How to Sleep When You’re Feeling Anxious

Sleep is something that we all need. The amount of sleep and the quality of sleep we receive each night determines how well we function. Sleep affects things like focus, energy levels, mood, and more.

Getting enough quality sleep while you are struggling with substance abuse can be difficult. It can even be tricky during treatment and recovery. The truth is that many things impact your ability to fall asleep and stay asleep.

How Anxiety Affects Sleep

Getting adequate sleep can be very difficult for those who also struggle with anxiety. Because it can be such a challenge, the topic of sleep can be very discouraging for some. Anxiety can affect people differently, as some may be more hindered by its symptoms than others. Across the board, though, anxiety commonly interrupts sleep by either making falling asleep hard or causing frequent awakenings during the night.

Have you ever noticed that you tend to lose sleep when you are anticipating something big or are worried about something? This feeling can be frequent or even consistent for those who struggle with anxiety. Those with anxiety often have difficulty shutting their mind off to relax. They can be consumed by negative thoughts and feelings that distract from their ability to be present in the moment.

These consuming, recurring thoughts often disrupt sleep patterns for people with anxiety. When falling asleep or staying asleep becomes a challenge due to anxiety, it is time to take action. You can do things to help promote good sleep each night while working through anxious thoughts and feelings. A few tips are discussed below.

Create a Sound Environment for Sleep

Everyone sleeps better at home, right? This may not always be the case, but if your home consists of a comfortable bed, your favorite pillow, and other items that provide you comfort, you are likely to get quality sleep in this environment.

Creating an environment that is suitable for sleep involves feeling safe. Allowing your mind and body to relax is the key. Without an environment you feel safe in, you are probably unable to relax either one.

Another suggestion for a sleep-encouraging environment is to limit light. Most people sleep best with little to no light at all. Light can be stimulating, so it is best to keep lights dim as you wind down for the night.

Screentime should also be minimal or nonexistent as you create your sleeping environment. It can be common to become accustomed to falling asleep with the TV on or spending time scrolling on your phone before bed. This can lead to reduced melatonin, which makes falling asleep more difficult. If you struggle to get good quality sleep, eliminating screentime in your sleep environment may be worth considering.

Listen to Calming Music

Music can be helpful or harmful when it comes to falling asleep. It is essential to select the correct type of music to listen to as you are trying to wind down. Slower, more calming music can help relax your mind as you prepare for bed. Nature sounds, such as waves or rain, can also be quite relaxing.

If you find your mind working overtime just as you lay down and prepare for sleep, try putting on some calming music at a low volume. Sometimes, this can encourage your mind to slow down as you focus on the sounds you are hearing instead of your thoughts.

Use Essential Oils

The use of essential oils can enhance your treatment and recovery experience in many ways. They can be healing, energizing, and relaxing. Learn more about the therapeutic benefits of essential oils here.

Lavender is known for its relaxing effect and can be used in many different situations where you feel you might need to relax a bit. It is this soothing nature that makes lavender oil an excellent option for encouraging sleep.

One way to use lavender as part of your sleep routine is to diffuse it somewhere near your bed. Diffusers usually run for a reasonable amount of time with little to no sound, making them an excellent option for bedtime.

Try Reading or Journaling

When you struggle to fall asleep or wake up during the night, make every effort to stay off your phone and avoid screens of any kind. Again, screentime reduces melatonin production and will likely make falling asleep even more difficult.

Sometimes, reading a book or journaling can help you relax and settle your mind. If you find yourself battling anxious thoughts, it can help to write them down or redirect them by getting lost in a good book.

Sleeping well with anxiety can be difficult. Since it is so important to healing and progress in recovery, it is critical to make every effort to get the quality sleep you need.

Anxiety has a way of affecting all areas of life. One area affected is sleep. When you are struggling with anxiety, it can be difficult to relax your mind and body at bedtime. During treatment at Enlightened Solutions, we teach clients a variety of holistic strategies for improving sleep in recovery. Establishing an effective bedtime routine can be very helpful. By using things like essential oils, claiming music, low lighting, and more, you can improve your quality and quantity of sleep. If you or someone you care about is struggling with addiction, we would love to help. To begin your journey to recovery, call Enlightened Solutions today at (833) 801-LIVE.