Trying to sleep at night can feel like an impossible task when you’re overcome by stress or anxiety. You may feel like you spend hours awake staring at the ceiling while a flood of worries and anxious thoughts rush through your head.
If you have anxiety and have experienced difficulty sleeping, you are not alone. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, over 40 million Americans suffer from sleeping disorders that occur long-term. Fortunately, there are many strategies you can use to reduce anxiety and get a better night’s rest.
Anxiety & Insomnia – The Vicious Cycle
There are many studies that have shown that anxiety and sleep are deeply intertwined. When anxiety occurs, it can be difficult to fall asleep. Additionally, lack of sleep can cause one to feel anxious, nervous, and worrisome throughout the day.
To make matters worse, many people feel an increase in anxiety when they are not able to fall asleep right away. If this continues for a number of days, the person may become extremely anxious about the lack of sleep they’re getting. When they finally get to sleep, they may oversleep and then wake up feeling anxious about “wasting” so many hours in one day due to sleep and their sleep cycle is completely thrown off. This creates a vicious cycle.
Tips for Coping with Anxiety & Getting a Better Night’s Rest
The following strategies can be used to reduce anxiety and make it easier to get a good night’s rest:
- Meditate or practice breathing exercises.
- Get plenty of exercise. Yoga and cardio are great ways to relieve stress and anxiety.
- Limit the amount of caffeine, alcohol, and sugar you consume.
- Journal at night before going to bed.
- Play relaxing music while you try to fall asleep.
- Limit screen time. Try reading a book to take your mind off things instead.
- Create a to-do list each day and cross off items as you accomplish them.
- Prioritize your mental health.
If your sleep or anxiety problems are persistent, you may want to consider consulting a mental health professional. A professional will be able to help you get down to the root of the issue and determine the best treatment option based on your situation.
At Emerge, we are happy to provide therapy and other services for anxiety to Denver individuals and families. We have helped many patients successfully find relief from anxiety and other mental health issues.
Schedule an Appointment
If you have questions about therapy or would like to speak to someone at our office in Denver about anxiety or another mental health concern, please do not hesitate to contact us. We would be more than happy to help you schedule an appointment or get more information. We look forward to hearing from you soon!