If you experience racing thoughts at night, you are far from alone.
Many of us experience them at one time or another, especially duringheightened stress.
As a result, we are barely aware of our interior emotional experience.
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But when everything goes dark and quiet at night, we find ourselves alone with our thoughts.
This provides the opportunity for darker, more difficult emotions and worries to present themselves.
What Do Racing Thoughts at Night Feel Like?
Some common experiences include:
For example, imagine that youre finally settling in for the night.
Youre tired and ready to get some rest.
But as soon as the lights go out and your head hits the pillow, your thoughts start racing.
Whatever your thoughts are, you cant stop them from coming.
As the thoughts race, your heart pounds too and it feels like you will never get to sleep.
This all feels unfair!
What Causes Racing Thoughts at Night?
Racing thoughts at night can also be attributed to mental health disorders, especiallyanxiety disorders.
Here are some of the most common causes of racing thoughts at night.
Sometimes racing thoughts at night resemblesymptoms of a panic attack.
Bipolar disorder requires a proper diagnosis from a physician or psychiatrist.
Obsessive thoughts, compulsions, and fixations on things like order and cleanliness are other commoncharacteristics of OCD.
Symptoms of the disorder include racing thoughts,including at night.
Additionally, racing thoughts and insomnia can besymptoms of withdrawalfrom certain medications, including opioids.
Recreational Drugs
Certain illegal drugs can cause racing thoughts.
Examples of drugs that can create this effect include methamphetamine and cocaine.
Here are some tips.
Having an outlet to let them all out when its not late at night can really help.
Empower yourself to make changes that will allow you to live a healthier, less stressful life.
Commonmedications for anxietyinclude anti-anxiety drugs like benzodiazepines and antidepressants.
These medications can also help you fall asleep more easily.
Final Words
Having racing thoughts at night doesnt have to be your reality forever.
You might feel hopeless, as though you will never get a chance again to settle easily into sleep.
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Cleveland Clinic.How to stop your mind from racing and get to sleep.
National Institute for Mental Health.Anxiety disorders.
American Psychiatric Association.What are bipolar disorders?
National Institute for Mental Health.Obsessive-compulsive disorder.
National Institute for Mental Health.Post-traumatic stress disorder.
U.S. National Library of Medicine.Caffeine.
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