"I can't shut my mind off at night" is a very common refrain among insomnia patients. Is this a real phenomenon and if so, how does it relate to the disorder of insomnia. In this episode we will:Review the cognitive role of mental hyperarousal in insomniaExplore how mental de-arousal is an integral part of managing insomnia Learn how insomnia patients raise their level of arousal as they approach bedtime and are often cued to do so by their sleep environment.Differentiate poor sleepers who often view their racing thoughts or inner monologue as an impediment to their sleep versus normal sleepers who do not. See mindfulness as the countermeasure to our culture's propensity to stress mental escalation while ignoring techniques for de-escalationList some methods, including the use of biofeedback devices, for practicing how to manage a racing mindTouch upon the idea that the "racing mind" is something to embrace, not fearProduced by: Maeve WinterMore Twitter: @drchriswinter IG: @drchriwinter Threads: @drchriswinter Bluesky: @drchriswinter The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child Thanks for listening and sleep well!

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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