By Shannon Bussnick, LSW

A Send-Off to the Overactive Mind

Take it with a grain of satirical salt if you must, but here’s the confession: I have too many ideas.

Yes, too much creative flow is coursing through my veins, begging to be harnessed and expressed. It’s a phenomenon I’ve grappled with since those introspective hours in my college dorm—early mornings or late evenings, door locked, rich cup of coffee in hand, and immersed in a cloud of nicotine elation (now a long pastime, thankfully). It’s in these moments that my brain ignites with ideas that, frustratingly, never seem to extinguish—even when I desperately need them to for the sake of some well-deserved sleep.

Restlessness at night is often attributed to worry or stress, but for me, it’s usually my boundless imagination keeping me awake. While undeniably a gift, my creativity (or whatever this is) can also feel like an overbearing, relentless force. It doesn’t always present itself, but when it does, it’s all-consuming.

Ideas rush in and out with such speed that I sometimes can’t keep up. I’m stuck on a Ferris wheel of fascination. Missing a single thought feels like losing a treasure just out of reach, leaving a lingering sense of something important gone unexplored. My obsessive traits really gain momentum here.

This constant mental activity is a double-edged sword. It shapes my unique identity and fuels my creativity, yet it also imposes significant limitations on other crucial aspects of my life, such as sleep.

What it feels like? My brain whirls with an endless array of topics, integrating, dissecting, and layering thoughts until I lose all sense of equilibrium. Or the need for too much alignment…if that makes sense? This, I believe, is a significant contributor to my insomnia, leaving me with a racing heart and tired, sunken eyes, but an undeniably awake spirit.

I can’t be the only one who experiences this, can I?

Among the myriad solutions I’ve considered to manage this whirlwind of creativity, I worry about missing out on the truly groundbreaking ideas—the ones that have the potential to change my life, or someone else’s, for the better.

To cope, I’ve devised a strategy to organize and prioritize these thoughts based on the emotions they evoke and then ‘attack’ them methodically. Sometimes this means tackling ideas one by one to ensure the desperate need for completion—the uncompromising ones, I suppose. Other times, it requires bouncing between these fanatic ideas until one is fully developed, coherent, and presentable.

A symptom of a mental health or other disorder?

Perhaps.

Or merely a testament to our specialness? The ability, and the desire, to tune into the self.

What I know for certain is that I’m both exhausted and exhilarated by this constant mental marathon.

The solution remains elusive, but I’ve compiled a list of strategies to help me, and potentially others, manage this creative overflow and try to combat their insomniac tendencies:

1. Single-Task Focus: Engage in a singular, calming activity before bed, such as a meditation session, to coax the mind into a state of tranquility. Once in bed, concentrate solely on the mundane task of planning breakfast and making the bed.

2. Post-Dinner Exercise: An evening workout can satiate the body’s need for stimulation, aiding both digestion and sleep readiness by expending excess energy.

3. Nutrient-Rich Evening Meals: Consistency in meal timing, coupled with a focus on sleep-supportive foods, establishes a routine that both body and mind can rely on for cues to wind down.

4. Limit Stimulants: The hard one. Reducing intake of caffeine and sugar, especially in the later half of the day, can mitigate their impact on sleep patterns. Opting for harm reduction can work, too, by lessening the flood of those feel-good neurotransmitters.

5. Engage with Pets and Music: The calming presence of pets and the soothing power of music can significantly reduce stress, promoting a serene environment conducive to rest. This may also help reduce those jaw-clenching bark sessions.

6. Indulge in a Warm Bath: Just the thought of a warm bubble bath drizzled with soothing salts and accompanied by a bit of barely-there classical piano is a recipe for unearthing the beauty of slowness.

This list—of things that both excite and soothe—serves as a testament to the complexity of our creative spirits. While the flow of imagination warms us with its presence, we should try to navigate these waters with care, ensuring we don’t lose ourselves to the tide.

I’m curious, fellow night owls and dreamers, how do you balance the gift of your imagination with the need for rest? Insomnia can really be a rough companion. How do you choose which ideas to chase and which to let pass, if only for a good night’s sleep?

The journey is both exhausting and exhilarating, but it is ours, I suppose.