Inhale through your nose for 2 seconds.
- Hold your breath for 4 seconds.
- Repeat steps 1-3.
Focus on your breathing, and emphasize exhaling more than inhaling. Imagine expelling any dark feelings from your body.
However, holding your breath for too long can put a strain on your body, so start with shorter durations and avoid overexertion.
Stimulate Acupressure Points for Good Sleep
Acupressure points, known as "keiketsu" in Eastern medicine, are believed to be places where imbalances in the "five zang and six fu organs" (internal organs) manifest. Stimulating them is said to improve the circulation of "qi" (energy) and blood.
Each acupressure point corresponds to specific organs or body parts, and stimulating a point transmits a sensation to the corresponding area of the body. Therefore, stimulating acupressure points for good sleep can alleviate discomfort that causes insomnia.
Generally, the acupressure points considered effective for insomnia are "Rōkyū" (劳宮) and "Shitsumin" (失眠). When you lightly clench your hand, Rōkyū is on the palm, roughly between the tips of your index and middle fingers. Press it somewhat firmly. Rōkyū is said to govern mental functions, and stimulating it can relax the entire body and create a sense of calm.
Shitsumin is located in the center of the heel on the sole of the foot. Besides pressing it, it is also recommended to stimulate it with moxibustion or by warming it with a hot water bottle. Shitsumin is said to be effective for insomnia caused by mild worries.
For insomnia relief, dim the lights and take deep breaths about 30 minutes to 1 hour before sleep. As you press the acupressure point, exhale slowly and deeply, then slowly release the pressure as you inhale. Repeat 10 times for both Rōkyū and Shitsumin.
To achieve good sleep, it's necessary to relax your brain, so don't be too concerned with the exact location of the acupressure points. Gently stimulate any spot that feels comfortable when lightly pressed.
There are many other acupressure points for good sleep. If you're interested, please refer to this article:
20 Acupressure Points for Instant Sleep & Deep Rest! No Tools Needed for Immediate Sleep
Cool Your Forehead and Palms
Effectively lowering your brain and core body temperature at the onset of sleep can lead to deeper sleep without waking up during the night. Watching screens like TV or smartphones raises your core body temperature, so try to cool your forehead and palms when you go to bed.
To cool your forehead, prepare a soft ice pack or a frozen towel and place it on the upper half of your pillow when you sleep. Alternatively, using a breathable pillow that helps lower your head temperature is also recommended.
Read Difficult Books, Such as Textbooks or Reference Books
Reading difficult books is said to promote sleepiness by secreting beta-endorphin, a substance with calming and relaxing effects.
However, reading on smartphones or tablets can promote wakefulness due to blue light, so use paper books.
Avoid Using Smartphones Before Bed
The blue light emitted from smartphones and other devices stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, awakening the brain and disrupting the body's internal clock. Therefore, if you want to improve your sleep quality, it's a good idea to avoid using your smartphone from 30 minutes before bedtime.
When you can't sleep, it's tempting to pass the time by looking at your smartphone, but in such cases, try closing your eyes and lying down instead. This alone will put your brain into rest mode, so don't panic if you can't sleep; just relax.
5 Things to Try When You Still Can't Sleep
If you've tried the suggested remedies and still can't sleep, consider paying attention to your daily life and habits.
Try Writing Down Your Thoughts
If you're feeling overwhelmed by vague anxieties or impatience without knowing exactly what is stressing you, try writing down your feelings and verbalizing them.
Clarifying what you're anxious about can help you organize your thoughts and reveal patterns, such as "I'm worried about the same things as before" or "I tend to worry in these situations." Also, by looking at yourself from an objective perspective, you might realize, "I was overthinking something that wasn't that big of a deal."
To avoid bringing your thoughts to bed, it's a good idea to immediately jot down anything that stresses you or worries you on your smartphone whenever it comes to mind. This helps you objectively assess your situation and feelings in the moment, helping you calm down.
Prepare to Stay Awake and Think It Through
Depending on your physical condition and the next day's schedule, if time permits, it might be beneficial to thoroughly think through your worries instead of forcing yourself to sleep.
It's natural to have worries. By confronting them properly, your feelings may shift. Even if you don't find a solution, facing your own mind and understanding your current situation can sometimes lead to a more positive outlook.
Don't Force Yourself to Sleep
Have you ever tried to force yourself to sleep on a sleepless night, only to find yourself even more awake? This happens because anxiety and impatience stimulate the sympathetic nervous system, causing mental and physical tension and making it harder to relax.
Therefore, it's crucial not to take it too seriously if you can't sleep at that moment, and instead, just allow yourself to rest. If you truly can't sleep and want a change of pace, it's good to get out of bed for a bit and relax with stretches or meditation.
Visit a Sleep Clinic
Even after trying various methods, you might still have trouble falling asleep and continue to struggle with sleep. If your concerns don't improve, or if you start experiencing physical or mental discomfort, consider visiting a clinic with a sleep medicine department.
Sleep clinics often have sleep specialists, and early improvement of symptoms can be expected with their treatment. Furthermore, consulting with a professional can help you understand your specific condition, which can alleviate anxiety and provide reassurance.
Optimize Your Sleep Environment
Using bedding that suits you is crucial for smooth sleep initiation. An ill-fitting pillow can make it difficult to fall asleep and contribute to overthinking. Choose a pillow that not only allows for height and firmness adjustments but also offers good ventilation and keeps your head cool. Eliminating the vicious cycle caused by your sleep environment is essential for quality sleep.
Sleep, which is said to account for "one-third of our lives," is a vital time to heal daily fatigue and recover both mind and body. Therefore, it's important to be particular about bedding that affects the quality of your sleep. Here, we'll introduce how to choose the most important items: pillows and mattresses.
For pillows, height and firmness are key.
The most important thing for a pillow is whether its height matches the curve of your neck. Since you rest your head on it for extended periods, an ill-fitting pillow can strain your neck and shoulders, leading to neck pain and stiffness, so be cautious.
Additionally, cooling your head improves sleep quality, so choose a pillow that is highly breathable and maintains excellent heat dissipation.
For those who want to improve their sleep quality or have significant sleep concerns, custom-made pillows, which are slightly more expensive but tailored to your neck curve and preferred firmness, are also recommended.
For mattresses, check how much your body sinks and how easy it is to turn over.
When choosing a mattress, it's essential to actually lie on it and assess its comfort level—whether it feels too hard, too soft, comfortable, painful, strains your lower back, feels constricting, or is simply easy to sleep on. Beyond the immediate sensation, check if it continues to be comfortable after a while, and if there's any discomfort with how much your lower back sinks or how it conforms to your body.
Also, how easily you can turn over is a key factor. While on the mattress, try turning over, lying on your side, and on your stomach to check for stability and any pressure points. Sleeping on a mattress that suits your body can improve blood circulation and the removal of waste products that accumulate during the day, potentially reducing fatigue and swelling.
The compatibility between your pillow and mattress is also important. So, when testing either one in a store, it's recommended to consider the differences from the height of your pillow and the firmness of your mattress at home before making a purchase.
【For more detailed information】
How to Choose the Best Pillow for Better Sleep Quality: Selection Criteria You Won't Regret
Wake Up Feeling Refreshed?! How to Choose the Right Mattress to Improve Your Quality of Life
Optimize Your Sleep Environment with Bedding! Check Out Brain Sleep's Items
At Brain Sleep, we develop a variety of bedding items to meet our customers' sleep needs and concerns. Here, we introduce the features and highlights of our recommended products.
It's Okay to Have Nights Where You Overthink and Can't Sleep
We've discussed the reasons why you might struggle to sleep due to overthinking and immediate solutions. However, everyone has days when they can't fall asleep or get caught up in worries, so it's also important not to worry too much. Knowing that various solutions exist can help you spend your nights with peace of mind.
