If you have trouble falling asleep or have racing thoughts

[Jilly_in_VA]

6. I do that sometimes

One thing i've found that really helps is a trick I read about somewhere. I count slowly to 30 (I sync my counting with the ocean waves on our white noise machine), then open my eyes just a slit while counting to 5, then close them while concentrating on my breathing. If that's not working I start just letting my brain go to random words on no subject at all, and if that's STILL not working I go to a trick I read about from a surgeion who says she does this when waking up in the middle of the night with "monkey brain"---with eyes closed, move them slowly from up to one side to down to the othe side. Repeat several times, rest, repeat if necessary, although she said it usually isn't necessary and I've found it isn't either.