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Sometimes, you experience periods of high anxiety. Throughout the day, you may be faced with stressful situations that can cause you to feel worried, fearful, or nervous. These are symptoms of anxiety that can negatively affect your life when they become severe or difficult to control.
When it affects sleep, anxiety becomes more troublesome.
Professor Rong Xinqi, a new concept psychology expert, pointed out that sleep is crucial to our physical and mental health, and if you don't get a good night's sleep, you may find yourself having problems in the following areas: mood, metabolism, immunity, decision-making.
The part of the brain that controls sleep cycles is different from the region where anxiety originates. However, there appears to be a link between the two areas that contribute to sleep anxiety.
What is sleep anxiety?
Adults need 7 hours of sleep a day to stay in optimal health. When sleep is not enough, it can lead to anxiety and other problems, such as: cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, depression, anxiety, etc.
However, defining sleep anxiety is tricky because the term embodies different experiences.
Difficulty falling asleep is a classic symptom of anxiety – your mind keeps you awake while all sorts of messy thoughts and worries keep flashing through your mind, leaving you unable to relax and fall asleep. These thoughts can prevent you from going into deep sleep and cause you to lose sleep all night.
Panic disorder
Sometimes anxiety can lead to panic disorder. Panic disorder is an ongoing mental health problem where you suddenly develop severe symptoms of anxiety. When they occur when you fall asleep or try to fall asleep, this type of seizure is called a nocturnal panic attack, a form of sleep anxiety disorder.
Post-traumatic stress disorder
When you have a sleep disorder due to psychological trauma or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), another form of sleep anxiety arises.
A recent study showed that 90% of people with PTSD experience sleep disturbances and recurring nightmares. Nightmares, restlessness, and flashbacks can cause them to wake up suddenly and experience panic attacks.
With PTSD, you may feel anxious about falling asleep, which can lead to fear and symptoms in many people. The fear you feel is another way you experience some form of sleep anxiety.
Symptoms of sleep anxiety
Symptoms of sleep anxiety vary from person to person, but the common symptom is nocturnal anxiety. These symptoms may include the following and occur at bedtime, during bedtime, or when you expect to sleep:
Body: rapid heartbeat, palpitations, shortness of breath, shortness of breath, chest pain, dizziness, sweating, nausea, trembling;
Cognition: fear of losing control, physical injury, or negative evaluations from others; terrible thoughts, altered sense of reality, confusion, lack of concentration;
Behavior: avoid bedtime exercise, pursue safety assurances, agitation, pacing, freezing reactions;
Mood: nervousness, anxiety, feeling afraid, impatience, impatience, frustration;
Sleep: difficulty falling asleep, tossing and turning, inability to be comfortable, avoid falling asleep, easy to wake up, difficult to fall asleep after waking up.
When you can't sleep at night, it's the prime time when worrying thoughts come into your head because there are very few distractions. During this time, people who don't sleep well are more likely to think about those negative thoughts, and they stay active for much longer than those who sleep well.
What are the effects of sleep anxiety?
People need enough healthy sleep to maintain a normal and healthy life. So when sleep anxiety prevents you from getting the sleep you need, you'll start to see critical parts of your life affected and getting worse.
When you don't rest, the body and mind begin to encounter challenges in their functioning, and the effects on the mind can lead to more serious mental health problems.
Lack of sleep can affect the body. However, if left untreated, the way the condition worsens is crucial to understanding this, so you can learn how to manage and avoid any triggers. For example, when you feel unable to fall asleep, feelings of helplessness may arise, nourishing your worries and keeping you awake.
Essentially, you are feeling anxious because of anxiety. This can have more serious effects like a snowball, such as increasing vulnerability to stress and easily collapsing.
How to tell if you have sleep anxiety?
If you continue to experience symptoms of anxiety, you may need to see a doctor for a formal diagnosis. Anxiety can damage your body and spirit, so it's best not to ignore these signs.
When you talk to your doctor, they will ask about your symptoms, how long they last, and any medications or supplements you are currently taking. This can be a combination of anxiety and other factors that keep you awake, for example, certain supplements and medications can cause insomnia.
Doctors want to rule out all possible causes to make sure they have the right treatment plan for your situation.
How should sleep anxiety be treated?
Fortunately, there are many ways to control your sleep anxiety. For example, you can try treating anxiety disorders alone in the hope that the quality of your sleep will improve, or you can look at treatments for anxiety and insomnia.
1. Anxiety treatment
Available treatment options may or may not include medications, depending on the severity of your condition. These include:
Acute anxiety drugs: benzodiazepines, such as alprazolam;
Drugs for long-term anxiety: selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), buspirone, β-blockers;
Psychotherapy: cognitive behavioral therapy or exposure therapy;
Knowledge Supplement: Understand your diagnosis, triggers, and how they work;
Exercise: Exercise can calm the mind and promote sleep;
Other therapies: hypnotherapy, acupuncture and meditation can relieve anxiety symptoms;
Support from friends and family: Stay in touch with friends and family around you, and ask them for support and help if necessary.
2. Insomnia treatment
Developing good sleep hygiene can help relieve sleep anxiety symptoms. You can do this in the following ways:
Avoid naps: Naps can affect how long you sleep.
Avoid late-night snacks: Especially if they contain spicy or acidic foods, which can upset your stomach.
Limit caffeine intake, especially at night/night: Caffeine is a stimulant that can stay in your body for several hours.
Quit smoking: Research suggests that smoking can lead to sleep disturbances.
Adopt a balanced diet: Studies have shown that a diet rich in carbohydrates or certain vitamins can affect sleep.
Regular exercise: Exercise helps people sleep better.
Maintain regular sleep and wake-up schedules: Getting yourself to sleep and get up at specific times can help maintain your circadian rhythm.
Limit your sleep time: Reducing the amount of time you sleep may increase your motivation to sleep the next night, but it shouldn't be less than 7 hours per night.
Turn off nocturnal stimulation: for example, avoid eating or reading in bed, do not use a phone or tablet at night; strictly keep the bed to sleep.
Practice relaxation techniques: When lying down at night, perform a body relaxation exercise, breathing exercise, or meditation.
Talk to your doctor about supplements or medications: Melatonin and other medications can help you fall asleep and stay asleep.
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