It’s Monday. You’ve had a long day packed with work and a laundry list of other obligations. When it’s time for lights out, it should seem natural to fall fast asleep. But … it’s not. For many people, a huge feeling of dread kicks in come bedtime and it only becomes worse while lying awake thinking about what has to be done the next day. This feeling is called sleep anxiety, and it’s cyclical. Think about it: A person is trying to go to sleep but they start worrying about to-do lists or other ruminations. Then they feel even more fearful about not sleeping, and the vicious cycle repeats again and again.
What are some common causes of sleep anxiety?
Insomnia
Sleep anxiety and sleep conditions like insomnia often go hand in hand. Acute insomnia affects 1 in 4 Americans, according to a study by the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, with 6% developing chronic insomnia. The study defines acute insomnia as having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep for a minimum of three nights a week for a stretch of two weeks to three months. A person’s insomnia crosses into chronic territory if symptoms last for more than three months. A person that’s been having frequent trouble sleeping is more likely to feel anxiety before bed due to worrying that it may happen again.
Sleep apnea
Sleep apnea can cause frequent bouts of paused breathing. These pauses can last anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes and can occur multiple times per hour. Unnatural breathing patterns place a major burden on the body and can leave you feeling extremely tired the next morning. Some sufferers of sleep apnea also experience sleep anxiety due to a fear of not being able to breathe while sleeping.
Chronic nightmares
While nightmares are a more common occurrence among children, adults – particularly those who suffer from afflictions like post-traumatic stress disorder – are susceptible to night terrors as well. Those who suffer from chronic nightmares experience feelings of anxiety before bed due to a fear of experiencing more nightmares.
Which factors can increase the chances of experiencing sleep anxiety?
Your daily habits may be heavily contributing to the lingering feelings of anxiety you feel before bed. Do a personal check-in regarding your daily routine to see if it could be the very cause of your sleep anxiety.
Caffeine and alcohol
Is there anything better than a steaming cup of hot coffee on a cold morning (or an iced latte on a steamy morning)? A cup of joe after you wake up is relatively harmless, but if you’re ingesting caffeine well past noon, you could be seriously harming your sleep schedule. The same goes for alcohol close to bedtime. Alcohol and coffee can fragment your sleep so try to save the drinks for daylight and dinnertime.
Screen time
Did you know adults spend as much as 12 hours a day staring at screens? Compared to adults 50 years ago, we consume five times as much information in a day, according to Forbes. It may not feel like it, but every time you scroll through your notifications or watch another episode on Netflix, you may be contributing to your sleep anxiety. Your brain is constantly intaking entertainment and information, which can easily lead to feelings of dread, dismay, and even panic about the world around us. There are several apps available, such as Moment, that compile and provide historical data on your screen and social media use. If the data feels at all harrowing, it may be time to set some limits on when and where you plug in. An app like Freedom can help you create specific blocklists to schedule time away from time-sucking social media and email apps.
How can you beat sleep anxiety?
When sleep anxiety happens to you night after night, it’s easy to feel incredibly overwhelmed, as though a good night’s sleep is simply no longer in the cards. That doesn’t have to be the case. Try these tips for easing your way back into the land of zzz’s.
Begin by identifying and journaling about your worries.
What is causing your anxiety outside of falling asleep? Could it be stress stemming from your job and feeling like you didn’t get enough done during the day? Are you stressed about something happening in one of your close relationships? Maybe you’re simply feeling overextended in general. Put these thoughts on paper at least an hour or two before bed. Journaling about your stressors can help you work through the associated feelings of anxiety. End your journal entry with a “conclusion” of sorts – about how you feel and how you can address the situation the next day. If you can’t come to a conclusion, write down who you can contact the next to help you talk through the stressor, such as a trusted co-worker or family member. You may be less likely to worry about your stressors if you’ve already worked through them on paper. You don’t have to have your problems completely solved: The point of journaling is simply to identify and start to process what feels heavy on your mind before bedtime.
Try breathing and meditation exercises.
Meditation was once viewed as “New Age” mumbo-jumbo, but its ability to center the mind has helped bring meditation and mindfulness practices into the mainstream. And of course, there’s an app for that. Apps like Calm and Headspace help beginners learn how to control their breathing, identify their racing thoughts, and then simply let the thoughts exist without judgment or stress. Rather than trying to control or fight the thoughts going through your head, simply letting the thoughts be allows the mind to relax. Try to work your way through some guided meditation practices before bed or when you wake up in the morning. You might be surprised to see your sleep anxiety start to melt away as you learn to stop engaging with your thoughts in a negative way.
Make time for “winding down.”
Do you go straight from a marathon day of activities to your bedroom? If so, there’s a better way. For one week, set a strict wind-down time for yourself. Notice we didn’t say bedtime: When the clock strikes your specified time, that is your cue to put on some PJs and do what relaxes you the most. That could be reading a book, listening to a calming podcast, or catching up with a loved one. Whatever it may be, try to avoid any work, screens, or overly stimulating sounds. The point here is to create a clear boundary between day and night where you get to focus on yourself away from the worries that keep you up at night.
Get up if you can’t fall asleep.
Lying in bed for hours staring at the ceiling will do nothing to help your sleep anxiety. If you can’t fall asleep and you’re constantly tossing and turning, get up and go to another room. Restart your winding down routine until you feel sleepy before returning to your bedroom.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
You don’t have to take on sleep anxiety by yourself. The uncertainty and discomfort caused by sleep anxiety can become too much to manage alone. Luckily, there are therapists and doctors available to help with sleep anxiety-related issues. Specifically, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has become a common treatment for insomnia and anxiety. CBT works by having you work with a therapist to walk through the thoughts underpinning your sleep anxiety. The therapist can help you take a step back to view these ideas and triggers outside of your typical sleep-deprived, worried lens. The therapist may use techniques such as role-playing or visualization exercises to help you shift from a negative perspective to a constructive one. CBT exists to help you harness worried thoughts, learn to relax, and more than anything, give yourself a break.
The bottom line
Sleep anxiety can cause compounded stress, uneasiness, and discomfort if left untreated. There are tips and tools that you can use and daily habits that can be tweaked to help you get a better night’s sleep. Creating a relaxing environment and doing your best to reduce stressful thought triggers can help you beat sleep anxiety for good. And at the end of the day, there are always professionals ready to help you take control of your sleeping patterns and your life.