How Sleep Quality Impacts Anxiety Levels

Anxiety impacts millions of people across the globe, stemming from a variety of causes. While there are many factors that can make anxiety worse, sleep quality is one of the biggest proponents. 

It’s not uncommon for people dealing with anxiety to struggle with getting enough sleep. Unfortunately, that creates a negative cycle. The less sleep you get, the worse your anxiety symptoms are likely to become. The worse your symptoms, the harder it will be to sleep. 

So, how are the two really connected? How does your sleep quality impact anxiety levels, and what can you do to ensure you’re getting the rest your mind and body need?

Sleep Disturbances and Anxiety

Insomnia is a common symptom of anxiety. While not everyone struggles with it, it can be a major problem for those who do. It’s often caused by the opportunity your mind has to ruminate on your fears and worries while in bed.

 You might successfully distract yourself from your triggers and the things that make you anxious during the day. At night, however, when you’re trying to sleep, that’s a difficult task. You’re alone with your thoughts, and it doesn’t take much for negative ones to start creeping in. 

If you know you have a hard time sleeping, you’ll eventually become anxious about that, too. Once it’s time for bed, you might start to worry that you won’t be able to get a good night’s rest. Obviously, that will make falling asleep more difficult, perpetuating the cycle even more. 

Finally, even if you’re able to fall asleep, research has shown that anxiety can trigger nightmares and disturbing dreams. That can cause you to wake up several times a night, or impact your REM cycle. So, even if you’re sleeping, it might not be as deep or restful as what you need. 

Making Anxiety Worse

As suggested above, sleep quality and anxiety can be cyclical. If you have anxiety and it impacts your sleep, you’re going to end up feeling fatigued. You’ll have a hard time focusing, and that can negatively impact your quality of life. 

That impact is likely to make your mental health even worse, which will carry over into your sleep habits. Unless something breaks the cycle, it’s only going to keep getting worse. 

What Can You Do?

Thankfully, you don’t have to keep being a victim of this vicious cycle of restless nights forever. 

One of the best things you can do to get a better night’s sleep is to improve your sleep hygiene. Try going to bed around the same time each night and waking up at the same time each morning. Stay off your cell phone and other electronics for at least an hour before bed. Do something that relaxes and grounds you, like mindfulness or meditation. 

Finally, if you’re lying in bed for a long period and can’t sleep, get up. Go to another room and do something that relaxes you. Read a book, write in a journal, or meditate. When you start to feel tired, go back to your room and try again. 

Of course, the best thing you can do to combat this issue entirely is to work through your anxiety. In most cases, anxiety is very manageable, but it’s not something you should tackle alone. 

Therapy can be a big help when you’re trying to overcome anxious thoughts. Not only will a therapist help you understand where it stems from, but they’ll also offer actionable strategies that will help with symptom management — including getting better sleep. 

If you’re tired (literally) of not getting the rest you deserve because of anxiety, don’t hesitate to contact me. While anxiety doesn’t go away overnight, we can work through it together so it doesn’t have such an impact on your life.