What is nocturnal anxiety and what to do to combat it

For those who work during the day, the night is the time for many other activities: studying, hobbies, meeting friends and, of course, resting. When the sun goes down, most people take the opportunity to end all kinds of routines and obligations, which is why the night is their favorite time. However, things are often not so easy. Concerns (some well-founded and others not so much) corner us and turn the night into a time of great discomfort and frustration.

O awesome.club prepared a post that helps you better understand nighttime anxiety, why it appears and what to do to face and overcome it. Follow!

Imagine that you are in a comfortable, airy room surrounded by familiar objects and smells. You are in your usual bed, lying on the same mattress. What could stop you from falling into a beautiful deep sleep? Perhaps some people would answer that nothing, but unfortunately the answer is not that simple. On certain occasions, the conditions that normally contribute to rest do not always occur. Sleep takes a while to arrive, we go round and round in bed and he seems increasingly distant, despite the enormous fatigue. The situation may even lead to states of perspiration, tachycardia and dyspnea.

All of us, to a greater or lesser extent, have been through situations like this and we know what the consequences are: the next day will be hard because we don’t rest enough. Nocturnal anxiety is like a nightmare that we live with our eyes open.

However, there are ways to deal with this situation, both in terms of preventing it from happening and overcoming it if it is already under way.

The worries that surround us during the day don’t go down with the sun. Of course, it’s possible to be distracted while we’re with other people, or to do other activities that leave these worries in a state of suspension. However, at bedtime, when we are silent and alone, concerns and problems reappear with an extra aggravating factor: we hardly find solutions in these conditions. Therefore, the concern seems even greater because we cannot resolve it.

And it is then that night anxiety appears, a vicious circle from which it is difficult to break out. One concern leads to another and we end up entering a world where real problems can mix with imaginary problems. Sleeping in such a context is almost impossible.

As we said above, when a person falls into nocturnal anxiety, they get lost in a knot of worries, but not all of them are real. That is, not all deserve our full attention. Therefore, it is necessary to open your mind a little and try to understand what we really want and need to solve.

For example, suppose you made a mistake at work. Maybe it’s not a serious mistake, but anxiety makes it bigger, almost monstrous, and you start worrying about your future, what you would do if you lost your job, how you would pay the bills and maintain your lifestyle. You even think that maybe you can’t pay the rent, so you might have to move. But where?

It becomes clear that instead of worrying about the problem, we get lost in an infinity of worries that make no sense and that only serve to divert us from what is real (and which is often not so serious). So pay attention to the real problem and think about how you can solve it the next day, because most likely, when you’re rested, you’ll be able to think of solutions.

When a person performs many activities during the day, and when these activities occupy not only the body but also the mind, it is almost certain that at bedtime the only option is to sleep. So a good way to avoid nighttime anxiety is to not give it space to enter. Going to bed with your mind and body tired from activities carried out during the day is a way to create conditions for restful sleep. Therefore, in addition to work, engage in sports activities and other hobbies.

While boredom is frowned upon, it sometimes has its uses. We all like to have fun, but if we want to rest, it’s not good to live in a state of permanent fun. They say that the human being is a being of customs; in this sense, if you get used to a nightly routine, with fixed times to eat, wash the dishes, have tea and go to bed, the probability that you will be able to sleep is greater than if you fill this stage with fun activities, that normally bring the body into a state of alert. Also, if you follow the advice in the previous item, you’ve already had a busy day. Sleeping at the same time every day helps regulate our circadian rhythm, which helps us sleep more naturally.

This topic is also very important. Filling your body with fatty food before bed is not the best way to sleep. It is recommended that dinner be light, rich in vegetables and easily digestible foods.

This is another very important point. There is no point in following the previous recommendation if before going to bed you drink alcohol or other drinks that contain ingredients that can stimulate the body, such as caffeine. It is best to accompany food with mineral water and then have a glass of warm milk or just a cup of tea.

Another relevant topic that not everyone gives much importance to. It is essential that the environment helps the body to relax and sleep. Therefore, it is essential that you feel comfortable, and for that it is necessary to keep the room clean, organized and ventilated. It is also important that the decoration is pleasant. The ideal bedroom to sleep in should be clean, comfortable, scented and visually light.

The bed is one of the most tempting parts of our home, and we often give in to this temptation and use it not just for sleeping, but for many other things, such as studying, reading, surfing the Internet, watching television and even eating. That is, we spend most of our day inside our room. By doing this, our body does not notice any changes at bedtime, which makes it difficult to fall asleep. Therefore, it is important that the bedroom is a kind of ‘sacred environment’, used only for sleeping. All other activities must be done in other rooms in the house.

Hectic or out-of-control breathing is the enemy of restful sleep. Therefore, it is essential to add some breathing exercises to your nighttime routine, to give your body and mind the necessary harmony for sleep. Maybe you have a little difficulty at first, but when you get used to it, you’ll realize that calm and controlled breathing is essential to relax and sleep.

Nighttime anxiety is a condition that affects most people from time to time. If this is not your case, that is, if you live with it on a daily basis, ask for help from an expert. Having a restful sleep is essential for your day to be more fruitful and healthy. Therefore, if you notice that night anxiety is frequent, go to a psychologist and try to find out what the reason for the problem is. Only he will be able to indicate the proper treatment. And remember: life requires you to be awake, and for that it is essential that you can sleep well.

When was the last time you couldn’t sleep well? Can you identify why this happened? Of the points above, which are part of your routine? Tell in the comments.