Why We Can't Shut Our Minds Off at Night...And What to Do

Have you ever laid down to sleep and your brain just would not stop? You are exhausted. Your body is tired. But the moment your head hits the pillow every unfinished thought, worry, and mental to do list decides to show up all at once.

In this Season 5 premiere episode Marilyn gets honest about her own experience with a mind that will not quiet down at night and the physical signals her body sends when stress has been building for too long. She also breaks down the science of why this happens in a way that is simple and actually makes sense, and shares the tools that help her come back to calm when her nervous system just will not settle.

This episode is not about achieving perfect sleep or eliminating stress. It is about understanding what is happening inside us and giving ourselves some practical tools to work with so we do not have to just lie there and suffer through it.

In this episode:

• Why so many of us cannot turn our brains off at night and what is actually happening when that occurs
• A simple explanation of the nervous system using a gas pedal and brake pedal analogy
• What a stuck nervous system actually looks like in everyday life and why it is not a character flaw
• A real example of using the bubble method during a stressful moment and why it changed the outcome
• Why the bubble method actually works from a nervous system perspective
• A step by step walk through of the bubble exercise to try in a quiet moment
• A simple bedtime practice that helps the mind finally let go and rest

This week's takeaway:

Keep a notebook next to your bed. When the thoughts start spinning at night write them down as a simple list. Not a journal entry. Just a list. Getting it out of your head and onto paper tells your brain the information is safe and makes it easier to actually rest.

If you are struggling:

You are not alone and you do not have to face this by yourself. If you are in crisis or feeling unsafe please reach out for help right away.

988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

Call or text 988 anytime day or night. Free confidential support is available 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

Connect with Marilyn:

www.MarilynBarker.com

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