Can’t sleep due to anxiety? Tricks for better sleep quality
Keep sleepless nights, sleep deprivation and insomnia caused by anxiety at bay this with expert advice
Text: Tiff H
Reliving a cringe conversation you had back in 2018 and the different things you could have said. Worrying about a big presentation you haven’t prepared for. Dwelling over whether you look older now than before the pandemic hit. Racing thoughts before bed might be preventing you from getting a good night’s sleep and may even lead to insomnia. If you can’t sleep due to anxiety, clinical application specialist at Easmed shares the tips she uses to prevent sleepless nights.
Why does anxiety affect our ability to fall asleep and sleep quality?
Anxiety is our body’s natural response to stress whereby it releases stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline to activate the fight, flight or freeze response. While it’s supposed to be a survival mechanism, the problem arises when these hormones are released unnecessarily without an obvious threat or stressful event. The effect is hyperactivity of the mind and body and there is constant fear and worry in chronic anxiety. It becomes worse at night because there are less distractions to keep us from anxious thoughts and can lead to physical manifestations like palpitations, increased breath rate, or even tremors which affects your sleep quality.
How do you personally tackle when you can’t sleep due to anxiety?
I would usually worry night when there’s an upcoming major event I’m worrying about, or an important decision I have to make. If I can’t sleep due to anxiety, in order for me to wind down and trick my brain to relax, I make my bed and beddings as comfortable as possible; I make sure that my brain is programmed to recognise my bed as a place to relax and sleep.
I also try to avoid doing work on my bed, eating on my bed, or even watching TV in bed. This way, your body will know that it’s time to sleep once you lie down on your comfortable sanctuary.
I like to have an extra pillow to hug while sleeping because it gives a feeling of warmth and security. Wearing an eye mask is also another trick. Total darkness will trigger the release of melatonin, the sleep-inducing hormone for improved sleep quality.
What other tips can people suffering from sleep deprivation try?
Breathing exercises and meditation helps a lot in releasing stress and to clear the mind of anxious thoughts. White noise can also help for some as white noise also acts as anti-noise, blocking the unpleasant noise in the environment that may delay or disrupt sleep. Some people use a weighted blanket. The gentle push of it to the body can create a feeling of being ‘grounded’ and helps reduce levels of cortisol, therefore inducing relaxation and better sleep quality.
What are some common myths about tricks to fall asleep?
One practice of other people when they cannot sleep is to bring out their phone and watch or read something in the bed, hoping that it will make them sleepier. Blue light from your device may trick the brain that it’s still daytime, so this practice is usually not effective. Instead, try to get up from bed after 20 minutes and go to an area in the house where you’ll feel more relaxed. Maybe drink some warm milk in the kitchen or sit on a comfortable couch. This is called winding down and telling your brain to stop worrisome thoughts. Once you feel sleepy again, go back to bed and aim for a shut-eye.
Consuming a glass of wine before bedtime is a common trick people use if they can’t sleep due to anxiety. Yes, alcohol is a sedative and muscle relaxant and it will really make you feel drowsy, but your REM sleep in the middle of the night may be delayed. In short, this deprives you of the refreshed sleep you wanted in the first place. Although both white and red wine contain melatonin, the effect of alcohol in the REM stage may outweigh its benefit for sleep.
About Mary Lyn Besmonte
Mary Lyn Besmonte is a clinical application specialist at Easmed and a registered respiratory therapist in the Philippines (RTRP) and a registered rolysomnographic technologist (RPSGT).
