Sleep Anxiety: 4 Actions You Can Start Taking Today to Improve Night-Time Anxiety
Have you noticed that your sleep gets worse when you're worried or stressed? And that when you have trouble sleeping, you feel more anxious? Maybe you’ve found yourself stuck in a vicious cycle of anxiety and poor sleep.
Anxiety at night can be caused by various factors. You may struggle with general anxiety & stress, which is impacting your ability to sleep. Or you might experience sleep anxiety – anxiety about falling asleep and staying asleep. The first step is identifying why you feel anxious so you can address it.
In this article I’m sharing four ideas for things you can start doing today to improve night-time anxiety.
Tackling Bedtime Anxiety
1 - Relaxation
Relaxation helps get your body into a sleep-ready state, creating the conditions for sleep to occur naturally. Make sure you allow yourself time to unwind at the end of the day. I have created a guided sleep meditation to help with exactly this. Pop your details in the box below to receive the recording, designed to help you relax, switch-off and drift into a peaceful sleep.
2 - Stress Management
Throughout the day you experience multiple micro-stressors, such as getting stuck in traffic, dealing with emails or spilling your coffee. These can build up over the course of the day, leaving you feeling increasingly anxious by the evening. By utilising techniques to manage stress more effectively, you can reduce the build up of anxiety & tension throughout the day. Some examples of ways to manage stress include:
Breathwork
Further reading: The Power of the Breath (& one technique you can use to feel calmer)
Problem Solving
Exercise or movement
Talking to someone you trust & connecting with friends
Practising self-compassion
3 - Addressing Your Thoughts
Take a moment to notice what thoughts are coming up for you. Are they accurate, rational or helpful? Is this something you’d say to a friend? Can you do anything about the worry? Is there an alternative way that you could reframe the thoughts? Our thoughts affect how we feel and behave, so becoming more aware of them is an important part of dealing with sleep anxiety.
4 - Acceptance
This might feel impossible right now, but trust me it’s really going to change the game when it come to your sleep troubles. Worrying about sleep only keeps you trapped in the vicious cycle of insomnia. Acceptance doesn’t mean resigning yourself to the situation. It is about reducing resistance to discomfort, as fighting against insomnia and sleep anxiety only increases the severity of symptoms. Mindfulness practises are a great way to begin becoming more accepting of the present moment.
Further reading: Mindfulness Demystified: How Does It Reduce General Anxiety and Worry
Sleep anxiety can be challenging to tackle alone. I offer compassionate and actionable 1:1 support, to help you feel calmer, sleep better and reduce overwhelm. Ready to get started?
