How to Calm Your Anxious Nights

Anxiety impacts people in a variety of ways. Some people are able to manage it more easily during the day but often struggle with it at night. Sound familiar? Even if you know the anxiety is there during the day, you might be able to distract yourself or keep busy enough to “ignore” it at work, school, or around your friends and family.

Unfortunately, those distractions aren’t usually there at night when you’re trying to go to sleep. When you’re left alone with your thoughts, your anxiety can start to take control and fuel your nights with fear and worry. It can also create a sort of vicious cycle. The less sleep you get, the more anxious you’re likely to become. The more anxious you are, the less sleep you’ll get. 

So, what can you do? How can you calm your anxious nights, get the sleep you need, and keep your anxiety at bay? Let’s cover a few helpful tips. 

Practice Good Sleep Hygiene

One of the best ways to calm your anxiety at night is to get yourself into a “winding down” mindset. Don’t simply turn the television off five minutes before you expect to fall asleep. Instead, establish a routine to help your mind and body calm down and let them both know you’re ready to sleep. Give yourself thirty minutes to an hour to wind down and do things during that time that promote relaxation. Go through a skincare routine. Meditate. Practice some light yoga or stretching.

Having good sleep hygiene and developing a routine will get your mind and body used to relax before bed. It’s a great way to calm your thoughts and feel more tired, so you’re likely to fall asleep sooner without letting intrusive, negative thoughts take hold.

Keep a Journal By Your Bed

Sometimes, anxious thoughts can keep you awake because you don’t have a way to get rid of them. Getting them out— even on paper—can make a difference. Consider keeping a journal by your bed or on your nightstand. If intrusive thoughts start to come in and keep you awake, jot them down. Write about how you’re feeling, what you’re thinking about, and where those thoughts might be coming from. Simply the act of putting your thoughts down on paper can make them seem less severe and overwhelming.

Don’t Stay Awake in Bed

Your bed is for sleeping, not tossing and turning because you can’t rest. If you can’t sleep because of your anxious thoughts, get out of bed and do something that helps to relax you or reduce stress. That might include reading a book, writing in a journal, stretching, or meditating. Try to avoid using electronics—including smartphones. They can stimulate your mind and emanate a specific type of light, making it more difficult to fall asleep immediately. When you start to feel tired, go back to bed and try to sleep again.

It’s also important to make sure your bedroom is an ideal environment for sleeping. If it’s cluttered, noisy, or lets too much light in, you might have difficulty getting comfortable enough to fall asleep. Your room might even end up stressing you out and making you more anxious. Create a space that feels relaxing and inviting. Consider utilizing a weighted blanket to make you feel secure, and fill the room with peaceful, calming scents like lavender to encourage sleep.

Anxiety is often very manageable, but you don’t have to deal with it on your own. You don’t have to keep enduring sleepless nights because of your anxiety. Give these ideas a try to get the rest you deserve. More importantly, don’t hesitate to fight back against your anxiety, as a whole, by reaching out for help when you need it with anxiety therapy.