TIME – Sweet dreams are more like a pipe dream when 12 a.m. turns into 2 a.m.—and you still can’t stop worrying about all the work you have to do, the bills you need to pay, the argument you had with your sister, and the feeling that you maybe, probably, definitely are going to die sooner than you should because of a lack of sleep.
Experts say almost everyone experiences this kind of middle-of-the-night panic at some point.
“The most basic and common reason why we get more anxious at night is because of the decrease in the amount of distraction and activity we have going on,” says Michael G. Wetter, a clinical psychologist and director of psychology in the division of adolescent and young adult medicine at UCLA Medical Center.
“Our mind goes off road, and there’s nothing to guide us and keep us on track and focused and feeling productive.”
So what should you do about your racing thoughts at night? Thrash around until the sun comes up? Open your laptop and start chipping away at your to-do list? Or find some way to put those unwanted thoughts to bed?
We asked Wetter and other experts to share their favorite ways to soothe nighttime anxiety.
Carve out “worry time”
A few hours before you turn in for the night, set a timer and spend five minutes making two lists.
On one, write down everything you’re worried about that’s within your control: you forgot to call the veterinarian, you didn’t sign your kid’s permission slip, you didn’t finish responding to all your emails.
On the other, log the things you can’t do anything about, like the possibility that it will rain during your vacation next week …
