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I think it’s probably personal to what suits the person but for me, I find and have found listening to rain, nature and white noise sounds helpful. They are free on YouTube. I have also found listening to talks by specific people very soothing and calming too. I listen to spiritual speakers such as Eckhart Tolle, which is also free on YouTube and this has helped a lot.
I’m sure others will have found different things helpful to them.
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Hi Daff,
It’s so hard to switch off isn’t it? The same track playing on a loop round and round. A couple of things to try that I found helpful;
1. Make time in the day (aim for at least 30mins but any amount will help) where you just sit in a quiet room. No phone, no radio or tv, at most ticking clock. And just be. Let your thoughts go where they will. You have so much to process and pushing it away all the time just means it will crop up when you’re finally in your quiet bedroom trying to sleep. Then when it is night time you can tell yourself; no. I’m not thinking about this now. I’ll think about this in my quiet time tomorrow. I used to visualise actually pushing my ex out of my bedroom and closing the door behind him. This takes time and practice but will help if you persist with it.2. Good sleep hygiene ie Avoid caffeine after lunch, no screens or tv in bed. Read a book instead. Try to go to bed and get up at similar times every day. Avoid alcohol as it might help you drop off but can cause rebound anxiety, waking you up in the middle of the night feeling anxious.
3. Try journaling your feelings a couple of hours before bed but avoid re-reading your entries. Then put the journal away and tell yourself; that’s dealt with for today.
4. A warm bath with Epsom salts and some lavender and some fresh pjs before bed, or a warm shower.
5. I find restorative yoga really helpful to wind down too, theres some good youtube videos you can follow.
Be very kind to yourself. Sometimes when your mind is racing there’s no point in fighting it. I used to find getting up and looking at the stars or listening to the rain for a while was better than thrashing around in the bed and I could usually sleep when I went back.This too will pass. You wont always feel like this xx
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Oh yes, and I second the bath, too, but add a candle with your favourite fragrance. It makes you feel good within yourself and therefore in a happier place for getting to sleep.
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A guided meditation aimed specifically at sleep works for me. I use the “insight timer”. Its free and his thousands of meditations. If you’re really strughling, don’t be afraid to get something from your GP to tide you over. Lack of sleep can make you feel more anxious do if its an ongoing problem, its worth asking for help.
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Try keeping a pad and pen next to your bed and writing your thoughts down. Getting up in the morning and going to bed at the same time each night helps. These intrusive thoughts don’t last forever. It’s your brain trying to sort through what’s been happening. I take an antihistamine because they make me drowsy and help me to sleep but your GP may be able to prescribe you something short term x
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I’ve generally always been good at switching off and self care but after leaving, several weeks in, my mind was racing like I’d never experienced. Not just worries, but whole chunks of my childhood whizzing through my mind. I wrote it all down. I kept a pen and paper by my bed and just wrote and wrote and cried then ripped it up and put it into the bin. I’m sleeping better again now. I love lavender oil and I like to read in bed xx
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