5 Ways To Calm Anxiety At Night

Anxiety affects people in different ways. You might find it relatively easy to manage your symptoms during the day, but nearly impossible to keep your thoughts from racing at night. 

If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. For some, anxiety symptoms can worsen at night because there’s nothing to distract you. You’re alone with your thoughts, and it’s easy to start letting those negative whispers and worries take control. 

Thankfully, there are things you can do to calm anxiety at night, get the rest you deserve, and take more control over those worried thoughts. 

1. Establish a Sleep Routine

One of the best ways to calm anxiety at night is to improve your sleep hygiene. Establishing a nighttime routine that works for you can help. 

Instead of just crawling into bed and expecting to fall asleep immediately, your routine should include things that help your mind and body recognize it’s time to calm down. Try to go to bed around the same time each night and wake up at the same time each morning. 

Additionally, only go to bed when you’re ready to sleep. Don’t lie down and start scrolling through your phone, reading, or talking to a partner. 

Try doing some light stretches, yoga, or meditation before getting into bed to help you relax even further. 

2. Write Down Your Worries

Before getting into bed, consider writing in a daily journal. Sometimes, getting your worried thoughts out on paper can keep them from plaguing you all night. It’s like you’re purging them from your mind so they aren’t trapped there, keeping you awake. 

Keeping a journal also allows you to look back on past fears and how you’ve overcome them, giving a sense of empowerment and strength that will help you feel more in control of your thoughts. 

3. Cut Off Your Screen Time

Staring at a computer or phone before bed could be detrimental to the sleep you’re getting. Many electronics give off a specific type of blue light that can stimulate your mind and make it difficult to sleep. 

That’s true for everyone, but when you’re already struggling with anxiety at night, an over-stimulated mind is the last thing you want to deal with. 

Avoid using electronics for at least an hour before bed, and you might not experience as many racing thoughts since your brain won’t be in such a stimulated state. 

4. Don’t Toss and Turn

If you’ve gone to bed and you just can’t fall asleep, don’t lie there for hours tossing and turning and letting your thoughts get the best of you. 

Get out of bed and do something relaxing. Go read in the living room for a few minutes. Write in your journal. Meditate. When you start feeling tired again, go back to bed and try to sleep again. The more you lie awake in bed, the more frustrated you’re likely to get, and your anxiety will take over. 

5. Get to the Root of Your Anxiety

Perhaps the best way to calm your anxiety at night is to understand what’s causing it in the first place. Anxiety is often very manageable — with the right help. 

Working with a therapist can help you get to the root cause of your anxiety. From there, you can develop a treatment plan that allows you to not only handle your symptoms, but also to overcome whatever might be causing your fear. 

If anxiety is keeping you up at night, don’t hesitate to reach out for help. Feel free to contact me for more information or to set up an appointment soon for anxiety treatment, and you can start getting the rest your mind and body need.