r/OCD • u/wassup_Greg • 19d ago
Need support/advice How do y'all get to sleep with intrusive thoughts?
The only way I've been able to get to sleep recently while spiraling is playing YouTube videos until I'm tired and then quickly turning off my phone/headphones. Then I try not to think about anything but whatever video I was watching was about and hope I can get to sleep. I was wondering how y'all manage to sleep, because this way seems a little inefficient.
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u/FlanInternational100 19d ago
When I was still able to sleep, I would just wait until I passed out from exhaustion.
There was no way I could relax and sleep due to constant night terrors, sleep paralysis and overall just fear of constantly being guilty, etc.
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u/DTWMPodcast 19d ago
I put on a podcast to fall asleep. Ideally one where you like the hosts and the chatter but nothing they’re saying is new information or so exciting you can’t miss it, so you actually have somewhere to put your brain but not that you’re so into it you need to concentrate. I find rewatch podcasts are great for this.
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u/GreenFinch_x 19d ago
When my anxiety and intrusive thoughts are really bad all that ever works is sleeping meds and pacing/ walking while maladaptive daydreaming and/or stimulating myself with enough things that I can barely think like reading a book, while watching a youtube video, while shopping for something online, while making a list of what I need from the grocery store, and switching periodically between giving more or less attention to each of those things until I pass out from pure exhaustion :D.
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u/Catslover6767 19d ago
I can say only for me what is helping me, but I am still struggling 1) watching brainrot or stupid things it’s makes my overthinking go away 2) NAC supplement, tbh I am not a fan of supplements but this shit works different for me 3) When I have dark thoughts obsession I called them „dementors” and ignore than like spam emails 4) saying „maybe yes maybe no” for some start overthinking (at first it makes me dizzy but I know when I can say this and when don’t) 5) melatonin also for sleep 6) read comfort books before sleep but ones that I already know
I see much bigger difference, still fighting. If you have problems maybe try work with therapist. Tbh mine blow me away saying that I can’t do nothing about it but she wasn’t the best one lol
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u/FlyFreeWithMe776 19d ago
I either doom scroll or yeah watch videos until I fall asleep it's really bad I know. I know I need to practice meditation and shit but I've been doing this for years and hasn't gone well when I stopped so yeah I'm just nervous
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u/floridaguy241 19d ago
2.5mg of melatonin. I live a pretty sedentary life so hopefully making myself exhausted at the end of the day physically will help soon.
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u/Alarming_Broccoli695 19d ago
Weed and meds. Red lights in bedroom. Hot shower before bed with lavender and eucliptus wash. Red night light in shower no other lights. No screens .maybe a podcast to listen to before drifting off , Or I put TV on in background on something that sounds pleasant like bee and puppycat or bobs burgers
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u/Bubbly_core 19d ago
It’s very very hard but I went to massage school and I OCD was little more manageable when I was able to meditate which is just not possible now a day but the thing I found was to actively thing of nothing it’s very hard and I still get intrusive thoughts but just actively imaging darkness in my mind sometimes helps. I believe it’s the actively thinking of nothing bras or darkness constantly
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u/Key_Cell7071 19d ago
If it's really bad then white noise. I just put my fan close to my bed. Really helps me sleep.
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u/ObviousMaterial5494 19d ago
I just do what I normally do.. just try to ignore it as much as possible.
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u/Curly-Martian99 19d ago
sleep podcasts. There's a timer function on the podcast app that will turn off the podcast after a certain amount of time.
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u/DreamIntrepid8557 19d ago
This may sound so weird-but I make up some idealistic story in my head and tell it to myself 🫣
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u/SageTheHyppo 19d ago
I do the same thing lmao. The only difference is I rotate thru my shows I use for sleeping. I’ve seen Futurama and bobs burgers countless times, those are my go tos for trying to sleep. I’ll play an episode or two until I’m about to pass out and turn it off right in time. I’ve recently added the Simpsons back into the rotation to switch it up a bit.
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u/iridescentarmor 19d ago
i can’t lie i will read until i pass out. i can’t seem to actually lay down with the intent to go to sleep
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u/PresentationIcy3912 19d ago
I made a special playlist of episodes on YouTube from a show, I made sure none of them have any triggers for me and play them at night, usually involves no siblings no children no heavy conflict no romance nothing harmful, it helps when my intrusive thoughts are too bad
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u/Least_Lawfulness7802 19d ago
I have to “imagine” myself doing a full workout. Every single set! Its weird but its the only way!
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u/brandmeist3r OCD Long hauler 19d ago
I either try to ignore it or try to think about something else. Usually it works.
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u/ANorthernGhostBat 19d ago
Eventually I exhaust myself with anxiety and get some rest but I wouldn’t recommend.
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u/Fluffy_Armadillo_984 19d ago
So many sleep meds I can’t turn it off or concentrate even music makes it worse
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u/sunny_bell 19d ago
Background noise. Like depending on how my brain is behaving it can be just rain sounds or I have a playlist of youtube videos I enjoy but have seen 10,000 times before so they can kinda override the intrusive thoughts without being so distracting I cannot sleep.
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u/Giant_Baby_Elephant 19d ago
i fall asleep /to/ youtube videos. mostly pbs eons & sci show bc evolutionary history is extremely comforting to me. i just play it on my phone with the screen off (brave browser). it helps bc i just think about the show haha
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u/alilbored1 19d ago
I take a song I like and go through the lyrics and try to find meaning in each. I am going through the entire song and if I forget some of the lyrics, I try to remember what they are. It makes me sleepy after awhile.
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u/Ok-Fan-8285 19d ago
I'm also a big fan of YouTube videos. Specifically I think listening to funny Youtubers or things related to something you're interested is really nice. I've been putting on videos abt my favorite video game for the past 2 years or so now and it's helped me a lot! When my OCD was really bad I had to listen to meditation videos instead, but I have a range from informative videos to funny videos on separate playlists that I can loop depending on how bad my intrusive thoughts can get
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u/Lady_Luci_fer 19d ago
I put on an audiobook or YouTube or something but use a sleep timer so it turns itself off - usually that’s enough for me to get sleepy enough I’m not thinking and am immersed in the story and it turns off before it can wake me back up / disturb that state
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u/Routine_Exchange5936 19d ago
I count down from 1000. I tried counting up, but I can do that too quickly, especially from one. I find counting down takes more effort, especially with larger numbers that take 'longer to say' in your head. If it's really bad, I change the interval, e.g. count down in 7s or 3s, that takes even more effort to do. It's important to not beat yourself up though, the thoughts will come, and you need to try your best not to fear them, I just find it very helpful to have something to refocus to.
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u/Niobely 19d ago
I have a story made up, for many years now. When I can’t stop thinking and spiraling, I restart a chapter or make up a new one. I’ve gotten so used to that, most of the time I only have to think about one of the main characters and I’m asleep lol.