Anxiety can be very detrimental to sleep. It can prevent you from falling into a restful sleep or cause you to continually wake up during the night. More than 50% of adults who suffer from Generalised Anxiety Disorder experience sleep problems, so it is a very common issue.
When you don’t get a good night’s sleep, you’re more prone to feeling anxious the next day. This cycle can continue endlessly if it isn’t broken. In this post, we will look at how to break the cycle between anxiety and a poor quality of sleep.
Try breathing exercises before bed
At the end of a long day, it can sometimes be difficult to summon up the motivation to take the time to do breathing exercises. However, it can be beneficial to spend 5-10 minutes doing specific breathing exercises. You can incorporate this breathing time into your bedtime routine.
Find a quiet space that is free of distractions and listen to calming music or guided relaxation tracks. This will help you to drift off into a restful sleep more easily as it will calm your mind and body.
Take a break from your bed
If you wake up in the night, don’t spend hours tossing and turning as you try and fall back to sleep. It can help to get up, leave your bedroom and distract yourself for a while until you feel tired again.
If necessary, go downstairs, listen to some music, watch some television or do something else that takes your mind off your anxious thoughts. This can be better for your mental health than lying in bed and fixating on the worries that caused you to wake up in the first place.
Talk to a therapist
Anxiety often originates from underlying issues. Health psychology can explore the root of those issues and help you to find coping mechanisms for your anxiety. In turn, this could help you to achieve a better quality of sleep. With the help and guidance of a psychologist, you could find that your worries naturally start to ease and your anxiety lessons.
If you’re looking to make lifestyle changes that could ease your anxiety and help you enjoy a better night’s sleep, please contact me today.
