4 Calming Tips To Soothe Your Anxiety At Night
It was a long day. You feel as if you barely had a chance to breathe, and the day felt super rushed. Knowing that tomorrow will be much the same, you settle in for the night and climb into bed.
Minutes pass by, then a half hour, and suddenly, you're wide awake. Or maybe you fell asleep easily, only to be waken up hours later with your mind racing. Willing sleep to come, it never does. Unfortunately, this is a sad reality for many people who are dealing with anxiety.
Let's face it: we're all dealing with anxiety. Life seems very difficult lately, with everything going on. Then, when you add in the added stress of finances and responsibilities, many of us are losing quality sleep hours at night. The good news is there are plenty of things you can do to help calm anxiety at night.
What Is Sleep Anxiety?
First, let's talk about what sleep anxiety is. Anxiety at night is not any different than it would be during the day. However, sleep anxiety has additional symptoms that accompany it. The most common ones include:
Difficulty falling or staying asleep
Feeling restless
GI issues
Nightmares
Difficulty concentrating
Hypnic jerk/twitching
Panic attacks
4 Tips For Calming Anxiety At Night
1. Start a Routine
A good bedtime routine is appropriate for children and adults alike. When you get into a routine of doing certain things 1-2 hours before bed, as time allows, it can let your body know that it's time to start settling down for sleep.
For instance, you may decide that your night time routine is to turn the lights down low and then read for a little while. If you aren't into reading, you might choose to listen to calming music at night. A warm bath with Epsom salts infused with lavender can also calm you down.
Whatever your routine is, try to stick with it at night. Also, try to avoid scrolling through social media and playing on your phone as these things can ramp up anxiety at night. If you choose to watch TV, invest in glasses/readers that block the harmful blue light from devices. This blue light can keep you awake even longer.
2. Journal
We are constantly living in go mode. We think about everything that we need to do the following day or that week. Instead of our brain dialing it down a little at night, it hyperfocuses on the worries and to-do lists we have to get through.
Journaling is a great way to get these worries out of your head. On a piece of paper, write down what you know you need to accomplish in the coming days. If you are worried about specific things, write those down, too. Releasing them out into the 'wild' can help you not to focus on them so much.
3. Don't Stay In Bed If You Can't Sleep
You lay in bed at night, willing sleep to come. When it doesn't, you toss and turn, thinking maybe getting comfortable might help.
Instead of staying stuck in this cycle, get out of bed and go out to the living room or your favorite space to relax. Make a cup of herbal tea, meditate, journal, or do something that you find calming. This acts as stimulus control and can help you reset your mind so you can fall asleep.
4. Invest In Sleep Aids
What works for one person may not be effective for someone else. But sleep aids, which act as calming solutions, can have a positive impact on somebody's sleep time. Solutions such as:
White noise or pink noise machines
Weighted blankets
Dimmable glow lights
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Getting a good quality night of sleep is crucial to feeling our best. If you are struggling with sleeping at night but can't figure out why, anxiety therapy is a great option to get to the root cause. Don't hesitate to reach out for support for anxiety therapy.