'Zoomies': Why Adults Get Late-Night Bursts Of Energy Just Like Dogs
Almost every dog owner is familiar with the "zoomies." When a dog has the zoomies (known as "Frenetic Random Activity Periods" among veterinarians), it frantically zips through the house, running from room to room and spinning in circles until it seemingly runs out of gas. It's as if Fido suddenly found all the energy in the world, even if he spends the rest of his days snoozing on the couch.
According to the American Kennel Club, these bursts of high-speed activity are common and totally natural for our canine friends. Generally, they result from pent-up energy that needs to be released. Other times, zoomies follow a stressful event and help dogs burn off any lingering adrenaline.
Just like our four-legged companions, humans can get the zoomies, too, though chances are you don't run in circles when they strike. These are likely to be similarly triggered by stress and anxiety. And in humans, zoomies aren't always such a good thing — especially when they occur late at night when you should be winding down, not winding up. Here's what adult zoomies mean and how to deal with them.
Stress and anxiety could trigger adult zoomies
Browse any social media platform and you'll likely find countless videos of cute pups mid-zoomies. Now, some TikTokers have turned their cameras on themselves to talk about human zoomies. In a viral video, comedian Hannah Berner mouths, "It's wackadoodle time," alongside the caption, "When you've been exhausted all day but at 11 p.m. you get the most energy you've ever had ... and you need to rapidly scroll social media, Google random things, get intrusive thoughts, and remember everything embarrassing you've ever said." Other creators have adopted the concept, too, including a TikToker named Emily, who says she gets "ADHD zoomies."
So what's behind this relatable phenomenon? For starters, zoomies might be a reaction to stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, just as they are in dogs. "[These hormones] are produced in response to stress, excitement, or danger, and can temporarily boost energy and alertness," psychologist Dr. Carly Claney explained to Bustle. If you've been dealing with stress, zoomies could be your body's way of coping.
Anxiety can also be a factor. According to Healthline, restlessness is a hallmark sign of anxiety disorders. As for why anxiety symptoms may be worse at night, people generally have fewer distractions to get their mind off what's worrying them when they're lying in bed (via Sleep Foundation).
How to stop late-night zoomies
Whether you're experiencing stress and anxiety or not, restlessness at night likely means your circadian rhythm (the internal body clock that tells your body when to sleep and when to wake) has been disrupted, as sleep medicine expert at Yale Medicine Dr. Meir Kryger shared with Insider. If you've always been afflicted with late-night zoomies, genes may be to blame, but if not, lifestyle changes could help reset your circadian rhythm.
If your zoomies feel physical, as if you have too much energy in your body to relax, consider cutting back on caffeine. A 2013 study published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found that caffeine can impact sleep even when consumed up to six hours before bedtime. To be safe, stick to non-caffeinated beverages in the late afternoon and evening. If you still have the zoomies, try upping your activity levels earlier in the day. "If you've been sedentary for a while, your body may crave movement and lead to a sudden motivation or desire to get up and do something," Dr. Carly Claney told Bustle.
If, on the other hand, racing thoughts are keeping you wired at night, quiet your mind with sleep meditation, journaling, or another soothing activity. For chronic stress or anxiety that keeps you up night after night, see a doctor or therapist for other treatments to nix the zoomies.