Why Nighttime Anxiety Feels Worse Than Daylight Anxiety

If you have struggled with anxiety at all, you understand some of its symptoms. A racing heartbeat, thoughts that spiral or speed up, and fear of the unknown. All can feel weighty and overwhelming. But why does nighttime anxiety tend to feel worse than during the day?

Definition

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5), anxiety is worry or “apprehensive expectation” that occurs over six or more months and is more present than not. It can also occur in such a way that it interrupts a person’s ability to function well in daily life.

We all worry from time to time. You may worry about whether your employer will give you a raise next year, or you might worry when your son starts driving on his own. Anxiety is pervasive and anxiety disorder has several tenets that can look different depending on what type of anxiety it is and on the person who is challenged by it.

Nighttime anxiety

Nighttime anxiety can feel worse because that is often when our surroundings quiet down, our thoughts seem louder, and the daytime distractions are at rest. Some people’s nighttime anxiety keeps them from sufficient sleep. This is known as sleep anxiety.

Sleep anxiety can contribute to more nighttime anxiety if a person is apprehensive about not sleeping. Unfortunately, the thoughts can spiral and make sleeping even more difficult because of these fearful thoughts. However, nighttime anxiety does not have to have the final say.

One of the major contributors to nighttime anxiety is an overworked adrenal system that’s been plagued by daytime stress. Particularly if you struggle to sleep at night because of your anxiety, it’s an indicator that your stress levels are too high.

The natural rhythms of your sleep cycle get disrupted by anxious thoughts. The cycle repeats itself. The next day, because your lack of sleep caused stress and weariness, it was then followed by more fitful sleep.

How to help nighttime anxiety

One of the best ways to decrease nighttime anxiety is to manage your stress well during the day. Look for ways to calm your nervous system when you feel stress rising.

Ideas include breathing deeply, light stretching, taking a walk, or listening to soothing sounds and music. One study showed that taking part in stress-relieving exercises, including deep breathing, throughout the week can help someone’s mood and also decrease salivary cortisol and heart rate.

There is also practical help for decreasing nighttime anxiety. Beginning a sleep routine where you wake up and go to bed at the same time each night and putting rhythms in your evening to help you wind down at the end of the day all with help.

These rhythms can be anything soothing, such as washing your face, reading a book, or listening to white noise.

Another method to keep calm is the 4-7-8 breathing technique. A person inhales for a count of four while making a swooshing sound and then holds their breath for a count of seven before releasing breath for eight counts. However, if this sounds too complicated, just try to breathe slowly and deeply for ten seconds.

If your nighttime anxiety is worsened by the fact that you’re struggling to sleep, experts recommend getting up and doing something routine that does not require extensive thought. Folding laundry or packing your work bag for the next day are two examples.

If you’re struggling with nighttime anxiety and think there could be something deeper to it, it’s important to speak with a licensed counselor. He or she can help you discover the root of recurring nightmares or other nighttime anxiety-inducing causes.

Causes

Taking in too much caffeine is one possible cause of anxiety at night; another possibility is dread of a task or a deadline that’s looming. If you have a test the next day or a work presentation that means a lot to you, these can be cause for nighttime anxiety.

Excessive screen time and lack of sleep hygiene are also contributors. Regardless of the cause, some simple practices can help. First, make sure you shut down your phone and other screens 30-45 minutes before you get into bed at night. Second, try to choose one or two tasks you can repeat every single night before you sleep.

You might choose to wash your face and read for ten minutes. Alternatively, you might brush your teeth, drink a glass of water, and remove excess pillows from the bed. Whatever you choose, make sure it’s simple so you can do it night after night.

Third, find a bedtime that works for you every night of the week. That also means you’ll need to wake up at the same time each morning. If you like to stay up late, it may mean pushing bedtime ahead a half-hour so that you can get up at the right time the next day, even on a night when you struggled to sleep. Ideally, your body will reset and find its way back to the usual rhythm of sleep the next night.

Finally, try to limit sugary or fatty food or alcohol right before bed. The physical processing of food can disrupt a sleep cycle too.

Getting help

If your nighttime anxiety isn’t getting better, find a licensed counselor in Longview, Washington to walk you through some therapeutic practices, such as cognitive behavioral therapy. A counselor at Longview Christian Counseling will explore negative thought patterns and find solutions to ease your nighttime anxiety. Contact us today at Longview Christian Counseling in Washington and we can arrange an appointment for you with one of the qualified counselors at our office.