anxiety cant sleep

7 Ways To Hoax Your Mind Into Sleep When You Have Anxiety | Anxiety Cant Sleep

We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post. Read a really boring disclaimer above to learn more!

If you’re experiencing the common ‘anxiety cant sleep’ scenario, try out these tips!!

anxiety cant sleep

As someone who struggles with anxiety, I understand completely how it feels to stay awake at night with bad memories or come up with scenarios in my head of my life. After trying everything under the sun, here are all the tips I have found that will help you too!

This post is all about Anxiety Cant Sleep!

Why Is Sleep So Important and How It Can Affect Anxiety?

Plagued by a whirlwind of thoughts and worries, your anxiety wouldn’t let you sleep, turning the once peaceful night into an arena of restlessness.

When it comes to anxiety cant sleep, it’s a phrase that perfectly describes those long, restless nights spent tossing and turning with worry.

Sleep is essential for a variety of reasons. It allows our bodies to rest and recover, plays a crucial role in the process of memory consolidation, and is vital for maintaining optimal mental and physical health. Lack of sleep can impair concentration, decision-making abilities, and mood regulation, among other things.

Regarding anxiety, the relationship with sleep is complex and bidirectional. Anxiety often leads to sleep problems. The excess worry and fear associated with anxiety disorders make it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep throughout the night. Sleep disturbances caused by anxiety can range from insomnia (difficulty falling or staying asleep) to nightmares and night sweats.

On the other hand, lack of sleep can also contribute to anxiety. Sleep deprivation can heighten our body’s stress response and emotional reactivity, increasing anxiety. It can create an imbalance in hormone levels that drive anxiety levels higher. Too little sleep also boosts adrenaline levels, making us more prone to anxiety and panic attacks.

Furthermore, research suggests that deep sleep, also known as slow-wave sleep, may help reduce anxiety levels. During this stage of sleep, heart rate and blood pressure drop, and the brain becomes less responsive to external stimuli, which is thought to help reduce anxiety and stress.

anxiety cant sleep

In conclusion, maintaining good sleep hygiene is not only crucial for physical health and cognitive functions but can also play a significant role in managing anxiety and promoting mental well-being. If you’re struggling with sleep due to anxiety, it may be beneficial to seek professional help. Cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), for example, has been shown to be effective in treating sleep problems related to anxiety.

(Sources: Anxiety and Sleep – Sleep Foundation, Deep sleep may help treat anxiety – Medical News Today, Sleep: A Fundamental Cure For Anxiety – Anxiety.org, How Does Anxiety Affect Sleep? – Northstar Transitions)

Can’t Sleep Because of Anxiety? Here Are My Tips:

1. Play Mindless Videos, Audiobooks, Or Podcasts

Your mind going wild at night can be hard to calm down. Playing something to get your mind out of your head can be really helpful for relaxing.

Find something that won’t cause you more anxiety, and this may look like silly commentary videos on situations you know nothing about, long-form content that discusses a topic at length, or a podcast over things like media and pop culture.

Choose something lighthearted and not anxiety-inducing.

Drew Gooden’s YouTube channel is some of my favorite videos at night because he keeps things light and funny but makes good points.

See also  11 High Functioning Anxiety Tips And Tricks

His content is super engaging, so I usually put my phone under my pillow and just listen to it so I can close my eyes.

The main point of this is to listen to something and not watch it. Closing your eyes and focusing on something is the first step to falling asleep with this tip.

Don’t watch something that will cause you to move and open your eyes too often, or else you’ll never get the benefit of relaxation.

2. Practice Mindfulness and Meditation

Focus on your body and how you feel more than what is happening with your mind.

When your mind is going wild, you won’t be able to fall asleep at all because you can’t relax.

This technique won’t work as well if you have physical anxiety in your body. If this is the case, try taking melatonin and then practicing mindfulness.

Meditate and think about how you feel. Find a spot in your body that feels good and allow that feeling to spread all over your body.

Don’t focus on anything bad; if your mind goes back to the bad things, forgive yourself and gently return to the good.

Great guided meditations on YouTube and Spotify will be free to you.

But if you have extra cash and notice that meditations have helped you, try out something like the Calm App with celebrities and guided meditations that can be tailored to your situation.

anxiety cant sleep

3. Keep a Notebook and Write Everything Down That Is Bothering You

This is one of my favorite tips I have discovered!

At night before you go to bed, write down your thoughts and memories and to-do lists so that your mind can rest and relax while trying to sleep.

Allowing your mind to run wildly without something concrete can be an endless spiral.

Writing down whatever you think of can also be helpful because you’re likely to remember it.

So if you are stressed about forgetting something you need/need to do the next day, then you have it at least written down so you can look at it.

If you need to, you could even write these things down on your phone so it is easy to do with the lights off and without getting out of bed and disrupting your routine too much.

When you are up really late worrying about something, just write it out and then go to bed. Get it out of your head and onto paper so it can be put to rest.

4. Progressive Muscle Relaxation

This tip will probably sound a little foreign to most of you, but start at your feet and relax the muscles completely.

Work your way up your body taking note of any tension you’re holding, and gently release it.

Pay special attention to your face and jaw and completely relax those muscles.

Another way of doing this is to flex every muscle in your body and hold it.

After maybe 10-20 seconds, release all the tension and feel the wave of relaxation come over you.

This technique is great for physical anxiety because you can focus on relaxing your body instead of your anxiety cant sleep.

5. Create a Sleep Friendly Environment

For many people, a cold and dark place is the way to go.

See also  9 Ways On How To Manage Your Anxiety After Eating

Sleeping with anxiety is hard enough. Make the environment as comfortable as possible!

You might need to hang up an extra blanket on any windows so no extra light comes in.

Maybe turn down the temperature a few degrees and get into shorts and a T-shirt.

Close all the doors in your room to close out any excess distractions.

Put your hair up if that feels better to you.

If you have some extra money, find a new comforter that will better fit your temperature needs and make you more comfortable.

Use the restroom and brush your teeth to create the aura of going to bed every night.

6. Limit Active Screen Time Before Bed

Limiting your screen time can make your brain ready for sleep.

When you’re on your phone too late at night, you work up your brain and cannot rest.

If you are someone who stays on your phone too late, try my first tip for listening to something.

Combine a few of these tips to use your phone in a way that is helpful.

Make sure your phone turns off after a certain amount of time of no activity so that if you fall asleep while your phone is off, you will not miss your alarms. Sometimes if your phone is on, then your alarms will not go off.

If you are on your phone, at least turn on night mode on it so that the blue light is turned down.

Remember that the screen will stimulate your mind and get it working, making it harder to relax and fully fall asleep.

7. Exercise During The Day

It can be so hard to get any exercise done when you have anxiety, but when you can’t sleep because of anxiety, it is even more important to get your body moving.

Make it a point to get some physical activities done during the day. If you have a stationary job, this is especially important.

Take a few moments to clean your home or go on a walk.

Get some time outside during the summer and let the sun wear you out.

Incorporate a good workout into your day, just not too close to bed, because it can get your blood flowing and prevent you from sleeping.

Remember that exercise is good for you overall, so keep that as a motivator.

When you can’t sleep one night, remember to get some exercise the next day as a motivator to get you more tired and get better sleep.

anxiety cant sleep

Why You Get Panic Attacks Before Bed | Anxiety Cant Sleep

Panic attacks can strike at any time, but they can be particularly frightening when they occur during the night.

These episodes, known as nocturnal panic attacks, can disrupt your sleep and make you anxious and fearful about going to bed.

Understanding why you might be experiencing panic attacks at night is the first step in managing them effectively.

The Connection Between Sleep and Anxiety

Sleep and anxiety have a complex relationship.

Anxiety can lead to sleep problems; the excessive worry and fear that characterize anxiety can make it difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep throughout the night.

Conversely, lack of sleep can contribute to anxiety. This is why you have the ever so common ‘anxiety cant sleep’ phenomenon.

Sleep deprivation can heighten your body’s stress response and emotional reactivity, increasing anxiety.

See also  The BEST Productivity Tips For Depressed People

This cycle can create a pattern where anxiety and sleep problems feed off each other, potentially leading to nocturnal panic attacks.

Facing the common struggle of anxiety cant sleep, you sought techniques to quiet your mind and promote restful slumber.

Why Panic Attacks Happen at Night

There are several reasons why panic attacks may occur during the night:

  1. Stress and Worry: If you’re dealing with chronic stress or have a lot on your mind, these worries can carry into your sleep and trigger a panic attack.
  2. Sleep Disorders: Certain sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea, can cause symptoms that your brain may interpret as signs of danger, triggering a panic response.
  3. Relaxation Hypothesis: Some researchers believe that the transition from being awake and alert to a relaxed state just before sleep can trigger panic attacks in some people. This theory, known as the relaxation hypothesis, suggests that people with panic disorder may subconsciously associate relaxation with a loss of control, leading to panic.
  4. Hormonal Changes: Hormonal changes during the night can also contribute to panic attacks. For instance, cortisol levels naturally rise during the early morning hours, which can increase feelings of anxiety and potentially trigger a panic attack.
anxiety cant sleep

Managing Nocturnal Panic Attacks

If you’re struggling with nocturnal panic attacks, there are steps you can take to manage them:

  • Establish Good Sleep Hygiene: Creating a relaxing bedtime routine and maintaining a consistent sleep schedule can help improve your overall sleep quality and reduce the likelihood of panic attacks.
  • Practice Relaxation Techniques: Techniques such as deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and mindfulness meditation can help reduce anxiety and promote better sleep.
  • Seek Professional Help: Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) can effectively treat panic disorder and anxiety. A mental health professional can work with you to develop strategies to manage your symptoms and cope with panic attacks.

In conclusion, while nocturnal panic attacks can be frightening and disruptive, understanding their potential causes and seeking appropriate treatment can help you manage these episodes and improve your sleep.

Always consult a healthcare provider if you’re experiencing panic attacks, whether during the day or at night, to ensure you receive the appropriate care and support.

(Sources: Anxiety and Sleep – Sleep Foundation, Nighttime (nocturnal) panic attacks – Mayo Clinic, Nocturnal Panic Attacks: When Night & Fear Combine – Anxiety.org)

Well, There You Go

This post was all about anxiety can’t sleep.

Here are some reminders for you: Sleep is super important, so remember to prioritize this. Anxiety is hard enough, so focus on what you can control and try to relax about what you can’t.

Make your sleep environment as comfortable as possible for yourself. Keep that room clean and put together, and cool.

Remember to do what your mom taught you as a kid: relax, lay down, close your eyes, and count sheep. These tips can also help if you are getting desperate.

I wish you all luck! Comment below any sleep tips you may have to help each other out!

Similar Posts