Monday, March 25, 2024
HomeTrendingHow To Calm Anxiety Before Bed

How To Calm Anxiety Before Bed

Forget Falling Asleep In Minutesmost Nights Im Lucky If I Can Drift Off In Less Than An Hour

How To Calm Anxiety Before Bed and Get Deep, Restful Sleep

And Im not alone in my struggle. Robert Oexman, D.C., director of the Sleep to Live Institute, explains that theres a connection between anxiety and sleep. Those spiraling thoughts may keep you from falling asleep and lead to worse sleep quality at night. And this can be the case for women, in particular, especially if theyre stressed about interpersonal issues.

In fact, theres plenty of evidence to suggest that theres a relationship between sleep and mood. People with insomnia have greater levels of depression and anxiety than those who sleep normally, Oexman says. The more a person experiences insomnia and the more frequently they wake at night as a result, the higher the chances of developing depression.

Or as licensed psychologist Ben Rutt, Ph.D., puts it, difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep can be symptoms of a larger problem with anxiety. Ruminating about worst-case scenarios, racing thoughts, and obsessing over things you need to do can prevent you from falling asleep, he says. Worrying about these things can also wake you up and prevent you from falling back asleep.

Ritualize Your Nighttime Routine

Not only does a routine help you relax enough to fall asleep, but it also helps combat stress and reduces symptoms of anxiety. Your nighttime routine will help keep you focused on relaxation and sleep. Everyone’s routine is going to look different. Maybe yours includes light yoga or an hour of journaling to reflect on your day. Whatever it is, it’s important to stick to your nightly routine when you find it — do it at the same time and in the same order each night. Completing tasks in your nightly routine will signal to your brain that it’s time to start winding down for sleep.

Another mini tip within this tip: Don’t lay in bed awake. If you climb into bed and find that you’re not falling asleep, don’t stay in bed. Instead, get up and do something relaxing, like read a book or take a bubble bath. The last thing you want to do is associate your bed with scrolling through social media or watching TV.

Read But Not On Your Phone

Getting lost a book is beneficial for many reasons, and it can be pivotal to sleep health.

Reading is a great way to quiet your mind and distract yourself from any anxious thoughts that might creep up at night. When you are engaged in a story, your thoughts are in the moment, instead of worrying about the future, says Dr. Sal Raichbach, a licensed clinical social worker at Ambrosia Treatment Center. On the other hand, the blue light emitted from cell phones does the opposite. Even if you turn down the brightness, blue light from LED screens interferes with the production of essential brain chemicals like melatonin that tell your body it’s time for bed.

Pick up a real book, and I recommend from extensive experience with insomnia, that you pick the densest, dullest tome in your collection.

Also Check: Does Zoloft Help With Anxiety

Remind Yourself Of The Present And That You Don’t Know The Future

Finally, thereâs the concept of “runaway thoughts.” At night, these very strong feelings and fears can feel very real and accurate. But we donât know the future, and we canât truly know how things will turn out. That means that as much as uncertainty can be paralyzing, it can also be comforting.

“It’s very true that something undeniably difficult and scary is happening in our world, and it helps to acknowledge this to our inner selves, so we don’t start thinking that we’re just lying to ourselves,” says Dr. Brenner. “But try placing a gentle hand on your heart and saying to yourself, quietly, ‘Yes, this really is scary, but right now I am here, and I am alive.’ This allows our runaway thoughts to slow down to a pace where we can keep up with them. The objective is to be able to self-soothe in a way where they don’t consume us.

“When runaway thoughts take over, you imagine the very, very worst, and you don’t think you can make it through,” says Dr. Brenner. “Instead, imagine the most soothing, loving, and calming voice you can think of telling you that even though it feels really hard and scary right now, you have support, and youâll make it through.”

Exercise But Not Right Before Bed

A tidy space is very calming, which in turn can lower stress levels. By ...

Physical exercise during the day is one of the best habits you can adopt to fall asleep more quickly every night. In fact, some studies have shown that exercise is just as effective as sleeping pills for helping people sleep. Try to get at least 30 minutes of exercise per day, and youll probably find you start sleeping more soundly.

However, some people may find that exercising right before sleep keeps them up. Thats because exercise releases endorphins, a brain chemical that makes you feel more awake. Others, though, say it doesnt seem to matter when they exercise.

Pay attention to your body. If exercising right before bed seems to be keeping you up, try instead to move your workout to around two hours before going to bed.

You May Like: Does Anxiety Cause Loss Of Appetite

How To Manage Anxiety At Bedtime

1. Shift the focus from the separation to their next connection with you.

Given that bedtime is a time of separation, tilt the focus to the next point of connection. Rather than focusing on the night, as in, Night my darling, have a good sleep, , shift their focus to when they will next see you. This can be done by finding rituals to tie bedtime to morning.

Invite them to choose a book at bedtime that you will read together in the morning.

Let them know that as they fall asleep, you will be writing down something they did today that you especially loved and that you will read this together in the morning.

Give them something of yours, and have them give something to you, then return them to each other in the morning. Smell is a really strong emotional trigger. If the smell is associated with safety, it will have an enormous capacity to trigger calm. Perhaps let them use your pillowcase for a while, or let them take your shirt to bed with them.

2. Rework the association bedtime is rest.

I know it feels scary for you in your own bed. I also know that you are completely safe there. I know that eventually you will be able to spend the whole night in your own bed, and that your room can feel cosy and safe and beautiful for you, but I know that isnt how it feels at the moment. Lets work towards that in little steps. Well do it together.

3. With you, then away, then back again.
4. And if bad dreams are causing trouble

Recommended Reading: Is Anxiety And Panic Attacks The Same

What Are The Advantages Of Online Therapy Providers

Online therapy services are ending up being much more prominent due to their benefit and also accessibility.

On-line Therapy Solutions are a new trend for people that want to speak about their troubles with somebody they rely on. Online therapy solutions are gaining appeal since it is easier and also accessible than traditional in-person therapy.

The advantage of online therapy solutions is choosing your very own schedule. Furthermore, they are less costly than typical in-person therapy, and you can access them anywhere.

Recommended Reading: How To Get Benzos For Anxiety

A Better Wayhow To Get Through A Panic Attack

Lie on your back and bring all your attention to your body, Rains says. Begin a process of gently tightening and releasing each muscle group, starting with your feet and working your way upwards to the top of your head. Hold each muscle as tightly as you can for about five seconds, then release it completely and see if you can notice the difference between the muscle tightened and the muscle relaxed. Move onto the next muscle until you’ve relaxed your entire body. Any time your mind wanders, gently bring your attention back to the tightening and releasing of each muscle group.

What Causes Anxiety Before Sleep

Anxiety before bed? How to Calm Anxiety at Night

According to clinical psychologist Emily Knott, Anxiety before bedtime often takes the form of a phenomenon referred to in psychology as pre-sleep arousal.

Knott says that pre-sleep arousal may cause the body and nervous system to enter a state of heightened awareness that may take the form of problem-solving, thinking about your own thoughts, focusing on stimuli in the environment such as noise and light, and ruminating about the consequences of not being able to sleep.

While there hasnt been extensive research conducted on sleep and anxiety, there are a few reasons why your anxiety may be worse at night. Here are possible causes.

Also Check: What Natural Meds Are Good For Anxiety

How To Calm Anxiety At Night: Is Vagus Nerve Icing An Effective Way To Calm Down Before Bed

You can engage this system through vagus nerve stimulation non-interventional exercises that help improve the tone of the nerve. Dr Ravindran explains: Vagal tone is an internal biological process that represents the activity of the nerve. Increasing your vagal tone activates the parasympathetic nervous system. Therefore, having a higher baseline vagal tone can allow the body to relax faster after stress.

So, tone up your vagus nerve and youll be mentally and physically fitter to deal with stressful situations. The good news is that theres a wealth of quick and easy DIY ways to achieve this from yoga to massage and singing to cold exposure. Heres what the experts recommend.

Causes Of Anxiety Before Sleep

Everyone experiences anxiety differently. Those that have anxiety when falling asleep may have that problem for their own unique reason. Some of the causes include:

These are only an introduction to the different issues that may cause anxiety when falling asleep. There are a variety of other reasons why a person with anxiety may struggle to fall asleep including something as simple as what you ate or drank before going to bed.

Effects and Symptoms of Nighttime Anxiousness

Anxiousness, when you are trying to get to sleep, causes both mental and physical struggles. See if these descriptions of the types of problems encountered by anxiety sufferers trying to get to sleep match up to your own experiences.

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms when trying to sleep, you should take the steps outlined below to help you escape the torture of being too anxious to get a good night’s sleep.

Also Check: How To Get Over Performance Anxiety

Focus On Your Breathing

Another way to quiet your thoughts can be through simple breathing exercises. “Your mind is surely going to wander back to other things, but the important thing is to keep bringing it back to your breathing, in and out,” Dr. O’Donovan said. Deep, slow breathing can also slow your heart rate, which can be helpful if you’re anxious or stressed about something specific, according to a 2018 review published in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience.

You can do diaphragmatic breathing while lying in bed. Try this breathing technique from sleep specialist Michael Breus, PhD: Place one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach. Inhale through your nose for about two seconds, feel your stomach expand, then push gently on your stomach as you slowly exhale. Repeat.

Online Therapy Is An Effective Alternative For Individuals That Desire The Advantages Of Therapy

Morning Anxiety: How To Calm It Down &  Sip Hot Coffee

There are many reasons people could prefer to obtain treatment online. On the plus side, you dont need to go anywhere. On the other hand, it indicates missing out on every one of the in-person communications that can aid individuals help themselves. Bear in mind there are additionally many advantages to online treatment review your own with a specialist today.

Online treatment can be a good alternative for people who stay in rural areas or have wheelchair problems. Best Ways To Calm Anxiety Before Bed

With the current development of the Internet, individuals have actually been utilizing it as a tool for treatment. It is clear that lots of people have been residing in rural areas. Online treatment has actually come to be a good choice with the absence of therapists as well as therapists in those locations. Additionally, online treatment can be an excellent choice for individuals who live in backwoods or have reduced flexibility.

Lastly, Calmerry can also be a fantastic choice for people that might be as well embarrassed to go and see a specialist face to face. By doing this, youre still able to get the assistance and support that you need without having to expose your individual troubles to any person else.

Don’t Miss: Why Does My Cat Have Anxiety

Don’t Ignore Your Anxiety

All the tips in the world won’t help you sleep easier with anxiety if you don’t acknowledge you’re feeling anxious. Whatever you’re feeling — stressed, scared or worried — accept it so you can address it.

It’s a good idea to try to incorporate stress-relieving activities into your daily routine to help keep things from building up at night. Try a daily walk or other exercises to reduce anxiety. There’s no set time frame for when you’ll start falling asleep faster — it likely won’t be instantaneous. However, if you find that your anxiety is continually getting the best of your sleep, it may be time to talk to someone.

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.

Get the CNET Now newsletter

Relaxation Techniques Can Help Ease Anxiety At Night

Good sleep hygiene habits and a relaxing bedtime routine can help you get the sleep your body needs. But on nights when stress and anxiety from your day threaten to keep you up at night, it helps to have tools to interrupt the bodyâs stress response. By adding relaxation techniques to your evening wind-down period, you can train your mind to release anxious thoughts and get into sleep mode. Rise recommends experimenting with these techniques to see which ones work for you:

In the RISE app, you can add a nightly relaxation session to your habits and customize it with guides/recordings for autogenic training, relaxing sounds, progressive muscle relaxation, and diaphragmatic breathing.

Recommended Reading: Can You Develop Ocd From Anxiety

Try Whistling Yes Seriously

If you live alone, Kazez recommends this offbeat sleep starter: whistling. If it wont bother the people you live around, whistling uses up some air and energy in a way that can make you tired, she explains. Whistling? Well, there are no studies to back this one up, but at least it cant hurt.

With the advice of these professionals in my pajama pocket, I started to make a few changes to my sleep routine in the hopes of falling asleep faster.

As much as it pained me to do so, I started getting up at the same time every dayI have a flexible work schedule, so I was previously tempted to sleep as late as I could on days when I didnt have to teach early. But since I was sleeping late on random days, I wasnt getting tired at my self-set bedtime. See you every morning from here on out, 7:30 a.m. .

I was a little skeptical about planning out worry timeafter all, arent I supposed to be keeping a gratitude journal and writing in my happiness planner every day? But after some reflection, I realized that I already sort of scheduled worry time for myself without realizing it during the time I spent running. Id always used running as a way to corral my stress and decompress from the days worries, but now I officially designate that as my worry time, when I can let my anxieties and worries tumble around in my brain. When my run is over and Im unlacing my running shoes, its almost like Im physically finished with my worries too.

Online Therapy Is A Wonderful Alternative For Everyone To Remain On Board

Q: How Can I Soothe My Child with ADHD & Anxiety Before Bed?

Online therapy is fantastic for everybody to stay on board, regardless of their area. It removes the barrier of geographical range as well as provides people the opportunity to obtain assistance without taking some time off job. There are numerous advantages to on the internet therapy, including anonymity, comfort, and access.

Online therapy, therapy, and budget-friendly therapy are just how this brand-new fad can be made use of to aid people cope with everyday stress and anxiety. Best Ways To Calm Anxiety Before Bed

People that are as well embarrassed to look for therapy in individual may find it beneficial to see a specialist online. Online therapy is less challenging as well as can offer the exact same advantages as typical therapy sessions.

Online therapy is rapidly coming to be a prominent choice for lots of people. Due to the stigma bordering mental health, numerous people are terrified of going to a therapist in individual as well as rather transform to on-line therapy solutions for aid with their issues.

Please keep in mind that we may receive a commission when you click on our links and make a purchase. No extra cost for you. This, however, has no bearing on our reviews and comparisons.

Don’t Miss: How To Know If You Have Anxiety Problems

RELATED ARTICLES
- Advertisment -

Most Popular

- Advertisment -