Health
‘I can’t sleep because of racing thoughts at night — how can I stop them?’: Ask a doctor
Even when following the recommended sleep hygiene habits — like cutting off caffeine mid-day, stashing your devices an hour before bed, and winding down your day with light music or reading — racing thoughts could still interrupt your nightly rest.
If your sleep routine isn’t a dream, you’re not alone — one in three American adults don’t regularly get the recommended amount of uninterrupted slumber, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Fox News Digital asked a psychiatrist for common reasons and his top tips to achieve a quiet mind that’s conducive to rest.
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Reasons for racing thoughts
While causes can vary, there are some common triggers for racing thoughts at night, according to Ramaswamy Viswanathan, MD, president of the American Psychiatric Association, who is based in Brooklyn, New York.
One in three American adults don’t regularly get the recommended amount of uninterrupted sleep, according to the CDC. (iStock)
Stress and anxiety are the primary culprits.
“Anxiety about the day ahead can also cause it,” the doctor told Fox News Digital. “Mental health conditions such as anxiety disorders and bipolar disorder also can lead to racing thoughts.”
Those thoughts tend to be more active at night, when there aren’t other activities occupying the mind.
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“At night, when there are fewer distractions, it’s easier to ruminate over the day we just had and worries such as troubles at work, family or financial concerns,” said Viswanathan, who is also professor and interim chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Downstate Health Sciences University in Brooklyn.
Consuming stimulants such as caffeine or taking certain medications close to bedtime can also interfere with relaxation and excessive mental activity, he noted.
How do racing thoughts impair sleep?
Racing thoughts lead to a heightened state of arousal, which makes it difficult to relax and transition into sleep, the doctor said.
And when you finally do fall asleep, an anxious mind could interrupt that sleep as the night progresses.
Stress and anxiety are the primary culprits of racing thoughts at night, experts say. (iStock)
“Many people also resume worrying when they wake up in the middle of the night, and this interferes with falling back asleep,” Viswanathan noted.
Although it’s normal to have brief periods of awakening during the night, most people fall back to sleep quickly.
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Those who are experiencing stress, anxiety and worry, however, aren’t able to drift back as easily.
“Since there is physiologic arousal with racing thoughts, that arousal does not readily subside when one falls asleep, and this can interfere with deep, restorative sleep,” Viswanathan told Fox News Digital.
This can be compounded as people then start to worry about their inability to fall asleep, which makes it even more difficult to drift off.
Effects of sleep deprivation
Inadequate or poor-quality sleep can have serious negative effects on the mind and body, including decreased brain function and difficulty making decisions, solving problems and regulating emotions, Viswanathan told Fox News Digital.
“It causes headaches, irritability and fatigue, and reduces attention and functional efficiency,” he said. “It also contributes to traffic accidents, work mistakes and relationship impairment.”
Fatigue, headaches and irritability are among the common effects of insufficient or poor-quality sleep, according to experts. (iStock)
Long-term health can also be compromised.
“Sleep deprivation can suppress immune function, make one more susceptible to infections, and cause unhealthy eating and weight gain,” Viswanathan warned.
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It can also increase the risk of developing chronic health problems like heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and stroke, and can also also shorten life span, he added.
Strategies to silence racing thoughts
Taking a proactive approach is the best way to tackle chronic sleep troubles, according to Viswanathan.
“Addressing sleep issues early on and seeking professional help when needed is important to prevent immediate and long-term consequences,” he said.
Sleep deprivation can increase the risk of developing chronic health problems like heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and stroke, and can also also shorten life span. (iStock)
Below are some actionable steps to help keep nighttime thoughts under control.
1. Establish a bedtime routine
Sticking to a regular nighttime routine with a consistent bedtime and awakening time is “very important,” Viswanathan advised.
“Sleep deprivation can suppress immune function, make one more susceptible to infections, and cause unhealthy eating and weight gain.”
2. Be careful with late drinking and eating
Abstain from caffeinated beverages, alcohol or heavy food too close to bedtime, the doctor recommended.
3. Refrain from device use close to bedtime
Stop using smartphone displays, television screens and computers an hour before bed, Viswanathan suggested.
Abstain from caffeinated beverages, alcohol or heavy food too close to bedtime, one doctor recommended. (iStock)
“The blue light emitted from these devices interferes with the circadian rhythm,” he said.
Instead, the doctor suggests listening to light music, reading a book, or using relaxation techniques such as progressive muscle relaxation, deep breathing and meditation.
4. Try a warm bath
Taking a warm bath about three hours before turning in may help calm the mind — but Viswanathan cautioned that it shouldn’t be too close to bedtime.
5. Create an environment conducive to sleep
For optimal sleep, the bedroom should be quiet, dark and cool (around 68 degrees Fahrenheit), with comfortable bedding, the doctor recommended.
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Consider using motion-activated night lights to prevent falls in the event that you need to get up in the middle of the night.
6. Schedule a time to worry
If these techniques alone are not sufficient to reduce racing thoughts, Viswanathan suggests scheduling a “worry time,” designating a specific window of time to think about your concerns and identifying a path to possible solutions.
Writing down your worries and anxieties can help prevent sleep-interrupting thoughts. (iStock)
“This reassures you that you will address your worries, but keeps them from spilling over into your bedtime,” the doctor said.
7. Write down your concerns
Consider keeping a notebook next to your bed so you can jot down your worries as they occur and tell yourself you will act on them during the specified worry period the next day, offered Viswanathan.
8. Know when to seek help
If these self-help techniques do not work, it may be wise to seek help from a mental health professional.
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“This is especially important if you are suffering from a mental health disorder,” emphasized Viswanathan.
The professional will perform assessments to identify any sleep disorders and recommend treatment, which may include cognitive-behavior therapy, other psychotherapies or medications.
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As colorectal cancer (CRC) is now the leading cause of cancer death in adults under 50, a new report reveals some surprising shifts in the incidence of the disease.
Although rates of CRC have been declining among seniors, those 65 and under are facing a rise in diagnoses, according to a report titled Colorectal Cancer Statistics, 2026, from the American Cancer Society.
Adults 65 and younger comprise nearly half (45%) of all new colorectal cancer cases — a significant increase from 27% in 1995, states the report, which was published in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.
The disease is rising fastest among adults 20 to 49 years old, at a rate of 3% per year.
Colorectal cancer is now the leading cause of cancer death in adults under 50. (iStock)
Among adults 50 and under, 75% of colorectal cancers are diagnosed at an advanced stage. Half of the diagnoses in that age range are made between the ages of 45 and 49. Although that age group is eligible to receive routine screenings, just 37% do so.
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The report also revealed that rectal cancer is on the rise, now accounting for about one-third (32%) of all CRC cases — an increase from 27% in the mid-2000s.
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“After decades of progress, the risk of dying from colorectal cancer is climbing in younger generations of men and women, confirming a real uptick in disease because of something we’re doing or some other exposure,” said Rebecca Siegel, senior scientific director, surveillance research at the American Cancer Society and lead author of the report, in a press release.
Among adults 50 and under, 75% of colorectal cancers are diagnosed at an advanced stage. Half of the diagnoses in that age range are made between the ages of 45 and 49. (iStock)
“We need to redouble research efforts to understand the cause, but also circumvent deaths through earlier detection by educating clinicians and the general public about symptoms and increasing screening in people 45-54 years.”
It is projected that 158,850 new cases of colorectal cancer will be diagnosed this year, and that the disease will cause 55,230 deaths, per the report.
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More than half of CRC cases can be linked to high-risk behaviors, the researchers said. Those include lack of nutrition, high alcohol consumption, smoking, lack of exercise and obesity.
“These findings further underscore that colorectal cancer is worsening among younger generations and highlight the immediate need for eligible adults to begin screening at the recommended age of 45,” said Dr. William Dahut, chief scientific officer at the American Cancer Society.
When the disease is caught at a local (early) stage, the five-year survival rate is 95%. (iStock)
“The report also shines a light on the crucial importance of continued funding for research to help discover new therapies to treat the disease and advance patient care.”
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When the disease is caught at a local (early) stage, the five-year survival rate is 95%, the report stated.
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A new study suggests that middle-aged men may be more vulnerable to faster biological aging, potentially linked to exposure to “forever chemicals.”
The research, published in the journal Frontiers in Aging, examined how perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, more commonly known as PFAS, could impact aging at the cellular level.
PFAS are synthetic chemicals commonly used in nonstick cookware, food packaging, water-resistant fabrics and other consumer products, the study noted.
Their chemical structure makes them highly resistant to breaking down, allowing them to accumulate in water, soil and the human body.
Chinese researchers analyzed blood samples from 326 adults enrolled in the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 1999 and 2000.
A new study suggests that middle-aged men could face accelerated biological aging at the cellular level due to exposure to PFAS. (iStock)
The researchers measured levels of 11 PFAS compounds in participants’ blood and used DNA-based “epigenetic clocks” — tools that analyze chemical changes to DNA to estimate biological age — to determine how quickly their bodies were aging at the cellular level, the study stated.
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Two compounds, perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) and perfluorooctanesulfonamide (PFOSA), were detected in 95% of participants.
Higher concentrations of those chemicals were associated with faster biological aging in men of certain age groups, but not in women.
“People should not panic.”
The compounds most strongly linked to accelerated aging were not the PFAS chemicals that typically receive the most public attention, the researchers noted.
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“The associations were strongest in adults aged 50 to 64, particularly in men,” Dr. Xiangwei Li, professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine and the study’s corresponding author, told Fox News Digital.
“While this does not establish that PFAS cause aging, it suggests that these widely present ‘forever chemicals’ may be linked to molecular changes related to long-term health and aging.”
The study found that two of the compounds were detected in 95% of participants, and higher levels were linked to faster biological aging in men ages 50–64. (iStock)
Midlife may represent a more sensitive biological period, when the body becomes more vulnerable to age-related stressors, according to the researchers.
Lifestyle factors, such as smoking, may influence biological aging markers, potentially increasing vulnerability to environmental pollutants.
While Li said “people should not panic,” she does recommend looking for reasonable ways to reduce exposure.
That might mean checking local drinking water reports, using certified water filters designed to reduce PFAS, and limiting the use of stain- or grease-resistant products when alternatives are available.
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Meaningful reductions in PFAS exposure will likely depend on broader regulatory action and environmental cleanup efforts, Li added.
The researchers noted that midlife could be a particularly sensitive stage, when the body is more susceptible to stressors associated with aging. (iStock)
Study limitations
The researchers outlined several important limitations of the research, including that the findings show an association, but do not prove that PFAS directly causes accelerated aging.
“The study is cross-sectional, meaning exposure and aging markers were measured at the same time, so we cannot determine causality,” Li told Fox News Digital.
The study was also relatively small, limited to 326 adults age 50 or older, which means the findings may not apply to younger people or broader populations.
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Researchers measured PFAS levels using data collected between 1999 and 2000, and today’s exposure patterns may differ.
Li added that while PFAS is known to persist in the environment and the body, these results should be validated through larger, more recent studies that follow participants over time.
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