Anxiety And Insomnia
Sleeping well is something that everyone wants to do. Some people can go with only a few hours a night and feel rested and rejuvenated, but most people need at least six to eight hours, with some needing more each night. Insomnia is one of the biggest reasons why people are not getting the sleep that they need. The reasons for insomnia are many, but stress and worry are often the main reason people can not fall asleep and can not stay asleep. The anxiety and insomnia connection is very strong, and if you are not sleeping, might be something you should look into.
Anxiety and insomnia have gone hand in hand for as long as people have had trouble sleeping. If you are very active person and you are exhausted each night when you lay down, there could be no amount of anxiety that could keep you awake, but most of us are simply not that tired. We want to sleep, but the brains refuse to slow down and shut down so that we can rest. Though anxiety may not be your problem, it may be if you are thinking about problems over and over again instead of sleeping. That is usually your first clue that you have a problem.
Start a log to track your determine if your insomnia and anxiety are linked.
A good first step is to begin logging the events preceding an anxiety attack, as well as those nights when you find you’re unable to sleep. (Remember, anxiety and insomnia can often occur together … one feeds the other.) A small notebook is all you need for your log.
Over a period of two to three weeks, you’ll begin to see patterns emerge, which can be significant to your specific solution. For example, let’s say you have a co-worker with whom you don’t have the best rapport. Most often, when you interact with this person, you have a disagreement, one which may go unresolved; you just take your resentful feelings and suppress them and walk away, steaming silently.
This person will be at an upcoming meeting where you are to give a presentation. As you prepare your presentation, you suddenly feel overwhelmed with anxiety, without being able to pinpoint a specific reason. The night before you are to give your presentation, you also have insomnia. After this sleepless night, you have an anxiety attack at the most inopportune moment, just before your presentation. Here we have a classic example of the relationship between anxiety and insomnia.
This is where your log comes in. When you begin to understand your own triggers, you may be able to bring a degree of control to both conditions.
Take your log to your doctor and discuss what might be done. There are several types of anxiety disorders and your doctor will find your log useful in making a diagnosis and getting you the best treatment.
