Are you worried about anxiety ruining your sleeping?
These expert tips will ensure a good night’s kip, no matter what’s on your mind.
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You’re staring at the clock as it ticks past 4am, knowing you’ve got to be up for work and the kids in just a few hours, but you can’t stop your thoughts crashing around your head on a loop.
Do you sound familiar? You’re not alone. It’s estimated that insomnia now affects 40% of adults – a 20% rise post-pandemic, and with the current cost-of-living crisis, it’s hardly surprising.
“It’s common to experience some anxiety while coping with stressful events or changes, especially if they could have a big impact on your life.
Anxiety can be a normal human reaction to feeling under threat. And having worries at night doesn’t necessarily mean you’re experiencing a mental health problem,” says Stephen Buckley, head of information at mental health charity Mind.
We all could use a little more sleep, but we can all benefit from a restful night’s sleep.
We asked the experts for their foolproof tips…
Select a worry window
Deciding to confront your concerns at a specific time (that’s not the middle of the night) could help you make it through till morning undisturbed.
“Commit to having a worry window at 6pm for 15 minutes,” Janey Lee Grace (author of Happy Healthy Sober), is a wellbeing expert.
“When worries come up through the day, jot them down and know you can worry about them then. This will allow your unconscious mind to note the thoughts.
“Then consciously decide to tackle them at a designated time. Before bed, remind yourself you can park any worries till your next worry window.”
Open your eyes
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It might sound counter-intuitive when you’re trying to still your brain and go back to sleep, but try opening your eyes and looking skyward.
“Eye stretching upward accesses the part of the brain responsible for ideas and inspiration,” Liz Larson is co-creator and founder of the wellbeing and exercise program Cognomovement.
“And it is actually an easy trick to get your mind and body out of stress.” She adds: “The next time you start down the rabbit hole of thoughts spiralling from bad to worse, stop and take an inventory.
“Ask yourself: ‘Am I truly in danger right this minute?’ Take four deep, slow belly breathes if you are not able to do so. Next, open your eyes up, keeping your chin low, and then move your eyes side-to side in a ticking motion. This should be done for one minute. You will quickly notice your body relax, and your thoughts settle down.”
Channel your inner Yogi
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It is known to be both an anxiety-soothing and a sleep aid. Studies also show that yoga has been shown to help insomnia. Online GP Livi’s Dr Bryony Henderson suggests these three steps to get you asleep quickly and keep it that way.
You can also try them if your anxiety is too much. They’ll help calm your nervous system, making it easier to drop off. For one to five seconds, hold each position and breathe slowly.
Keep your legs up against the wall “Lie on your back and raise your legs straight up a wall. Keep your hands and arms relaxed at your sides.”
The lying butterfly pose “Lie flat on your back, dropping your knees out to the sides, while pressing the soles of your feet together.”
Relaxation pose “Lie on your back with arms and legs straight but relaxed. Keep your hands open, palms facing up. Roll your ankles open to the sides.”
Use art to distract you brain
When your head is full with doubts and fear, it is much easier to have happy thoughts than thinking. Instead, use imagery to distract you.
“The mind is made to think and, if you have a lot to deal with, you can easily get into the habit of doing your problem solving late at night when all the urgent demands of the day are done – which keeps you awake,” Valerie Ellis is an artist who was a former psychotherapist.
“Give your rabid mind a different bone to chew on. Colouring or drawing late at night will give you something to focus on, which is relaxing and far better than TV, which will waken and stimulate your mind.”
Are you an artist, but not enough? “Gaze at a great work of art with the goal of remembering all the details. When you close your eyes, try to picture that artwork and recreate it to calm your mind.”
Beditation is a great option
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We do it all day every day, but really focusing on your breathing – especially during the witching hour, when things seem so much worse – can help put an end to worries.
“Beditation is a little meditation that can help you fall back to sleep quickly,” says mindfulness expert Neil Seligman. “Start by bringing your attention to the natural flow of the breath, then perform a little body scan from the head and moving down through the neck, torso, arms, pelvis, legs and feet.
“At each body part, take at least one full breath in and out – you can even tense and release the muscles as you go if it helps you relax. End by breathing deeply into the whole of the body, or repeat the cycle if you are still awake.”
“When you inhale slowly and deeply, you take in more oxygen and this brings down your heart rate,” adds Dr Henderson, and you don’t need to focus on every body part if that makes you feel under pressure. For four seconds, exhale and inhale softly. Repeat for four more. You can do this repeatedly for as long as five minutes.
Don’t try so hard
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It is futile to try to make yourself drift away by trying desperately.
“Any effort towards going to sleep will send you in entirely the wrong direction,” says Neil. “Instead, start with acceptance of the present moment and ask yourself what you need. A glass of water, a trip to the loo or a stretch of the body can be enough to help you reset and rest.”
He adds: “There is some evidence that trying to stay awake is more likely to send you to sleep than the opposite.”
So it might be time to avoid counting sheep and see what happens…
What to do if you need help?
“If your worries are impacting your ability to live your life, you may want to think about reaching out for support,” says Stephen from Mind – and Mind.org.uk It is a great place to start.
Dr Henderson suggests if you’ve tried improving things and fears are still affecting you at night, keep a sleep diary for two weeks and discuss the results with your GP.
She says: “A doctor will be able to help identify and advise on the possible causes of your insomnia and give guidance on good sleep hygiene.
“They may refer you for talking therapy, like cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), which could help uncover why you’re having trouble sleeping or waking in the night with worry.”