Sleep anxiety

Ask a Therapist Mental Health Conditions
1

I have anxiety to sleep. I overthink and my racing thoughts does not allow me to sleep

2

What thoughts usually run in your head when you cant sleep ?

3

Everything. About lufe, work even the drama i watched

4

Wanna share some of those thoughts here ? Maybe it will help ?

5

Hello there @user1053,

Thanks for coming on and sharing about your struggles with feeling anxious with many things (I’m guessing with work, yourself, things happening around you, etc.) and how it’s really affecting your sleep. :pensive: I would imagine you feeling very drained and tired, and whatever your thinking and feeling about your current circumstances is valid given what you’re going through :people_hugging:

I’m curious when did this start to become overwhelming for you? What did you do to cope at that time? That might be a good place to look at actions that works for you to help in the meantime. Worry has a function to prepare us in case something negative occurs (i.e., protect self from danger) but if it starts to consume you, then it’s no longer serving a very helpful purpose for you. Then, worry gets mistaken as a way to cope by preparing yourself for danger and a motivational force (e.g., perhaps something like “I need to worry”, “I need to be vigilant”, body in a state of fight-and-flight to prepare for the worst) towards self-protection.

So, let’s consider what could be helpful for you, if you agree, in this moment:

  • As it’s very difficult to stop thoughts completely, what can be done is to observe the thoughts and perhaps check the validity - this gives you some distance to notice that you are not your thoughts (e.g., “I have anxious thoughts about work” versus “I’m anxious!”) and may reduce your rumination.
  • Manage stress levels through deep breathing, physical activity, engage in relaxing activity, visualising a calm scene, etc. to tolerate discomfort
  • Attitude of acceptance towards things that can’t be changed/out of your control, to focus on what can be done (e.g., attitude of resolving problems/removing roadblocks)
  • Being kind to yourself as you go through this

And to help you with getting restful sleep:

  • Try to go to sleep and wake up around the same time
  • Reduce electronics 1 - 2 hours before sleep
  • Reduce food and drinks that could be stimulating (e.g., caffeine) or late-night snacks
  • Write down thoughts (e.g., unhelpful expectations like “I must get 8 hours sleep every night”)/to-dos or reminders to get it off your mind as much as possible, kinda like a “That’s all for tonight”
  • Consider sleeping aids if you have any difficulty with breathing while sleeping

Shoud you find your anxious feelings to be too overwhelming still, do consider seeking out support from professionals that can work with you in a non-judgmental setting. Perhaps you can consider:

Remember that you deserve and can get the necessary support you need. Until then, take care! :slightly_smiling_face: