Why is it, your brain can suddenly decide, in the middle of the night that you should wake up and think about a handful of things, over and over?
Just three hours ago, my brain was screaming, you need sleep! Heavy eyes and a foggy brain were obvious signs that rest was needed. Yet, here it is, 1:30 in the morning, and I’m wide awake. What could possibly be more frustrating?
The longer these thoughts tumble around in my brain like laundry in the dryer, the more anxious I get. Now, it’s 2:30, and I’ve just lost an hour of sleep. I’m going to be exhausted tomorrow, and I have so much to do. Tossing and turning, I periodically wonder if it would make more sense to just get up. In hopes that I’ll fall back asleep, I give it 15 more minutes. Just enough time to cycle through the same thoughts, again.
In my self-diagnosis, I blame stress as the cause of a few sporadic sleep disruptions. While I can count my blessings that this is a short-term problem (I hope), for others, it’s the norm: insomnia and the mind that won’t stop. A condition that may be indicative of a bigger problem.
Insomnia is a strong predictor of incident depression. Incident depression is when a person has two negative screens for depression, followed by two positive screens for depression. Both before and after positive screening however, insomnia is typically reported. The worse the insomnia, the greater the developmental trajectory of depression.
If you’re putting the dots together, you may be wondering if good sleep hygiene is a preventive measure against depression. It is a valid start.
With prevention in mind, let’s circle back to the overactive mind and look at the thought pattern. One specific pattern that deserves attention is rumination. This is when negative thoughts about one's self, feelings, personal concerns and upsetting experiences become repetitive, prolonged and recurrent. The fact that it causes sleep disruption and emphasizes negative thoughts makes it all the more risky for depression.
Consider where rumination thrives. First, a dark, quiet room, without distractions, is an ideal environment to get stuck in a repetitive thought pattern. Second, our cognitive abilities related to inhibition and impulse control are weaker at night.
Before launching into suggestions for self-initiated therapy, it’s important to stress that mental health disorders may need to be addressed with the support of licensed professionals. Our society has normalized going to the doctor for the flu, let’s normalize the utilization of mental health services, too.
One approach that has proven efficacy in the treatment of insomnia and rumination is cognitive behavioral therapy. Your mental health care provider can help you navigate this effectively. In the meantime, practice good sleep hygiene with a few exercises on your own.
- Set aside time earlier in the day for problem-solving. Problem-solving is easier when you’re in a relaxed environment, so go for a walk, take a shower or lie in the grass.
- Focus on what you can control, especially when worry creeps in.
- Reduce stress through dispositional (trait) mindfulness practices. This means to bring awareness to thoughts and feelings in the moment. Name your emotion, but avoid labeling it. Acknowledge thoughts, without judgment.
- Counter a negative thought with a positive thought. You don’t have to believe it, but think it.
- While lying down, flex muscles in your body so you can consciously relax them. Pay special attention to your brow, jaw, neck and shoulders.
Nicole Clark is the family and consumer science agent for the La Plata County Extension Office. Reach her at nicole.clark@colostate.edu or 382-6461.
