Anxiety feels bad at any time. It can be an all-consuming feeling of dread, worry, and fear. You may find yourself distracted from handling basic daily tasks and obligations. Your hands shake, your voice trembles, and your stomach feels like it’s been tied into a knot. As tricky as all this can be, nighttime anxiety can amplify stress in some frustrating ways.
We’ll discuss the specifics, but for now, consider the standard difference between day and night. One time period is usually filled with responsibilities and distractions. This reality often serves to overshadow your doubts and concerns. At night, it’s typically a different story.
So, Why Does Anxiety Feel Worse at Night?
Let’s first clarify that while nighttime anxiety is common, it isn’t always the norm. Each of us has unique life circumstances. However, for most folks, anxiety feels worse at night, and there are some specific reasons for this. Most of those reasons revolve around decreased distractions as the evening approaches.
For starters, compared to daytime life, nighttime tends to be:
Less busy
Quieter
When you feel most tired
All of this adds up to being less able to fend off anxiety triggers. You don’t have many diversions from the negative thoughts. On top of that, when you’re tired, your resilience weakens, and anxiety enters the picture with less of a fight.
Are There Other Possible Causes of Anxiety Feeling Worse at Night?
Absolutely. The day/night stimulation difference is more obvious and, therefore, can be more manageable. But there are also reasons that require more contemplation and examination. These may include:
Side Effects: Medications — prescription or over-the-counter — all have a risk of side effects. For example, when it comes to nighttime, a big factor could end up being something like caffeine or antihistamines.
Chemical Imbalances: Hormones should never be ignored as a possible culprit — especially for women.
It Runs in the Family: Sometimes, genetics plays a role. This doesn’t mean nighttime anxiety is inevitable, but it could point to a higher likelihood.
Gut Issues: Digestive problems are common and can result in inflammation. In turn, inflammation can alter mood-regulating brain chemicals.
Any of the above can be the trigger of an insidious cycle. When you experience anxiety after dark, you typically get less sleep. The next day, while operating on an insufficient amount of sleep, you become more susceptible to stress that (you guessed it) can lead to compromised sleep that night. The accumulation of micro causes becomes the macro cause.
Can We Boot Anxiety Out of Bed?
Again, the answer is absolutely. With or without anxiety in the picture, your mind and body thrive on routines. So, this should be your default setting. A strong starting point is to become aware of what you prefer in your sleep environment. Some factors to consider:
How dark it is in the room.
Noise levels
Temperature
Choices like this can help offset the lack of nighttime distractions.
Other Steps to Take:
Turn off your devices well before bedtime.
Cultivate calming rituals in the evening, including approaches like meditation, warm baths, aromatherapy, and mellow music.
Stop eating a few hours before you turn out the lights and eschew caffeine, alcohol, and sugar.
Try activities like crossword puzzles or reading a book to keep your mind occupied.
Take Anxiety Seriously
Anxiety is a diagnosable mental disorder — the most common such condition on the planet. Hence, there is no good reason to take it lightly. If anxiety is negatively impacting your sleep routines, reach out to learn more about how to therapy for anxiety and how it can help you deal with anxiety, no matter the time of day.