Can’t sleep at 3 a.m.? You’re not alone. Most of us have experienced that middle of the night mind spiral racing thoughts, a pounding heart, and a growing sense of frustration. Whether it’s stress, overthinking, or just an active brain that won’t quit, sleepless nights can feel endless.
But there’s a gentle trick that can help. It’s called "the elevator trick," and it might just be the easiest way to calm your mind and drift back to sleep.
Why We Wake Up With Racing Thoughts
When you wake up in the middle of the night, your brain often slips into problem-solving mode. It replays conversations, reminds you of tasks you forgot, or jumps into worry about tomorrow. But fighting your thoughts rarely works it usually makes things worse.
So instead of wrestling with your brain, give it something peaceful to focus on.
Visualize This: The Elevator Going Down
Here’s how it works:
- Keep your eyes closed and imagine you're riding down slowly.
- The doors slide shut with a soft ding.
- Slowly, floor by floor, the elevator begins to descend.
- As the elevator goes down, let yourself feel calmer and more at ease.
- Your breath slows. Your muscles soften. Your thoughts quiet down.
This simple image tells your nervous system, “Hey, it’s okay to let go.” It mirrors what your body naturally does when falling asleep heart rate drops, tension releases, and brain waves slow down.
That’s the power of sleep visualization: you’re giving your mind a peaceful direction, instead of letting it spiral into stress.
Add These 4 Calming Words
To make the technique even stronger, whisper this phrase to yourself as the elevator moves:
“This thought can wait.”
Say it softly with each floor. These four words remind your mind, “You don’t need to solve it all right now. Rest is allowed.”
This creates a calming anchor something your mind can hold onto instead of running wild.
How This Simple Trick Calms Your Brain
Science backs this up. When you pair a calming image with gentle language, your brain gets the message that it’s safe to relax. The elevator gives your mind a soothing picture. The phrase gives it permission to pause.
Together, they break the cycle of racing thoughts and help your body return to its natural sleep state.
Try It Tonight
If you wake up tossing and turning, try this:
1. Shut your eyes and think about getting into an elevator.
2. Feel the doors close.
3. Visualize the slow, gentle descent.
4. With each floor, repeat: “This thought can wait.”
5. Let your body sink deeper into rest.
It’s simple. It’s calming. And it works.
Be Gentle With Yourself
If this happens again, don’t be too tough on yourself. That part of your brain that wakes up at 3 a.m.? It’s just trying to protect you from forgetting something, making a mistake, or feeling overwhelmed.
But sometimes, what it really needs to hear is: “You’re safe. You can rest. I’ve got you.”
That’s what self-compassion sounds like. And in combination with gentle tools like the elevator trick, it can make a real difference in how quickly and peacefully you fall back asleep.