Sleep Anxiety and Night-Time Overthinking

Sleep Anxiety and Night-Time Overthinking | Counselling and Mindfulness Support

Exploring why racing thoughts keep us awake — and how therapy can help you rest more easily.

Why Sleep Anxiety Happens

Many people find that the quiet of night brings not peace, but a flood of thoughts. You might notice:

• Worrying about tomorrow’s tasks or replaying the day’s events

• Reliving conversations and what people said to you

• Feeling restless, tense, or unable to switch off

• Lying awake with negative thoughts that spiral into “what ifs”

This cycle of overthinking and anxiety can leave you exhausted, disconnected, and frustrated, even when you appear to cope well during the day.

What’s Beneath Night-Time Overthinking

Sleep anxiety often stems from:

• Stress and burnout: Carrying the day’s responsibilities into the night

• Perfectionism: Replaying mistakes or worrying about not being “good enough”

• Childhood experiences: Learning early to stay alert or suppress emotions

• Unprocessed emotions: Thoughts that surface when distractions fade

These patterns can make bedtime feel unsafe or overwhelming, even when your body longs for rest.

How Counselling Can Help

Counselling offers a safe, non-judgmental space to explore what’s keeping you awake. Together, we can:

• Identify thought patterns that fuel anxiety

• Explore the roots of overthinking with compassion

• Reframe perfectionism and self-criticism

• Develop strategies to regulate emotions and prepare for rest

• Practice responding differently to negative thoughts and replayed conversations

Therapy isn’t about “fixing” sleep instantly, it’s about understanding your mind, building emotional safety, and creating conditions where rest feels possible.

Mindfulness and Practical Techniques

Alongside counselling, mindfulness practices can help calm the mind at night:

• Breathing exercises: Slow, steady breaths signal safety to the nervous system

• Body scans: Gently noticing tension and releasing it

• Thought journaling: Writing down worries, events from the day, or things people said to you, then setting them aside

• Replying to negative thoughts: Asking, “Is this thought helpful or true?” and gently offering yourself a kinder perspective

• Rationalising spirals: Reminding yourself, “This can wait until morning, I don’t need to solve it now.”

• Grounding techniques: Focusing on sensations (touch, sound, breath) to anchor yourself in the present

These tools don’t erase anxiety, but they help you step out of spirals and reconnect with calm.

Gentle Signs It’s Time to Reach Out

• You dread bedtime because of racing thoughts

• Sleep feels shallow, broken, or non-existent

• Anxiety peaks at night, even if the day feels manageable

• You want support in building healthier patterns

These are valid reasons to seek therapy. You don’t have to face night-time anxiety alone.

Ready to Begin?

If you’re curious about counselling or wondering whether it’s right for you, I welcome you to email me directly at fee.therapymoments@gmail.com. I’ll respond with care and clarity. Therapy can help you explore your thoughts, reconnect with your needs, and begin to rest more peacefully.