Struggling to Sleep Because of Anxiety or Overthinking? Try This Simple Nighttime Practice

When Your Mind Won’t Switch Off at Night

How many times have you been lying there, awake at night, a hundred and one things swarming through your mind as if on an endless loop? Ok, maybe not a hundred and one things. But at least three or five things. Each time one worrying thought leaves your mind, another one rushes in to replace it. Joy! Oh, the joy!

And yes, we have all been there. Sometimes, we are there night after night after night.

And what happens when we have sleepless night after sleepless night?

Not only do we feel tired, function worse at, well, everything, and struggle to concentrate during the day. We also form a fear pattern in our minds, that because we have been sleeping terribly for the last few nights, or perhaps even weeks, we are going to sleep terribly again tonight.

And then, just like that, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

“We form a fear pattern in our minds that because we have been sleeping terribly, we are going to sleep terribly again tonight.”

A Simple Sleep Practice to Calm an Overactive Mind

So, the next time you find yourself lying in bed, staring at the ceiling or staring into the darkness. Instead of continuing to just lie there, or instead of reaching for your phone, or flicking on the TV, none of which will help you get good quality sleep, even if you do manage to drift off again, I want you to try this instead.

Close your eyes, and start to take a few deep breaths in and out. Start to focus on your breath.

Then once you feel yourself relaxing a little, start to see, sense, or feel a bright white or yellow luminescent light entering through the top of your head.

Start to sense an imaginary white or yellow luminescent light, entering through the top of your head, and gradually let that light flow through your entire body.

See, sense, or feel a white or yellow luminescent light entering through the top of your head, flowing through your entire body, and then out through the soles of your feet.

Using Breath and Visualization to Relax the Body

And that’s it. It’s that simple.

Keep cycling that white or yellow luminescent light through your body while maintaining a steady breath pattern in and out.

Have the light entering through the top of your head, flowing down the entirety of your body, and then out through the soles of your feet.

By focusing on this light practice, you are filling your body with healing and positive energies.

And what else are you doing?

You’re no longer thinking about anything else.

Your entire perspective shifts and changes, and your mind and body are focusing on your breath, and on the light practice.

Final Thoughts for Anyone Struggling to Sleep

If you are struggling to sleep regularly, know that you are not alone. Sometimes the mind simply needs support slowing down, especially during stressful or overwhelming periods of life. Small, calming practices repeated consistently can begin to create a new pattern around sleep, rest and relaxation.

If anxiety, overthinking or stress are impacting your confidence, wellbeing or daily life more deeply, you are always welcome to explore my coaching sessions, workshops or resources for additional support.