How To Overcome Sleep Anxiety

Night Terrors: You’ve heard of sleep apnea, sleepwalking, and sleep deprivation, but sleep anxiety? Yes, it’s a thing, as people who suffer from insomnia likely know all too well. Sleep anxiety is the fear you won’t be able to fall asleep or stay asleep. Unsurprisingly, it’s often a self-fulfilling prophecy. Here’s how you can beat your sleep anxiety and rest a little easier.

The Benefits: When you’re trying to sleep but can’t, it’s really hard to think about something else. But fixating on the not-sleeping makes it more likely you won’t sleep, and then the cycle continues. By implementing some simple habits to tackle your sleep anxiety,  you can find the sweet spot of being intentional and proactive about the anxiety without obsessing about it (and making it worse).

How to Do It: Limit sleep tracking. Identifying patterns when your sleep is better or worse is helpful, but scrutinizing every data point is not. Consider cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) to reframe your sleep thoughts and behaviors. Get your circadian rhythm in order by always waking up at the same time and winding down earlier at night: dimming lights, turning off screens, and relaxing with a book, bath, or guided meditation.