Has your body ever told you when something’s on your mind?

For me, it shows up in a restless night’s sleep. My eyes burst open, typically right around the strike of 3:00am and I realize there’s something I must attend to. Maybe it’s something left undone from the previous day, or something I need to say that I haven’t quite found the words for yet.

Even when I don’t know what’s keeping me up, my body has guaranteed me that I can expect more restless nights until I work through whatever unfinished business is in my head.

Know that feeling? I bet you do. Because the phenomenon is far more common than you might think.

Newsweek reported on this topic just last week, in which Big Health Co-Founder and Chief Scientist Colin Espie explains why the early hours of the morning put our minds into overdrive and what we can do to “put the day to rest.”

“Scientists have suspected for about a hundred years now that unfinished tasks rest at a heightened level of activation in the brain until they can be completed,” Espie told Newsweek.

So, what to do about those bolt-out-of-bed, can’t-get-back-to-sleep moments?  It’s communications to the rescue.

Tonight, put a pen and notebook next to your bed. Right before you lay down, drop anything that’s pressing on your mind into that notebook. Research shows the simple act of writing it down (you don’t even need to solve it) will contribute to better sleep and may also provide much needed clarity on the issues weighing you down.  The same principle applies when you’re tossing and turning in those wee hours.  Let the notebook do the holding of your thoughts for a few hours while you get some rest. Because we’re no good if we’re not rested.  And you deserve some good zzzz’s.

What is your body trying to tell your mind?  Consider that this week, and then consider what you can actively do about it. I bet there’s a better night’s sleep ahead for you.

Many thanks to Big Health’s Celeste James for elevating this great article that inspired this post. This is week 2 of the Finding The Words column, a series published every Wednesday that delivers a dose of communication insights direct to your inbox. If you like what you read, we hope you’ll subscribe to ensure you receive this each week.