Yesterday I mentioned that I have a creative brain and I know I am not alone; I just had a client who ‘complained’ that her brain never shuts off, particularly at night. This is causing her a lack of sleep and the beginnings of anxiety over her inability to do so. It seems that she gets tired but as soon as she lays in bed, her brain becomes awake filling her head with racing thoughts; it seems that no matter how hard she tries she cannot get sleep. Why is it that for some of us, the brain comes alive at night?
A lot of it has to do with how cerebral we are; the more cerebral the more active your brain. Another is how you deal with life issues: if you tend to be a worrier then you will be more susceptible to the brain being overly active. It can keep you not only awake at night but the physical effects from stress and fatigue are well-documented and can play havoc on your life. So what to do?
1. Write: writing down all the tasks you feel you have to do or the problems you have to solve will take them out of your mind and then you won’t ruminate on them.
2. Deep breath: practicing deep breathing exercises or meditation will help you to feel calmer and more focused, leading to a better night’s sleep (this actually works well anytime)
3. Exercise: any form of exercise, although not too close to bed, will help you to feel more relaxed and calm your brain; walking is very good
Quieting an active brain is challenging, particularly when you don’t want it to be so practicing calming techniques will help you to feel more focused and more in control so you can go do the things it’s telling you to.
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