Exhausted but not sleepy? 6 ways to fight sleep anxiety!
Written by Dr. Madiha Khan
Sleeplessness or insomnia is a very common condition that involves difficulty falling or staying asleep. Most people experience insomnia from time to time but for sleep difficulty to be considered a disorder, it has to happen frequently (3 or more times a week), persist for a long duration (several months) and have a significant effect on one’s quality of life.
Insomnia can be caused by a wide variety of reasons. Physical illness or pain can disrupt sleep as well as medical causes such as hormonal imbalances or organ dysfunction. High consumption of caffeine and other substances including alcohol can also disrupt the sleep wake cycle. Night shifts at work, attending online classes or work meetings in a different time zone and jet lag are some other causes that can lead to sleep being affected. Mental health issues including anxiety and depression are major contributors to sleep difficulty.
Not only can anxiety and depression cause insomnia but also sleep deprivation in turn further negatively affects mood and worsens anxiety. It increases tiredness and fatigue, increases irritability, decreases positive performance, decreases the ability to focus and concentrate and worsens one’s perception of wellbeing.
The first part of treating sleep problems is to improve sleep hygiene by practicing these basic sleep hygiene measures:
- Be consistent with your bedtime and wake up time everyday, including weekends.
- Avoid using electronic screens in bed and stop using them at-least 30 minutes before bedtime.
- Try to engage in a non-stimulating and relaxing activity like reading or meditation before bedtime
- Avoid large meals, caffeine and alcohol before bedtime.
- Keep your bedroom at a comfortable temperature, with a quiet, dark and relaxing atmosphere.
The next part of treatment is to deal with sleep anxiety. Those of us who experience insomnia might be familiar with some of these thoughts; I only have these many hours to sleep before I need to wake up and start my day. The upcoming day will be exhausting because I will be starting it feeling tired and sleep deprived. How will I survive the next day? Will I ever be able to sleep normal again? All these thoughts are driven by anxiety and will further fuel the anxiety, starting a vicious cycle in which you will feel completely stuck.
To deal with sleep anxiety, practice these techniques:
- Recognize what you’re feeling is anxiety. Instead of letting your thoughts take control of you, tell yourself that the situation is not as threatening and negative as the anxiety provoking thoughts are making it seem like.
- Instead of pushing away the thoughts and shutting them out, let them flow in your mind as any other random thoughts without giving them the power to make you feel anxious and stuck.
- Practice mindfulness. stay grounded in reality. Observe one or multiple objects and focus on what you see, feel, hear, smell or taste.
- Practice deep breathing. Breathe in for a count of 5, hold for a count of 1, and then breathe out for a count of 5.
- Practice Progressive muscle relaxation. Consciously relax one muscle at a time, starting from one body part like your fingers, then moving on to the rest of the body.
- Close your eyes and think of a peaceful or happy place. Focus on as many details as possible. You can also re read a favorite book or replay a favorite TV show in your mind.
Madiha Khan, MD - Psychiatrist
Dr. Madiha Khan is an American board certified psychiatrist skilled in evidence based psychiatry, psychotherapy and women’s mental health.
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