While it’s well-known that anxiety can cause problems with sleeping, many people don’t know that it’s anxiety itself that is affecting their source of rest. Many people often go along with their sleep problems believing that their physical health plays the primary role, but anxiety is one of the most common conditions that causes sleep disturbance. Today, we’ll be going over how anxiety affects your sleep and vice-versa and help you find ways of managing your sleep problems and anxiety healthily and effectively.
The Effects of When Anxiety Interferes With Sleep
Anxiety is a common part of many people’s lives and can come from work, school, and significant life changes such as losing a relationship or having kids. However, anxiety can become a persistent problem, developing into an anxiety disorder that affects your daily life. Muscle tension, irritability, feelings of worry, shortness of breath, and fatigue are common symptoms of this condition, and different symptoms can characterize each anxiety disorder. However, one of the most common symptoms of anxiety is sleep problems.
Sleep problems can range from being unable to fall asleep at night, feeling tired and fatigued when waking up, and overall unsatisfying sleep. These problems can stem from anxiety, and it can occur as ruminating thoughts in the middle of the night with no end in sight. Sometimes, this can develop into what’s known as sleep anxiety, where people can dread going to sleep at night because of the fear of anxious thoughts.
Sleep can also affect anxiety levels too, as having a lack of sleep can impact your emotional and mental health. Sleep deprivation can cause you to feel more anxious and leave you in a cycle of sleep problems and anxious feelings and thoughts every day. If you find yourself dealing with these problems daily, then it’s important to try and take steps to address your anxiety overall and relieve it. Some ways you can better manage your anxiety for better sleep include:
- Meditating and Mindfulness: Meditating can be an excellent way to help calm your thoughts and become more mindful of where those thoughts come from.
- Breathing Work: Breathing work helps regulate your breathing rate, which can help alleviate anxiety symptoms.
- Stable Sleep Schedule: Establishing a stable sleep schedule can help your body adjust to a routine and help you feel more tired when you need sleep.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: For professional help, cognitive behavioral therapy can be used to treat anxiety as it addresses negative thoughts and helps to decrease the anxiety that stems from them.
Learn More About Anxiety Disorders With Prestige Mental Health
While there are many things you can do at home to help, you should also look into getting professional help to manage symptoms better and better understand where your anxiety comes from. At Prestige Mental Health, Dr. April Sullivan can help patients throughout the Las Vegas, NV, area receive the mental health care they need most through a compassionate, professional environment. To learn more, schedule an appointment by calling (702) 945-2864 today!
