Anxious at Night? Use These 5 Tips to Calm Anxiety and Sleep Well
For those who live with anxiety disorders, sleep disturbances are relatively common. It’s all about how our bodies respond to stress. When we’re feeling anxious, our autonomic nervous system releases the primary stress hormone cortisol to mediate things. An unintended side effect of cortisol is that it keeps us awake.
Anxiety and sleep can form a vicious cycle of restless nights. Anxiety can keep you up, and insufficient sleep can amplify anxiety symptoms. But there are ways to break the cycle and get quality sleep. Use these five fool-proof tips to manage your anxiety so it doesn’t keep you up at night.
Want more? We’ve got more. Find out the sleep anxiety trick a CNET editor swears by, how to curb Sunday scares, and how to fall asleep when anxious.
1. Make your nighttime routine a ritual
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