How To Calm Anxiety At Night
When anxiety keeps you up at night, getting enough rest can be challenging. But the following activities can relax you before bed.
1. Sleep Hygiene
One of the best ways to calm anxiety is to practice good sleep hygiene, including avoiding caffeine and alcohol before bed, keeping a regular sleep schedule, and creating a relaxing bedtime routine.
2. Create an Appropriate Sleep Environment
Creating a sleeping environment conducive to relaxation can be beneficial in calming anxiety. Make sure your room is dark, quiet, and cool. Purchasing one of the best smart beds with comfortable bedding and limiting technology or screens before bedtime is advisable. Blue light from electronic devices has been shown to suppress melatonin production and interfere with sleep quality.
3. Meditate
When youre feeling anxious while sleeping, taking a few minutes to focus on your breath can be incredibly calming. There are various types of meditation find one that works best for you and try to practice it regularly. This can help train your mind to focus on the present instead of allowing anxiety to take over.
4. Exercise
Exercise releases endorphins, which have mood-boosting effects and can help soothe anxiety. A moderate amount of exercise is the key to maintaining your mental health and managing anxiety at bedtimeaim for at least 30 minutes per day. If you dont have time for a full workout, try incorporating basic yoga poses or go for a short walk.
5. Keep a Journal
6. Listen to Ambient Noise
What Is Crippling Anxiety
Crippling anxiety is when potentially high-functioning anxiety and its symptoms heighten. Someone with crippling anxiety will have anxiety present most of the time and experience symptoms so strong that they may be unable to do day-to-day tasks. As Talkspace shares, there are several common symptoms of crippling anxiety:
- Difficulty sleeping or nightmares
- Feeling panicked or afraid
- Feeling irritable or angry
As Talkspace continues, if someone experiences crippling anxiety, its possible that they have an anxiety disorder. That could include one of the following:
Hanging Out With Friends
Relationships matter even for us introverts, says Stone. Research also tells us that isolating is one of the worst things for anxiety and depression.
So, consider making time for friends, family, and other social engagements.
Put yourself in social situations at least weekly as a part of your self-discipline to help you build community over time, says Stone.
Also Check: What To Do If You Have Anxiety At School
How To Reduce Anxiety In The Long Term
If you find that you’re often suffering from anxiety and nervousness, even when you’re not in a situation that typically cause that level of anxiety, you may be suffering from an anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders cannot be cured overnight but many people do improve. They’re the result of years of experiences, and they take time to heal.
The fastest way to reduce anxiety is to first identify what you’re experiencing, and then use step by step methods to move forward.
Was this article helpful?
Pull On Your Weighted Blanket
This is the first anti-anxiety tool that comes to mind for Molly Giorgio, Psy.D., a licensed clinical psychologist in West Hartford, Connecticut. Any kind of weighted blanket will really help you calm down, she explains. They give you that sense of being held, of almost being hugged, adds Gin Love Thompson, Ph.D., a psychotherapist and relationship expert. Here are ten weighted blankets we recommend.
You May Like: Is Lexapro Good For Anxiety
Learn To Recognize The Signs Of Anxiety
Anxiety disorder is the most common mental health condition in the United States, affecting up to 18% of the population. Knowing the signs of anxiety can help you realize when someone you love is having fearful thoughts or feelings. Symptoms vary from person to person but can be broken into three categories:
How To Ease Anxiety: 5 Ways To Feel Calmer Right Now
When we’re anxious, our breath becomes rapid and shallow. Deep belly breathing helps decrease anxiety by stimulating the bodyâs relaxation response, lowering our heart rate and blood pressure. Itâs a powerful technique that works because we canât breathe deeply and be anxious at the same time. There are many variations to try, including this simple exercise:
Inhale deeply for a count of 4. Hold your breath for a count of 4. Exhale for a count of 4. Repeat several times.
Exercise is one of the best anxiety remedies, immediately and long term. Going for a walk creates a diversion from worries and releases muscle tension. Grab your headphones or earbuds on the way out:studies show that listening to music brings its own calming effects.
Long term, regular exercise triggers the release of feel-good neurochemicals in the brain, building up resilience against stormy emotions. It boosts confidence and mood, and we donât need to run a marathon to feel the benefits. Washing the car, hiking, gardening, a pick-up game â anything that gets us moving counts. Research shows that 30 minutes, 3 to 5 days a week can help to significantly improve anxiety symptoms, but even 10 minutes can make a difference.
Green tea, long used in Chinese medicine to treat depression, contains the amino acid L-theanine, which relieves stress, and reduces blood pressure and muscle tension.
Don’t Miss: How To Use Essential Oils For Anxiety
Practice Good Sleep Hygiene
Try to go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day weekends included.
Your routine before going to bed also matters. Consider giving yourself wind-down times. For example, 20 minutes with no devices. Instead, you could read a book or take a bath.
Avoiding potential triggers, like watching TV or scrolling the news on your phone, is key.
Creating a sleep routine will help you fall asleep faster and reduce the chances that youll lie awake, worrying about unfinished tasks or the next morning.
Imagine Your Stress Floating Away
It sounds weird, but sometimes imagining all the negative energy leaving us through our breath or allowing those emotions to flow into an object such as a piece of paper then watching it float away in the wind really helps. Trust me, try it Im not here writing this blog post from beyond my grave
Read Also: Can Anxiety Disorder Go Away
Get To The Pressure Point With Hand Massage
I learned this one in both the MBSR program and in Brukners book. Whats great about it is that you can do it while attending a lecture, listening to your kids fight, or sitting at your desk working. No one will notice. Simply use the thumb of one hand and press around the palm of the other hand. Its very soothing.
How You Can Help Someone With Anxiety
Regardless of whether you experience anxiety yourself, its probable that you know someone else who struggles with it. If you notice a friend, family member, or coworker showing any of the symptoms listed above, consider these strategies to support them:
- Listen: If someone you know has anxiety, it can be helpful just to sit and listen to what is on their mind. This can provide comfort in knowing that they have a support system and that they dont have to face this alone.
- Help them find resources: The best way to support someone with anxiety is to help them find ways to address their anxiety through the resources available. Whether it be finding a recommended therapist or access to mental health resources at your workplace, finding whats available is a great step in the right direction.
- Set boundaries: Ultimately, its best to leave advice to mental health professionals. You can listen and suggest common resources that may help someone deal with anxiety, but avoid suggesting specific medications or techniques to manage anxiety. Plus, its important for your own mental health to set boundaries with loved ones so they dont become too dependent on you.
If you or someone you know is considering suicide or having suicidal thoughts, consult this list of international suicide hotlines. You can speak to someone immediately and receive the help you need.
Read Also: Who Do You Talk To About Anxiety
So What Can You Do To Calm Down So You Can Actually Sleep
well, first murder, there s no ersatz for seeking aid from a mental health professional. An anxiety or injury therapist, in especial, can help work with you to reduce your anxiety and panic symptoms. According to Hahn, there are particular treatments, like EMDR or sensorimotor psychotherapy, which can be helpful in resetting your nervous system and settling your hyperactive amygdala that mho causing your anxiety disorder .
Wait For Things To Get Better
Sometimes I feel as if life expects us to be superhumans who work through stress at lightning speed while also having the ability to solve every single problem which comes our way in a matter of seconds. However, that isnt always possible especially when were dealing with something big or even small where there might not be a definitive answer to make us feel better. If this is the case then always remember its okay to take your time and wait for things to get better on their own yes we all want help, but sometimes that isnt possible so just bear with life and try focusing on everything else around you which makes you smile
Also Check: How To Get Rid Of Anxiety Chest Pain
How To Get Treatment For Anxiety
Rose Hill Center has an onsite psychiatric residential treatment facility available for effectively combating extreme anxiety conditions. We offer a unique approach for those suffering from anxiety by providing therapeutic treatment in addition to clinical assistance. We use a mix of traditional psychotherapy measures and effective behavioral therapy tactics along with group, individual, and family therapy sessions.
If you are seeking effective ways to deal with an anxiety attack, our professionals at Rose Hill Center can offer some. Reach out to us by calling , and let us help you eliminate anxiety from your life.
Ways To Help Lower Anxiety Naturally
Research shows that after a full night of sleep â 7-9 hours is ideal â weâre likely to feel less anxious and more confident. Physical activity during the day will help us sleep better, too. And remember: if winding down for the night inclues reading before bed, don’t make these mistakes.
Science is discovering more about the âgut-brain connection.â Researchers often refer to the belly as the second brain, since about 95% of serotonin receptors are found in the lining of the gut. Science shows that foods containing certain vitamins and minerals may help reduce anxiety, so when weâre thinking about natural ways to help anxiety, consider filling up on these:
It might also be a good idea to limit caffeine and alcohol â both of which can aggravate symptoms of anxiety.
Research shows that B vitamins have many health and quality of life benefits, and supplementing with B vitamins is gaining scientific traction. This 2018 study found that people who ate food high in B vitamins showed significant improvements in their anxiety and stress scores than those who did not. Taking a high-quality B-complex supplement is generally very safe, since B vitamins are water-soluble, meaning the body excretes what it doesnât use. But always consult with your doctor before taking any supplements since they can interact with medications or have side effects.
You May Like: How To Self Soothe Anxiety
Use Logic To Challenge Your Fears
Intense feelings of anxiety and stress that come on quickly often stem from irrational thoughts. You might start to focus on only the worst possible outcome or spiral into a chorus of what-ifs that play into your deepest fears.
In these moments, try to talk yourself out of it by using logic to challenge your anxiety. Ask yourself questions like these:
- Whats the evidence that this is true?
- Whats the probability that what Im worried about will actually happen? Whats the probability that it wont happen?
- How will worrying about this help me?
- How would I handle the worst thing that could happen?
- What would I say to a friend worrying about this right now?
Once you answer these questions, you can start to think more positively and coach yourself through any lingering negative feelings.
Completely Relax Your Muscles
Utter relaxation is something you can actually practice. Autogenic training is when you sit or lie in a comfortable position and let your muscles go completely limp.
While you melt like a stick of butter, repeat short phrases in your mind, like My arms are heavy or Im so heavy Im melting into the floor. Channel intense feelings of heaviness, warmth, coolness, and calm as you relax.
Give yourself 10 to 15 minutes of relaxation before resuming your day or going to bed. Watch your negative feelings drift away.
Laughter truly is the best medicine sometimes but it has to be real. One 2017 study found that laughing regularly can lead to a decrease in blood pressure, which can make you feel more calm over time.
Laughter can also relieve anxiety and boost positive feelings. It even has a name: laughter therapy.
You May Like: Can Menopause Cause Anxiety Attacks
Why Isnt My Dog Calm
If you want to know how to calm your dog down, you need to establish the root cause.
Dogs need to feel safe and understood. To truly connect with them on their level, we need to do more and say less. The Five To Thrive in Carolines Book Why Does My Dog Do That? is the foundation to help a dog become calm and content in our world.
Reactions can be as a result of one or more of the following reasons:
Processed food containing high levels of sugar is one reason that your dog may not be calm.
The Relationship Between Anxiety And Sleep
According to the American Psychological Association, anxiety is âcharacterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts and physical changes like increased blood pressure.â
These are hardly ideal ingredients for a good nightâs sleep, by any standards. But thereâs more to the story. Letâs take a look at some key terms that will help delineate the relationship between sleep and anxiety.
Getting caught up in the vicious cycle of anxiety and sleep loss is all too easy, and it can escalate quickly. Before you have to pull yourself out from under hours and hours of sleep debt and possibly even crippling depression, do what you can do nip it in the bud. Take stock and take action, the sooner the better.
Don’t Miss: How To Help A Puppy With Separation Anxiety