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What is anxiety? -

Anxiety is a feeling of fear, dread, and uneasiness that can cause sweating, rapid heartbeat, tension, and restlessness.

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Who is affected by anxiety? -

Factors that can impact anxiety include childhood trauma, social isolation, negative events in life, stress, and societal pressures. Women are almost twice as likely to experience anxiety as men.

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How common are anxiety disorders? -

Anxiety is one of the most common mental health conditions. Around 7% of the US population has social anxiety and 3% has a generalized anxiety disorder.

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The mind after midnight hypothesis -

The risk of deadly behavior or substance misuse rises after dark, between about 1 am and 4 am, when moods tend to drop. A 2022 study coins this phenomenon the "mind after midnight hypothesis."

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Why does anxiety feel worse at night? -

Your body's biological clock influences everything from hunger to when you feel sleepy. The internal rhythms also impact your brain.

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Being awake yet wanting to sleep -

As the day progresses, your body wants to sleep more despite certain biological signals keeping you awake and alert. At night, these signals decline. "Sleep pressure" builds and can impact your cognitive functions.

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Impact -

One such function is your brain's ability to regulate emotions.

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Unhealthy effects -

A decrease in your ability to regulate emotions can make you more susceptible at night. The urge to engage in unhealthy behavior is often more challenging to control in the middle of the night.

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Isolation -

During the day, we can often avoid negative, anxious thoughts by talking to friends or a partner. However, at night, we're normally isolated and there is no external way to regulate what we're feeling.

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Distractions -

Additionally, we are often preoccupied with things like work, errands, chores, and other societal and familial obligations during the day.

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Distractions at night -

At night, there are usually fewer distractions to keep our minds busy to avoid thinking about things that cause us anxiety.

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Getting into bed at night -

As you lie in bed, without all the distractions, it's common for your brain to ruminate about potential what-if scenarios and to replay the day's events. All this thinking will keep you awake and further perpetuate anxiety.

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Morning -

It's commonly accepted that a good night's sleep helps us to feel energized and positive in the morning.

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Studies suggest -

A good night's rest can help to ease anxiety and "take the edge off negative memories." Studies consider sleep to be restorative.  

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Anxiety and sleep -

Anxious people tend to sleep poorly and this can lead to further anxiety.

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Sleep habits -

Certain tips can help anxious people sleep better. Things like sleeping in a cool, quiet, and dark room as well as limiting caffeine intake during the day can help you catch some much-needed rest.

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Tiredness -

When people want a good night's rest, they will often go to sleep way too early. It's important, though, to sleep only when you're actually tired and your body is signaling sleep.

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Ineffective strategy -

Going to sleep too early can make insomnia and anxiety worse as it gives you more time to lie awake and stress about how you should be asleep.

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Self-medicating -

Medications, alcohol, or recreational drug use might make it easier to fall asleep, however, in the long run, it can lead to poor sleep quality.

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How to conquer nighttime anxiety -

Doctors say that prevention can be the best medicine. In other words, set aside 10 minutes in the evening, before bedtime, and have structured "worry time."

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Set a timer -

During this structured "worry time," set a 10-minute timer and think through everything that's been bothering or stressing you. Utilize the entire time and break down large items into smaller, bite-sized pieces that can be tackled the next day.

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Acknowledgement -

If something worrisome pops into your mind outside of the structured, 10-minute allotment, make a conscious effort to recognize and redirect the thoughts. You can acknowledge the worry and say that you will save it for the dedicated time.

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Habitual worriers -

Habitual worriers mistake worrying for being prepared or solving problems, though studies show the opposite can be true.

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Journaling -

Keeping a journal beside your bed can be a big help in alleviating anxiety that might arise. If you catch yourself lying in bed worrying, grab the journal and jot down a few succinct points.

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Research -

Research suggests that people who journal worry less overall. Keeping to the key points is important, otherwise, you can end up ruminating and focusing too much on the stressor.

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Get out of bed -

While you're in bed, if you find yourself spiraling into anxiety, it's important to get up and leave the room. Otherwise, you might subconsciously associate your bedroom with worry and being awake.

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Other options -

If you exit the bedroom, try sitting and reading something that isn't too cognitively stimulating, like a short story or relaxing book.

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Meditation -

Once you're out of bed, try doing some meditation or breathing exercises as this can help to bring stress levels down.

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Back to bed -

Once you're feeling less stressed and start to get sleepy again, try heading back to bed. With a quality night's sleep under your belt, there will be less anxiety building up from one night to the next.

Sources: (Time) (Clevland Clinic) (Medline Plus) (Mental Health Foundation)

See also: Are these the tricks to getting a good night's sleep

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