Anxiety disorders affect nearly 40 million Americans, making it the most common mental illness in the U.S.
We all have some anxiety, but it becomes a disorder when that excessive fear and worry continues beyond one event and starts interfering with daily activities and sleep.
What is sleep anxiety?
Sleep anxiety is a type of performance anxiety that involves a cycle of anxious thoughts before going to bed which make someone feel uneasy, nervous and worry more.
Anxiety for many is worse at night because there are no distractions from the anxious thoughts that you have during the day. Many people with anxiety disorders have trouble sleeping which can affect mood, contributing to irritability and leading sometimes to depression. Important things occur during the different cycles of sleep that help leave you feeling rested and re-energized, so it’s important to get help sleeping if you have anxiety.
Sleep and anxiety go hand-in-hand. Anxiety can cause sleep problems making it difficult to sleep, but the lack of sleep can also trigger anxiety. If you’re unable to sleep you may dread going to bed and feel even more sleep deprived. The lack of sleep can also ramp up regions in the brain that trigger excessive worry, which provokes more anxiety and less sleep.
Neuroscientists have found that sleep deprivation amplifies anticipatory anxiety by firing up the brain’s amygdala and insular cortex which are associated with emotional processing. The resulting pattern mimics abnormal neural activity seen in anxiety disorders.
What can I do to sleep better?
While there is no substitute for seeking help from a mental health professional, there are a few things you can do establish good sleep habits including:
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Keep a consistent sleep schedule. Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day.
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Exercise regularly
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Keep naps short–less than an hour and not past 3pm
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Keep your bedroom cool, dark and quiet without distractions like the TV or computer
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Read, listen to music or take a hot bath to help relax before bedtime
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If you don’t fall asleep within 20 minutes, get up and do something relaxing until you feel sleepy again
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Use a weighted blanket
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Add a sound machine to your environment
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Try diffusing essential oils. Lavender oil is considered a natural sleep aid.
Treatment with therapy
Research proves that people suffering from anxiety disorders, panic attacks and post-traumatic stress disorder may benefit from sleep therapy. If sleep disruption is a key factor in your anxiety, the good news is that it is easily treatable!
With therapy I can help clients decrease worry and fear and sleep better. With Cognitive behavioral therapy I can help you identify and replace thoughts and behaviors that cause or worsen sleep problems, with habits that promote healthy sleep. This helps you overcome the underlying causes of sleep anxiety.
If you’re interested in learning more about how to get more sleep and manage your anxiety, give me a call today!