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Anxiety linked to sleepless nights or insomnia

Nadine_Davis
Community Member

I was wondering if anxiety is triggered by sleepless nights or the way around. Since I haven’t been sleeping i have had anxiety! Now I have anxiety as I’m scared I won’t sleep at night. I have to take medication to sleep

3 Replies 3

David35
Community Member

It's both. Too much anxiety can make it hard to get to sleep. And not being able to get to sleep can cause you to be anxious. It's a vicious circle. That's why I've found it important to have something to look forward to the next day. And to have felt like you've done something today. Just my opinion. Still struggling with it myself. I find reading novels helps because it takes my mind off the day to day worries.

Fairmaiden64
Community Member

i don't know which way around but I suffer from extreme anxiety and I can take up to 5 hours to go to sleep. My brain will just not shut off. And I take something to help me sleep, which sometimes works, sometimes doesn't.

Its hard to know isnt it - sleep problems are so complex. I used to leave the curtains open when I went to bed as I thought that would help me get up earlier. Recently I discovered it was better to leave them closed and keep the room as dark as possible as I slept better.  Also, instead of turning lights on whenever I go into a room I started using candles (I dont have dimmers) in the rooms I needed to go in and out of such as the bathroom - and this helps me sleep better too.  I do blow them out when I go to bed though. You could use a torch too. My eyes adjust to the dark and I dont need light to find my way to the bathroom in the night.  All in all there has been an improvement.  Try small changes in lifestyle, diet, vitamins and see what happens.