If you struggle with anxiety, chances are that you’ve experienced sleepless nights.
There are the physical symptoms of anxiety, of course, that create wakefulness. These include a racing heart, digestive upset, and hypervigilance. But these physical effects are often a result of the things that you’re worrying about.
People with anxiety have a hard time “turning off” their minds. Distressing thoughts can run wild and scattered for hours. Even though you may feel tired, once you turn off the light and sink into your pillow, you can’t sleep. And the list of things you may be worrying about is endless. They can range from small worries to giant, life-altering concerns.
You probably wish you could find restful sleep, though. No one likes being plagued by worries.
If anxiety is preventing you from getting enough rest, it’s important to seek treatment for it. Why?
Adequate Sleep Is Vital
You’ve probably heard the benefits of getting enough sleep. Among many, adequate sleep helps you better cope with the stressors of life.
Moreover, it’s important to know that not getting enough sleep can actually make your anxiety worse. The longer you go without enough sleep, the harder it becomes to regulate your mood.
Research shows that losing sleep because of anxiety can change how your brain functions when you are able to sleep. The all-important stages of sleep become altered. As a result, your brain doesn’t have a chance to gain what it is supposed to through sleep. (This includes processing of the day’s memories and events and rinsing toxins out of the brain.)
Ripple Effects for Your Whole Life
Unfortunately, some people who struggle with sleep due to anxiety even develop a fear of going to bed and sleep. It’s easy to see how this could happen, of course, given how unpleasant anxiety-induced insomnia is. So, the sooner you can get help to address your worries, the better.
Clearly, not getting enough sleep due to your anxiety is a problem on many levels. But even beyond the issue of sleep itself, leaving your anxiety untreated creates a ripple effect throughout your entire life.
Unchecked anxiety wreaks havoc on your body. It drains your physical and mental energy. Anxiety snowballs with time, to the point where it can take over your entire life. You end up devoting precious time and energy to avoiding the things you fear. Dreams are ignored or lost or stuffed because your anxiety keeps you trapped. Relationships are affected as well.
Anxiety and Sleep Treatment
As you can see, addressing the anxiety that’s keeping you awake at night is of utmost importance. Seeking out a therapist who specializes in anxiety treatment is a great step to take. When it comes to specifically addresses anxiety and sleep, therapists may use some of the following approaches. (And, luckily, some of these are used more generally for anxiety as well. A win-win!)
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
CBT is an effective, research-backed approach to working through anxiety and other mental health issues. Your therapist will help you evaluate your thoughts and fears and learn how to reframe them. With time, you’ll actually be able to change the way your brain thinks and reacts.
Relaxation Exercises
You may be very surprised at how very relaxed you feel after doing some of these. Anxiety is often carried in the body. Muscles tense and tighten; you’re on alert even if you don’t feel like it. But relaxation exercises address these physical symptoms and help your body learn how to calm itself. This aids in falling and staying asleep.
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You don’t have to continue suffering from anxiety and insomnia. Please reach out to my office for support. Together, we can find a way forward to rest and peace. More information on Anxiety Treatment here.