If you’re one of the millions of Americans who suffer from anxiety, you probably know what it’s like to lay awake at night, feeling restless and unable to shake away the thoughts of your everyday stresses. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, anxiety is a result of, and a reaction to stress. Constant worrying is a common cause of sleep deprivation, and in some cases, can lead to a sleep disorder. In turn, lack of sleep activates the regions of your brain that trigger obsessive worrying. In other words, sleep and anxiety are intertwined. Once one rears its ugly head, you initiate a vicious cycle that can be difficult to break.
Possible Treatment Options
Stress can influence us to be proactive and alert, but constant stress and chronic worrying can be a sign of an anxiety disorder. If anxiety is repeatedly disrupting you from your sleep, talk to a physician about possible options. They may refer you to a sleep clinic where they can assess your symptoms, and hopefully give you a diagnosis. You can also speak with a mental health professional who will map out a plan with you, to help you get more restful sleep.
Common treatments recommended by health professionals include prescription drugs, psychotherapy, or a combination of both. Psychotherapy, also known as cognitive behavioral therapy or mindfulness therapy, can help you rewire your brain so you handle stress in a healthier, more productive way.
Here are a few things you can do on your own to help ease your anxiety when it’s keeping you from falling asleep.
Get Exercise During The Day
When your body is active and engaged in physical activity, your body releases endorphins to make you feel healthy and evoke feelings of happiness. Then, when night rolls around, your body is more tired and prepared to fall asleep. Just make sure you don’t exercise too close to bedtime or you might get the opposite result.
Make Sure Your Mattress Accommodates You
You won’t get the best sleep if you’re going to bed on a mattress that doesn’t match your particular sleep habits. For example, side sleepers should sleep on a softer mattress to cradle their pressure points. Likewise, if you suffer from a condition like Sciatica that causes back pain, you’ll probably want a bed on the firmer end of the spectrum. Either way, make sure you don’t skimp on your mattress. It can make all the difference between a restful night of sleep or a night full of tossing and turning. The good news is there are a plethora of value mattresses on the market that provide ample support and pressure relief.
Try to Avoid Caffeine
If you’re a big coffee drinker, this could be a struggle for you. Regardless, it’s worth a try since caffeine can make it much harder to fall asleep at night — especially if you drink it later in the day. For some people, caffeine can escalate anxiety and even trigger anxiety attacks.
Review Medications
If you’re taking prescribed medications due to an anxiety disorder like PTSD, OCD, phobias, or even an unrelated condition, talk to your doctor about the medications you’re taking. Some ingredients may be stimulants, and you can talk to your doctor about possibly switching meds.
Create A Nighttime Routine
Try incorporating relaxing activities into your nighttime routine to relax your mind and wind down before bed. You can try yoga, breathing exercises, read a book, or take a warm bath. The point is to make yourself sleepy enough so when you do eventually get in bed, it’s much easier to fall asleep.
Write Down Tomorrow’s Tasks
If you have a lot of daunting or stressful tasks to take care of the next day, try writing them down in a journal. You’ll have a chance to get out the thoughts that are keeping you awake, and there’s something about writing tasks down on paper that make you more likely to do it.
20 Minute Rule
If you get under the covers and lay down in bed, but don’t fall asleep within 20 minutes — revert back to your nighttime routine until you start to get sleepy. The longer you lay there thinking, the harder it becomes to actually fall asleep.
With thanks to McKenzie Dillonfor this post. McKenzie is a blogger and sleep enthusiast for The Slumber Yard, a reviews site that focuses on bedding products. In her free time, she likes attending music festivals, reading fiction novels and practicing yoga.
