- You Are Not Alone (with Depression & Anxiety)
- Depression Does Not Define You
- What Does Depression Look Like?
- 10 Encouraging Bible Verses to Ease Depression
- Navigating Tough Parenting of Teens: When Your Daughter Wants to Dye Her Hair Blue
- How to Manage Depression and Chronic Pain
- Truths About Depression: Stuff You Don’t Want to Hear
- I Got Punched in the Face This Weekend
- Straight Talk About How to Survive Heartbreaking Grief
- For a Day When You Need Motivation
- Sometimes Grief Comes From Unexpected Places
- For Parents of a Teen Who Had a Near Miss
- 10 Simple Ways to Bring Creativity to Your Life
- A Depression Solution: Speak!
- Q & A with a Therapist about Depression
- 4 Realistic Steps to Motivation When You Are Depressed {Based on Research!)
- How To Get In A Good Mood When Depressed
- Is it Okay to Avoid Pain?
- How Can I Serve If I’m Depressed?
- Do You Have Angry Depression?
- A Room Full of Love: Thoughts After a Loved One’s Suicide
- Top 5 Offbeat I’m Depressed and Nothing’s Gonna Stop Me Now Movies
- What You Need to Know about Postpartum Depression
- Why You Need More Mental Flexibility
- How To Stop Stress Eating
- How to Exercise When You Don’t Feel Like It – 10 Workout Motivation Tips
- A Cure for Panic Attacks: The Potato Chip Method
- Can’t Sleep? Read This at 3:00 AM (When Depression Causes Insomnia)
- Secondary Traumatic Stress: How I Found Healing
- You Were Set Free For a Reason: A Daily Devotion about Freedom in Christ
- If You Write, Please Read This. (Plus, a FREE GIFT for All!)
Do you struggle with insomnia from depression and anxiety? Are your thoughts swirling in the middle of the night? Here’s how I overcame insomnia when I was anxious.
Thoughts at 3:00 AM
You roll over, and your first thought when you see the clock at 2:00 AM is, “Yes! I still have a whole night left to sleep!” This is a little gift from God as you snuggle back into your covers and the just-right spot on your pillow.
Then the thoughts start. First there are just a few random flittering run-through concerns. But then, the next one leads to the next.
Soon you roll over, and then roll over again.
You look at the clock and it’s 3:00 AM. The dread settles. You calculate how many hours until the alarm goes off and how much sleep you will or will not get.
Insomnia.
If you are dealing with depression, you know that disturbance in your sleep cycle is often part of this difficult situation. You can’t sleep, which makes you tired and more depressed. On and on it goes.
I’ve had insomnia many times during depression. Not sleeping well is often one of the first signs that I know I’m “not doing well”, when I start a several days pattern of waking up in the middle of the night and not going back to sleep.
The Best Way to Stop Your Negative Thoughts
My friend and fellow blogger Sharon shared this wonderful concept with me about how to stop your rolling thoughts when you are stuck in a negative thought cycle.
This works for middle of the night thoughts and during the day too.
Whatever your brain is stuck on worrying about, choose something completely different to pray about every single time that thought enters your mind. Within 24 hours you will see a remarkable decrease in your worry about this problem or situation!
A few months ago I was stuck worrying about a comment made by a couple co-workers. It was something small, really, but I just couldn’t get out my brain that they were laughing at me and talking about me behind my back. I ruminated on it.
I took Sharon’s advice to heart and every time the thought entered my brain, I said a prayer about my daughter Bekah’s school situation, which I’m sad to say I had been lacking in prayer for.
At that time we were waiting for Bekah’s internship placement. I’m happy to report she got the most amazing placement working in the culinary program at the Bronco stadium, Sports Authority at Mile High. God does indeed answer prayer! Maybe God used a totally different situation to nudge me into prayer where it was most needed.
Try this concept, and let me know how it works for you!
The Hope Toolbox
Check out My Hope Toolbox Printable Kit. This printable resource is helpful if you are working through the process of recovery from depression. Available to print and use starting immediately:
Today’s Bible Verse:
In peace I will both lie down and sleep;
for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.Psalm 4:8
Today’s Journaling Prompt
Do you have trouble with sleep? Where do your thoughts go in the middle of the night? What is something totally different from your worries that you can choose to pray about, starting tonight?
Resources
The NY Times: How an Insomnia Therapy Can Help with Other Illnesses
- You Are Not Alone
- Depression Does Not Define You
- What Does Depression Look Like?
- 10 Encouraging Bible Verses to Ease Depression
- When Your Daughter Wants to Dye Her Hair Blue
- How to Manage Depression and Chronic Pain
- Truths About Depression: Stuff You Don’t Want to Hear
- I Got Punched in the Face This Weekend
- Straight Talk About How to Survive Heartbreaking Grief
- For a Day When You Need Motivation
- Sometimes Grief Comes From Unexpected Places
- For Parents of a Teen Who Had a Near Miss
- 10 Simple Ways to Bring Creativity to Your Life
- A Depression Solution: Speak!
- Q & A with a Therapist about Depression
- Research Shows 4 Keys to Motivation When You Are Depressed
- 101 Ways to Boost Your Mood Immediately
- Is it Okay to Avoid Pain?
- How Can I Serve If I’m Depressed?
- Do You Have Angry Depression?
- A Room Full of Love: Thoughts After a Loved One’s Suicide
- Top 5 Offbeat I’m Depressed and Nothing’s Gonna Stop Me Now Movies
- What You Need to Know about Postpartum Depression
- Why You Need More Mental Flexibility
- How to Eat Healthy When You Don’t Feel Like It
- How to Exercise When You Don’t Feel Like It
- A Cure for Panic Attacks: The Potato Chip Method
- Can’t Sleep? Read This at 3:00 AM
- Do You Have Secondary Traumatic Stress?
- You Were Set Free For a Reason
- If You Write, Please Read This. (Plus, a FREE GIFT for All!)
Improve Your Mood!
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+Free printables.
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This is a great idea. I’ve struggled with insomnia and depression too. I’m going to remember this tip.
I’ve done this, too. I also recite to myself Scripture passages that I’ve memorized. Both practices help to calm my mind in the middle of the night.
I find that when I have a lot going on, I have trouble shutting off my mental to-do list. If my boys wake me up at night, that list starts rolling, and I have trouble falling back to sleep. Praying is definitely the quickest solution, and clearly the wisest as it puts our focus on the One Who can give us peace and guidance about any situation. 🙂