It’s 2 am… you check your phone and notice a swell of anxiety in your chest. You have a busy day ahead and dread going through your day like a sleep-deprived zombie…

Your thoughts are going a million miles per minute, but no matter how hard you try, you can’t seem to quiet your mind to fall asleep!  

Anxiety & Sleep

If feeling anxious when going to bed, you may notice difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep during the night. As your head hits the pillow, anxious thoughts about the day, your to-do list, or life stressors take over, making it nearly impossible to fall asleep and stay asleep. Lack of sleep or poor quality sleep impacts your mood, increasing anxiety throughout your day. This can lead to a vicious cycle; getting poor sleep increases your anxiety, and the increased anxiety leads to not getting good quality sleep.

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, it's hard to tell which comes first- Anxiety or Sleep disturbances. Anxiety causes sleep disturbances, and new research suggests that sleep disturbances can lead to an anxiety disorder!

Focusing on Your Sleep Hygiene Can Help!

Practicing good hygiene involves applying a set of habits or practices that help to maintain health. Like washing your hands or keeping your house clean aids in keeping you healthy, certain habits and practices to calm anxiety around bedtime help you improve sleep. Here are a few tips and tricks to help you wind down around bedtime to improve sleep.

Tip #1: Give yourself a bedtime

Going to bed at the same time each night and waking up at the same time (even on the weekends!) can go a long way in helping you get to sleep and feel more rested throughout your day. Staying consistent with your sleep schedule helps keep your body regulated and ready to wind down when your head hits the pillow.

Tip #2: Create a nightly routine

Creating a bedtime routine helps signal your body that it’s time to relax and rest. Try different things to figure out what works best for you. Taking a bath, washing your face, stretching, listening to relaxing music, or cuddling with a loved one or pet are all great options.

Tip #3: Stay away from screens and stimulating content an hour before bedtime

Put down your phone, turn off the tv, and avoid any other electronic screens an hour before bed. Screens emit blue light, which disrupts your melatonin production before bed. Melatonin is a hormone your brain produces in response to darkness to help prepare your body for sleep. Besides screens, content that’s interesting can stimulate right before bed and increase anxious thoughts when trying to prepare for sleep. If you find that the murder mystery novel you’re reading at bedtime raises your heart rate, it might be best to save that for daytime hours.

Tip #4: Be mindful of what you put in your body

It’s no secret that alcohol, caffeine, and sugar all have a stimulating effect that can disrupt your sleep. Avoiding caffeine in the afternoon can help and be mindful of consuming stimulating food and beverage in the last couple of hours before bed.

Tip #5: Move your body daily

The cortisol-lowering effects of exercise can greatly help reduce your anxiety, and help you improve sleep! Something as simple as going for a brisk walk for 30 minutes can help get your heart rate up and help you get better sleep. Some find that exercising in the evening can be overly stimulating and prefer to exercise in the morning or afternoon to maximize the opportunity for better sleep.

Tip #6: Add meditation or mindfulness to your nightly routine

Mindfulness or meditation helps calm your mind, reduces anxiety, and can be a super helpful addition to your nightly routine. Adding a 3-5 minute breathing exercise, guided meditation, or mindfulness exercise can go a long way in reducing anxious thoughts before bed, helping you get to sleep more easily.

Get Support From an Anxiety Therapist in Oakland, CA.

Maybe you tried a few of these suggestions and are still struggling with your sleep. If you are noticing it’s hard to turn off your mind around bedtime, getting support from an anxiety therapist can help. The therapist will support you in changing your habits and routine to support better sleep hygiene and support you in working on reducing your overall anxiety- which will lead to better sleep!

If you are looking for help with anxiety and stress, harm reduction for addictive behaviors, complex trauma or PTSD, or couples therapy, you can read more about how I can help here. If you’re looking for more information about starting therapy, schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation through my contact page. I’d be happy to hear about what is happening and help direct you to the right person to get the help you need.