Effective Ways to Manage Evening Anxiety

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Causes Anxiety at Night?SymptomsImpactCopingTreatmentsFrequently Asked Questions

Table of ContentsView All

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Table of Contents

What Causes Anxiety at Night?

Symptoms

Impact

Coping

Treatments

Frequently Asked Questions

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Anxiety at night can stem from various sources. Since there are fewer distractions at night, you may find yourself focusing on your worries about work, family, or money. Then, there is the stress and worry that happens when you get anxious about not being able to fall asleep.

If anxiety is keeping you up at night, you’re not alone. Nighttime anxiety is a problem for many people with anxiety disorders, who find that their evenings are filled with a sense of uneasiness, worry, and apprehension.

Anxiety and sleep have acomplex, bidirectional relationship. Anxiety at night can keep you from sleeping, while lack of sleep can increase your anxiety. Luckily, there are ways to manage your anxiety so you can rest, function the next day, and live a fulfilling life.

At a GlanceIf you find yourself lying awake worrying, you’re not alone. Anxiety at night is a common problem that can make it harder to fall and stay asleep. Fortunately, there are a number of steps you can take to help calm worried thoughts and keep anxiety at night at bay. Keep reading to learn more about why anxiety tends to increase during the nighttime hours and what you can do about it.

At a Glance

If you find yourself lying awake worrying, you’re not alone. Anxiety at night is a common problem that can make it harder to fall and stay asleep. Fortunately, there are a number of steps you can take to help calm worried thoughts and keep anxiety at night at bay. Keep reading to learn more about why anxiety tends to increase during the nighttime hours and what you can do about it.

There’s no one easy explanation as to why anxiety increases at night for some people. Instead, it can be the result of a variety of factors.

One explanation is that when the lights go out and all is quiet, there is less distraction and more opportunity for worry andruminationabout your career, finances, or relationships. Difficulty falling asleep may also unleash its own set of worries about how well you’ll be able to function the following day.

Other reasons why anxiety increases at night may include:

Symptoms of Anxiety at Night

Everyone experiences anxiety differently, and symptoms may vary. Symptoms of nighttime anxiety may be similar to those you experience during the day. Or they may be specific to the evening hours.

How Anxiety at Night Affects Your Sleep and Well-Being

Anxiety that strikes in the evening can be incredibly bothersome, as it may take away from your free time, zap your energy, and contribute tosleep issues.If you’ve ever found yourself lying awake, worried, and unable to wind down enough to sleep, you know how frustrating and exhausting this can be.

When you start to feel anxious, it triggers the body’sstress response. When this happens, you often end up feeling too physically and mentally alert to relax, which makes it much harder to fall and stay asleep.

Sleep deprivation can have a major impact on your functioning, quality of life, and overall health. Plus, it can become a vicious cycle. Loss of sleep can also trigger anxiety at night, creating a vicious cycle.

Another result of nighttime anxiety is panic attacks or nocturnal panic attacks, which take place during non-REM sleep, primarily in stages 2 and 3. Nocturnal panic attacks can awaken you from sleep and leave you feeling tired throughout the following day or days.

You may also find yourself developingsleep anxiety, where you feel anxious about not being able to fall asleep. This adds even more anxiety to the mix, making you feel pressured and stressed about whether or not you’ll be able to get any sleep at all.

Research has found that between 24% and 36% of people who have insomnia also experience some type of anxiety disorder, such as generalized anxiety disorder or panic disorder.

Yes, Our Sleeping Positions Can Actually Impact Our Well-Being

How to Manage Anxiety at Night

Fortunately, there are steps you can take to help reduce your nighttime anxiety, allowing for a relaxing evening and restful night’s sleep. Even if you have an anxiety disorder, using these strategies can help you better manage your symptoms andsleep better with anxiety.

Set an Intention Early

Many of us go from one activity to the next throughout our day without really considering how we are feeling, let alone how we would like to feel. For example, do you ever come home after a long day of work and think to yourself, “I really want to relax and enjoy this evening?”

You are likely far too busy or preoccupied to stop and ponder how you want your evening to be. However, setting an intention early makes you more likely to get the desired results.

If you remind yourself each day that you are determined to have a peaceful evening, you are more likely to actually experience it that way.

Remembering to set an intention is easier when you mark a certain point in your day for it. For example, while driving home from work, you may be going over in your mind all the stress that you went through that day.

At a certain point during your drive home, such as when you drive over a certain bridge or pass a particular landmark, you can set the intention to let go of work stress from that point forward and enjoy the rest of your evening. Another option can be to set an alarm that reminds you to set your intention for a nice evening.

Regardless of what type of prompt works for you, get in the habit of setting your personal objective of how you want to feel each evening.

Learn to Be Present

Along the same lines of not being in touch with how we want to feel, many of us spend much of our time completely unaware or detached from thepresent moment. By making an effort to be more mindful, you may be better able to enjoy your evening.

Mindfulnesscan prevent you from going over every worry in your head and allow you to recognize that you do not have to react to every thought that pops into your mind.Mindfulness is a skill that can be learned through activities such asmindfulness meditation.

If mindfulness seems awkward or too time-consuming, simply make an effort to be more aware of life as it is instead of searching your mind for nervousness and fear.

Try to listen closely to your loved ones, enjoy the food you are eating, and notice the beauty of the earth—these are all simple ways to push anxiety aside and become more mindful. You can also download anapp for anxietyto incorporate small moments of mindfulness into your day.

How to Become More Mindful in Your Everyday Life

Leave Some Extra Transition Time

Transition time is the time that is needed between tasks. Many of us underestimate how much transition time is needed. For instance, your evening may consist of numerous different tasks that you need to do before you go to bed.

Whatever amount of time you have allotted for each task, consider adding a bit more time as a buffer in case the task takes longer than you think. That way you will avoid feeling overwhelmed, trying to cram too much in before bedtime.

Prepare for the Next Day

Many people find it anxiety-provoking to think about all that they need to do the next day. Being prepared is one of the best things to do to avoid this type of anxiety. Get as much ready as you can, like having your clothes picked out, lunches and bags packed, and your alarm clock set. Putting a small amount of effort into preparation can help keep evening anxiety under control.

Create Some Space to Unwind

When everything is done for the night and ready for the next day, you do need some time each evening to simply relax, let go, and re-energize. A few ideas:

Regardless of what brings you serenity, set aside at least 10 minutes of downtime each evening. Doing so allows you to feel calmer and may be the prompt you need to get a good night’s rest.

Establish a Bedtime Routine

Establishing a bedtime routine lets you focus on taking proactive steps for yourself instead of ruminating in your anxiety. Your bedtime routine may include activities such as taking a shower, brushing your teeth, changing into pajamas, reading from an inspirational book, prayer,practicing meditation, or listening to music.

Instead, make your routine calming and quiet, leading up to you falling asleep. This will signal to your brain that it is time to rest and will allow you to go to sleep without an upset and anxious mind.

Treatment for Anxiety at Night

While self-help strategies can go a long way, you may also find it useful to schedule an appointment with a healthcare professional. They can rule out any medical or sleep conditions contributing to your nighttime anxiety. In addition to maintaining good sleep habits, treatment options typically involvepsychotherapy, medications, or a combination of both.

Psychotherapy

Research has shown that psychological treatments, including cognitive behavioral therapy and exposure therapy, can be helpful for treating anxiety.

Medication

A variety of medications can be used in the treatment of anxiety, including:

How do you calm anxiety at night?

How do you stop panic attacks at night?

Why is anxiety worse at night?

Unfortunately, there is not an easy explanation. Anxiety can become worse at night for a variety of reasons, including rumination, worry over not sleeping, pre-existing anxiety disorders, excessive caffeine during the day, underlying health conditions, or anxiety over the next day.

Takeaways

If your anxiety is making it difficult to function, reach out for professional help. Schedule an appointment with your physician or reach out to a mental health professional. Anxiety is treatable and therapy, medication, or a combination of the two can help you manage your anxiety in a healthy way.

If you or a loved one are struggling with anxiety, contact theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helplineat1-800-662-4357for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

If you or a loved one are struggling with anxiety, contact theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helplineat1-800-662-4357for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.

For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

Simple Steps to Help You Cope With Anxiety

12 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Koffel E, Khawaja IS, Germain A.Sleep disturbances in posttraumatic stress disorder: updated review and implications for treatment.Psychiatric Annals. 2016;46(3):173-176. doi:10.3928/00485713-20160125-01Bremer E, Jallo N, Rodgers B, Kinser P, Dautovich N.Anxiety in menopause: a distinctly different syndrome?The Journal for Nurse Practitioners. 2019;15(5):374-378.Manber, R., & Carney, C. E.Treatment plans and interventions for insomnia: A case formulation approach. Guilford Press. 2015Cox RC, Sterba SK, Cole DA, Upender RP, Olatunji BO.Time of day effects on the relationship between daily sleep and anxiety: An ecological momentary assessment approach.Behav Res Ther. 2018;111:44-51. doi:10.1016/j.brat.2018.09.008Levitan M, Papelbaum M.Circadian rhythm in panic disorder.Panic Disorder. Published online 2016. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-12538-1_8Oh CM, Kim HY, Na HK, Cho KH, Chu MK.The effect of anxiety and depression on sleep quality of individuals with high risk for insomnia: a population-based study.Front Neurol. 2019;10:849. doi:10.3389/fneur.2019.00849Borquist-Conlon DS, Maynard BR, Brendel KE, Farina ASJ.Mindfulness-based interventions for youth with anxiety: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Research on Social Work Practice. 2017;29(2). doi:10.1177/1049731516684961Foerster M, Henneke A, Chetty-Mhlanga S, Röösli M.Impact of adolescents' screen time and nocturnal mobile phone-related awakenings on sleep and general health symptoms: A prospective cohort study.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019;16(3) doi:10.3390/ijerph16030518Cowie J, Alfano CA, Patriquin MA, Reynolds KC, Talavera D, Clementi MA.Addressing sleep in children with anxiety disorders.Sleep Medicine Clinics. 2014;9(2). doi:10.1016/j.jsmc.2014.02.001Bandelow B.Treatment of anxiety disorders.Dialogues Clin Neurosci. 2017;19(2):93-107. doi:10.31887/DCNS.2017.19.2/bbandelowBelleville G, Potočnik A.A meta-analysis of sleep disturbances in panic disorder.Psychopathology - An International and Interdisciplinary Perspective. Published online January 22, 2020. doi:10.5772/intechopen.86306Ben Simon E, Rossi A, Harvey AG, Walker MP.Overanxious and underslept.Nature Human Behaviour. 2019;4(1). doi:10.1038/s41562-019-0754-8

12 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Koffel E, Khawaja IS, Germain A.Sleep disturbances in posttraumatic stress disorder: updated review and implications for treatment.Psychiatric Annals. 2016;46(3):173-176. doi:10.3928/00485713-20160125-01Bremer E, Jallo N, Rodgers B, Kinser P, Dautovich N.Anxiety in menopause: a distinctly different syndrome?The Journal for Nurse Practitioners. 2019;15(5):374-378.Manber, R., & Carney, C. E.Treatment plans and interventions for insomnia: A case formulation approach. Guilford Press. 2015Cox RC, Sterba SK, Cole DA, Upender RP, Olatunji BO.Time of day effects on the relationship between daily sleep and anxiety: An ecological momentary assessment approach.Behav Res Ther. 2018;111:44-51. doi:10.1016/j.brat.2018.09.008Levitan M, Papelbaum M.Circadian rhythm in panic disorder.Panic Disorder. Published online 2016. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-12538-1_8Oh CM, Kim HY, Na HK, Cho KH, Chu MK.The effect of anxiety and depression on sleep quality of individuals with high risk for insomnia: a population-based study.Front Neurol. 2019;10:849. doi:10.3389/fneur.2019.00849Borquist-Conlon DS, Maynard BR, Brendel KE, Farina ASJ.Mindfulness-based interventions for youth with anxiety: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Research on Social Work Practice. 2017;29(2). doi:10.1177/1049731516684961Foerster M, Henneke A, Chetty-Mhlanga S, Röösli M.Impact of adolescents' screen time and nocturnal mobile phone-related awakenings on sleep and general health symptoms: A prospective cohort study.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019;16(3) doi:10.3390/ijerph16030518Cowie J, Alfano CA, Patriquin MA, Reynolds KC, Talavera D, Clementi MA.Addressing sleep in children with anxiety disorders.Sleep Medicine Clinics. 2014;9(2). doi:10.1016/j.jsmc.2014.02.001Bandelow B.Treatment of anxiety disorders.Dialogues Clin Neurosci. 2017;19(2):93-107. doi:10.31887/DCNS.2017.19.2/bbandelowBelleville G, Potočnik A.A meta-analysis of sleep disturbances in panic disorder.Psychopathology - An International and Interdisciplinary Perspective. Published online January 22, 2020. doi:10.5772/intechopen.86306Ben Simon E, Rossi A, Harvey AG, Walker MP.Overanxious and underslept.Nature Human Behaviour. 2019;4(1). doi:10.1038/s41562-019-0754-8

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Koffel E, Khawaja IS, Germain A.Sleep disturbances in posttraumatic stress disorder: updated review and implications for treatment.Psychiatric Annals. 2016;46(3):173-176. doi:10.3928/00485713-20160125-01Bremer E, Jallo N, Rodgers B, Kinser P, Dautovich N.Anxiety in menopause: a distinctly different syndrome?The Journal for Nurse Practitioners. 2019;15(5):374-378.Manber, R., & Carney, C. E.Treatment plans and interventions for insomnia: A case formulation approach. Guilford Press. 2015Cox RC, Sterba SK, Cole DA, Upender RP, Olatunji BO.Time of day effects on the relationship between daily sleep and anxiety: An ecological momentary assessment approach.Behav Res Ther. 2018;111:44-51. doi:10.1016/j.brat.2018.09.008Levitan M, Papelbaum M.Circadian rhythm in panic disorder.Panic Disorder. Published online 2016. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-12538-1_8Oh CM, Kim HY, Na HK, Cho KH, Chu MK.The effect of anxiety and depression on sleep quality of individuals with high risk for insomnia: a population-based study.Front Neurol. 2019;10:849. doi:10.3389/fneur.2019.00849Borquist-Conlon DS, Maynard BR, Brendel KE, Farina ASJ.Mindfulness-based interventions for youth with anxiety: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Research on Social Work Practice. 2017;29(2). doi:10.1177/1049731516684961Foerster M, Henneke A, Chetty-Mhlanga S, Röösli M.Impact of adolescents' screen time and nocturnal mobile phone-related awakenings on sleep and general health symptoms: A prospective cohort study.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019;16(3) doi:10.3390/ijerph16030518Cowie J, Alfano CA, Patriquin MA, Reynolds KC, Talavera D, Clementi MA.Addressing sleep in children with anxiety disorders.Sleep Medicine Clinics. 2014;9(2). doi:10.1016/j.jsmc.2014.02.001Bandelow B.Treatment of anxiety disorders.Dialogues Clin Neurosci. 2017;19(2):93-107. doi:10.31887/DCNS.2017.19.2/bbandelowBelleville G, Potočnik A.A meta-analysis of sleep disturbances in panic disorder.Psychopathology - An International and Interdisciplinary Perspective. Published online January 22, 2020. doi:10.5772/intechopen.86306Ben Simon E, Rossi A, Harvey AG, Walker MP.Overanxious and underslept.Nature Human Behaviour. 2019;4(1). doi:10.1038/s41562-019-0754-8

Koffel E, Khawaja IS, Germain A.Sleep disturbances in posttraumatic stress disorder: updated review and implications for treatment.Psychiatric Annals. 2016;46(3):173-176. doi:10.3928/00485713-20160125-01

Bremer E, Jallo N, Rodgers B, Kinser P, Dautovich N.Anxiety in menopause: a distinctly different syndrome?The Journal for Nurse Practitioners. 2019;15(5):374-378.

Manber, R., & Carney, C. E.Treatment plans and interventions for insomnia: A case formulation approach. Guilford Press. 2015

Cox RC, Sterba SK, Cole DA, Upender RP, Olatunji BO.Time of day effects on the relationship between daily sleep and anxiety: An ecological momentary assessment approach.Behav Res Ther. 2018;111:44-51. doi:10.1016/j.brat.2018.09.008

Levitan M, Papelbaum M.Circadian rhythm in panic disorder.Panic Disorder. Published online 2016. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-12538-1_8

Oh CM, Kim HY, Na HK, Cho KH, Chu MK.The effect of anxiety and depression on sleep quality of individuals with high risk for insomnia: a population-based study.Front Neurol. 2019;10:849. doi:10.3389/fneur.2019.00849

Borquist-Conlon DS, Maynard BR, Brendel KE, Farina ASJ.Mindfulness-based interventions for youth with anxiety: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Research on Social Work Practice. 2017;29(2). doi:10.1177/1049731516684961

Foerster M, Henneke A, Chetty-Mhlanga S, Röösli M.Impact of adolescents' screen time and nocturnal mobile phone-related awakenings on sleep and general health symptoms: A prospective cohort study.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019;16(3) doi:10.3390/ijerph16030518

Cowie J, Alfano CA, Patriquin MA, Reynolds KC, Talavera D, Clementi MA.Addressing sleep in children with anxiety disorders.Sleep Medicine Clinics. 2014;9(2). doi:10.1016/j.jsmc.2014.02.001

Bandelow B.Treatment of anxiety disorders.Dialogues Clin Neurosci. 2017;19(2):93-107. doi:10.31887/DCNS.2017.19.2/bbandelow

Belleville G, Potočnik A.A meta-analysis of sleep disturbances in panic disorder.Psychopathology - An International and Interdisciplinary Perspective. Published online January 22, 2020. doi:10.5772/intechopen.86306

Ben Simon E, Rossi A, Harvey AG, Walker MP.Overanxious and underslept.Nature Human Behaviour. 2019;4(1). doi:10.1038/s41562-019-0754-8

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