10 Tips on How to Overcome Anxiety at Night Naturally in 2024

Nighttime is when your mind turns on the unwind mode and releases all the thoughts you have been putting off during the day. While it's normal to wriggle around the bed for a few nights to fall asleep, for some, every night can be a sleepless night.

A deep, restful sleep is vital to kickstarting an energetic day, but people who experience anxiety at night may find it difficult to have an uninterrupted sleep, may wake up in the middle of the night or too early in the morning or may not sleep at all and end up feeling even more tired and groggy the next day. If not taken care of, night time anxiety may gradually lead to anxiety attacks.

In our fast-paced modern world, the importance of good-quality sleep is often overlooked. In India, a survey showed that 38% of the Indian audience experiences night time anxiety. Hence, it is imperative to seek help at the earliest and implement various tips to get over the anxiety at night as a better sleep means a better health, better mood, and a better life overall.

What is Anxiety in the Night (Sleep Anxiety)

Nighttime anxiety is usually a manifestation of underlying stress or anxiety, which involves fear or worry, racing thoughts, and nervousness. Some people are scared about sleep in particular, called somniphobia, thinking something bad will happen if they sleep or that they are supposed to keep a watch and hence shouldn't sleep.

Sleep anxiety can negatively impact the quality of your sleep. Sleep and mental health go hand in hand. People with mental health conditions are more likely to develop insomnia or sleeping disorders. Anxiety, being the most common mental health condition, can make it hard to fall asleep at night, fearing you won't get the required sleep. On the other hand, sleep deprivation can trigger or worsen the already-existing anxiety, eventually leading to a vicious cycle.

Constant sleep deprivation affects all other aspects of life, such as daily routine activities, psychological state, work, relationships, and overall well-being.

What do anxiety attacks at night look like?

When the anxious feelings experienced by an individual become more frequent and intense in nature, they are likely to be suffering from an anxiety disorder. Having a severe form of anxiety for a prolonged period of time can be considered an anxiety attack.

Anxiety attacks, unlike panic attacks, build gradually. Each individual has a different experience, although there are some common manifestations, like:

Extreme and persistent fear
Finding it unable to relax at all
Excess worry about the past or future
Feeling tearful
Unable to sleep

Anxiety attacks can last from several minutes to weeks.

Some individuals may also experience nocturnal panic attacks.

The common features of panic attacks at night include:

Shortness of breath - some people may experience a heightened version of the breathing symptoms at night
Chest pain
Rapid heart beats
Tingling or numbing sensation in fingers or toes
Nausea
Upset stomach
Profound sweating
Intense fear/ feeling of terror
Trembling

These physical manifestations may mimic other serious medical conditions, such as a heart attack. It usually lasts for a few minutes, but it may take longer to calm down and get the person back to sleep.

What Causes and Triggers Anxiety at Night?

Anxiety is our body's response to a potential threat, no matter if it's day or night. Following are the factors that may increase the risk of anxiety at night:

Stress: life events such as work, illness, or the or the death of a loved one can inflict anxiety and emotional distress on an individual.
Inadequate sleep: people who don't get the required hours of sleep can experience more mental distress, which can make them even more anxious the next day.
Traumatic events—any traumatic incidents at home, vehicle accidents, or acts of violence—can make a person more anxious. Individuals who have gone through childhood trauma are more likely to experience anxiety attacks or excess worry in adulthood.
Side effects of medications - some medications, such as aspirin, antihistamines (for allergies), steroids, thyroid pills, and nicotine may have anxiety as one of their side effects
Genetics - many mental health problems can have genetic correlations, anxiety being one of them. You're more likely to develop anxiety disorders after experiencing any kind of stressful or traumatic event.

Apart from these, certain medical conditions can also trigger anxiety:

Hyperthyroidism
Diabetes
Heart disease
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

Why Is Anxiety Worse at Night?

At night, there's nothing else for your mind to do, so it throws in all the worrisome thoughts you have been skipping during the day. Although it's common to have similar thoughts at night, some people worry out of proportion leading to nighttime anxiety and sleep deprivation.

Sleep deprivation increases the production of cortisol (the stress hormone), which in turn keeps you awake, building in more anxiety.

Another possible explanation for anxiety at night is the fatigue or tiredness we feel at the end of the day. A tired mind finds it hard to positively deal with problems and come up with solutions. This leads to a string of anxious thoughts affecting one's sleep.

What are the Symptoms of Anxiety in the Nighttime?

Even though the symptoms of anxiety are mostly the same irrespective of the time of the day, they tend to be more intense at night.

You may experience the following symptoms along with anxious thoughts at night:

Hyperfocus on future and its related worries
Excessive thoughts about unpleasant past events
Nightmares
Restlessness
Rapid heart rate
Sweating
Feeling to urinate frequently
Tense muscles
Abdominal discomfort
Dizziness and headache
Self-criticism

Common Effects of Sleep Anxiety

Continuous nights of sleep deprivation due to sleep anxiety take a toll on your physical as well as mental health.

You might start showing the following emotional and social effects:

Low mood and irritability
Poor performance at school or work
Poor social life and relationships

A few mental effects of sleep anxiety include:

Decreased concentration
Poor learning
Reduced cognitive functions (for e.g., memory- sleep deprivation makes it difficult to process information and retain it.)
Higher risk of developing depression

Additionally, a person struggling with unresolved nighttime anxiety is more likely to develop long-term complications such as:

High blood pressure (hypertension)
Diabetes
Obesity
Heart attack
Stroke

10 Tips/Ways on How to Overcome and Calm Anxiety at Night Naturally

People struggling with nighttime anxiety can try out the following methods to naturally calm down the anxiety:

Establish a Calming Bedtime Routine : try to go to bed at the same time everyday. This helps to regulate melatonin, the hormone responsible for maintaining the sleep-wake rhythm of your body.

Engage in proper sleep-hygiene, which includes: no strenuous physical activity; no heavy meals or caffeine close to bedtime; limiting afternoon naps to 20 minutes; and exposure to the sun shortly after waking up.

Write down your thoughts : keep a diary to jot down whatever comes to your mind— thoughts and anxious feelings that are bothering you. This helps de-stress your brain and fall asleep faster.

In general, people who prepare a to-do list before going to bed are found to fall asleep faster, as it enables the brain to come up with a plan for the next day.

Breathing Exercises and Meditation: regularly practising slow and deep breathing exercises may help control excess worry and combat anxiety in the night.

Practicing mindfulness or meditating can help deal with the racing thoughts. Doing simple body stretches or yoga helps your body get ready to sleep.

Optimize Your Sleep Environment: it is imperative for the environment you're sleeping in to be welcoming to sleep. Make sure the room temperature is set around 18-21°C, as it facilitates our body's natural cooling process during sleep. Maintaining a quiet and dark room along with a cool temperature is ideal for uninterrupted sleep.

If the darkness bothers you, use a night light that has a warm glow and isn't too strong for your eyes.

Diet and Lifestyle Adjustments: these two are vital not only for ensuring a good night's sleep but for overall health. Remember to avoid spicy foods, alcohol, energy drinks, caffeine at least 3-4 hours before bedtime. It's ideal to drink your coffee in the late afternoon.

Follow a healthier lifestyle — rise early and go to bed early, workout at least 30-45 minutes everyday, and have lighter meals for dinner. This helps you gain control over your circadian rhythm and regulate sleep.

Cognitive Behaviuoral Strategies: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) helps you understand the thoughts, habits, and behaviours that hinder you from falling asleep. Unlike medications, CBT gets to the root cause of problems and provides solutions to overcome the sleep anxiety and insomnia associated with them.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation: this is a technique that helps promote relaxation by creating awareness about the tensing and relaxing of a group of muscles. Commonly used to help people with anxiety, insomnia, and panic attacks. This method is best when coupled with breathing exercises.
Limit Screen Time Before Bed: The blue light emitted from our phones and other gadgets has the ability to trick your brain into thinking that the sun's up, preventing the release of melatonin. It is ideal to put your phones away at least 1-2 hours before hitting the hay.

If you're in a situation where phone usage is required, consider using blue light filters to minimize its impact on your sleep.

Herbal Remedies and Natural Supplements: A few handy tricks to help you with sleep anxiety include: snacking on a bowl of tart cherries or drinking its juice, as it is a natural source of melatonin; sipping a mug of chamomile tea, which is an ancient herbal tea proven to reduce anxiety and stress; a couple of Brazil nuts, as they are rich in selenium, which aids in sleep; Magnesium-rich foods such as almonds, pumpkin seeds, and cashews are also known to cut down on stress and promote sleep.
Support groups: sometimes, for an individual dealing with sleep anxiety, support groups can be a safe place to vent out the troubles they're facing on a daily basis. It is an easily accessible resource available offline as well as online.

When to Consult a Doctor About Anxiety Attacks at Night

Worrying about unresolved problems at night is natural, but if it's affecting the quality of your life and making it difficult to do tasks of daily living , it might be time to seek professional help for nighttime anxiety.

While opening up to your doctor, be honest about how you feel. Even if the nighttime anxiety doesn't feel serious to you but disrupts your daily life, it's worth paying attention and seeking professional support from a qualified therapist.

Based on your symptoms and concerns, the psychologist can help determine if the causes of sleep anxiety are related to physical or mental health conditions and make appropriate referrals if necessary.

Conclusion

Nighttime anxiety or sleep anxiety can occur for several reasons. It could be due to stress, concerns about the future, trauma from the past or childhood, an improper sleep schedule, or an undetected health condition. It is important to know that you're not alone, and there are plenty of resources available to help you out.

Apart from the mainstream methods of medications and therapy, inculcating natural methods too can help you manage nighttime anxiety in the long run.

References

Sleep Anxiety: What is it, Causes, Symptoms & Treatment. (n.d.). Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21543-sleep-anxiety#symptoms-and-causes
Wein, H. (2021, March 29). Good sleep for good health. NIH News in Health; National Institutes of Health. https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2021/04/good-sleep-good-health
Anxiety at Night: Causes and Tips for Relief. (2023, January 6). Sleep Foundation. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/mental-health/anxiety-at-night
Eleesha Lockett, MS. (2018, December 20). How to Ease Anxiety at Night. Healthline; Healthline Media. https://www.healthline.com/health/anxiety/anxiety-at-night#causes
Why Do I Get Anxiety at Night? (2022, October 19). Www.healthcentral.com. https://www.healthcentral.com/condition/anxiety/anxiety-at-night
‌Coping with Anxiety at Night. (2021, October 29). Psych Central. https://psychcentral.com/anxiety/anxiety-at-night#why-it-happens
Better Sleep: 3 Simple Diet Tweaks. (n.d.). Www.hopkinsmedicine.org. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/better-sleep-3-simple-diet-tweaks