Everyone experiences anxiety at some point in their lives. Whether it arises from circumstantial stress or whether it is an ongoing, chronic experience, the chances are high that your anxiety will disrupt your sleep.

Maybe you find yourself tossing and turning all night, anxious or stressful thoughts racing through your head. Or, perhaps once you fall asleep, you find yourself awake and anxious only a short few hours later, tormented by your thoughts.

Coping with anxiety can be physically and emotionally uncomfortable and challenging. You might be restless and irritable, have physical tension in your body, and experience thoughts that won’t stop. People suffering from anxiety often report sweating, gastrointestinal distress, rapid heartbeat, hyperventilating, and fatigue. Not everyone experiences all of these symptoms and your experience with anxiety may look completely different.

While anxiety is a natural and normal response to stress and difficult life experiences, there is no question that lack of sleep is like adding fuel to a fire.

While you might not always be able to control the events that lead to anxiety, you can take steps to try and improve your sleep while you continue to work through whatever life situation you are currently facing.

1. Consistent wakeup times. Waking up at the same time each day helps set your body clock so that your brain knows when to start preparing for sleep. Set the alarm and wake up at the same time each day, even on the weekends.
2. Limit caffeine and alcohol. Not only do caffeine and alcohol fuel your anxiety, they also disrupt the body’s natural sleep process and not allow you to get the deep, restorative sleep you need to feel rested in the morning.
3. Do not nap. Unless there are safety risks such as driving or operating machinery, napping often results in a vicious cycle of nighttime waking and daytime sleepiness.
4. Engage in activities during the day that promote relaxation. Relaxing activities could be meditation, connecting with a friend, deep breathing, or going for a walk. Reducing your anxiety levels for short periods throughout the day can help reduce the adrenalin and cortisol running through your system that will keep you awake at night.
5. Create a bedtime ritual that helps you prepare for sleep each night. Consider taking a break from screens for at least 30 minutes before bed. Other activities could include a warm bath, reading, or other relaxing activities that can help you prepare for a good night’s sleep.

When you are struggling with anxiety, your body is in a constant state of fight-or-flight. If your anxiety does not resolve on its own once the stressor has been addressed or if the stress has become a chronic way of life, please consider seeking help from your physician or other trusted medical professional.

Anxiety and sleep disruption are normal at times when you encounter stressful or difficult experiences and events but left unresolved for extended periods, they can really begin to take a toll on your health and increase your risk for cardiovascular problems and diabetes.

Learn more About Me and the Services I offer.

Tonya Molnar, PhD, LMHC, MHP specializes in insomnia and sleep health, trauma, and chronic pain and illness therapy with additional training in CBT-i for insomnia and CBT for chronic pain and illness management. As she completes her PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision, it is her honor to serve clients in Washington State using a telemental health approach at this time.