Anxiety can rule many moments during the day, but it doesn’t have to reign over your sleep schedule.
Anxiety and sleep are closely connected; the Sleep Foundation reported that “excess worry and fear make it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep.”
With plenty of worries taking over our minds throughout the day from the work and family to money troubles and more, it’s no surprise that “6.8 million Americans suffer from generalized anxiety disorder (GAD),” according to Stress.org.
If you struggle to decompress before bedtime, or are frequently awakened in the middle of the night, here are four tips to help you fall asleep.
Avoid screen time
Sutter Health reported that “the light from our screens can delay our transition to sleep, even if we are engaged in some soothing activity online.” Screen time is a stimulant for form of “the brain suppresses production of melatonin, making it difficult for many people to “turn off” their brains and fall asleep.” The blue light produced by our screens “suppresses production of melatonin, making it difficult for many people to ‘turn off’ their brains and fall asleep.
While mobile phones may be the main culprit, the television can have the same deleterious effects on sleep.
Stop watching the clock
Looking at the clock is a surefire way to increase anxiety levels. Not only are you awake because of anxiety, but now you’re also anxious about not being able to fall asleep.
“Looking at the clock will make people feel anxious about not falling back to sleep. That causes the body to release fight-or-flight hormones, which interfere with the sleep onset process,” explained Dr. Brian Murray, a sleep neurologist at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and a professor at the University of Toronto.
Meditation Apps
Whether you awake from a racing heart, night sweats or abdominal pain, anxiety-driven sleep stress can be managed by proper relaxation techniques. Experts often recommend walking at night to help relax the body and mind.
Mediation is also a tool to help insomnia. According to Healthline, “it can quiet the mind and body while enhancing inner peace. When done before bedtime, meditation may help reduce insomnia and sleep troubles by promoting overall calmness.”
Ask for help
If you’ve tried all the meditation apps, exercised, changed your diet, and stopped watching the clock and you’re still having trouble sleeping, it might be time to seek professional help. The National Institute of Health reported that chronic sleep loss can lead to “excess mental distress, depressive symptoms, anxiety, and alcohol use.”
