Night Anxiety: Symptoms, Causes And Treatment

Difficulty falling asleep, thoughts that will not stop worrying, sweating, increased heart rate, a feeling of shock… Night anxiety is more frequent than you might think. It is so frequent that  it can even be behind recurrent insomnia, which worsens a person’s quality of life.

It is important to know that a significant proportion of sleep disorders are directly related to states of anxiety. When night comes and you want to get a good night’s rest, we often experience the exact opposite.

Disorders such as generalized anxiety disorder or even post-traumatic stress disorder are clear triggers of poor rest at night. Something that typically takes place is the following:  Nervousness and pain increase as night approaches.

We internalize much of the physiological and emotional tension that we accumulate during the day, in a state of hyperactivity at night. Therefore, for example, it is very common to suffer from an anxiety attack early in the morning.

Night anxiety: The hidden manifestation of a problem

We define nagging anxiety as the state of hyperactivity and alertness that disturbs our rest in the middle of the night. This change frequently appears in people who suffer from a feeling of worry, restlessness and pain for several months.

At the same time, it is common to notice changes in our sleep cycle in these situations. In the same way, it is also common to go to bed at night and get lost in a maze of thoughts that nourish the circle of anxiety.

Therefore, it will not surprise you to be told that  a large proportion of the people suffering from insomnia often show significant anxiety which is often not treated.

For example, we can look at studies such as that of Dr. Luc Staner at Rouffach Hospital (Maryland, USA) performed. Their research indicates that the  incidence of anxiety among those suffering from sleep disorders can be between 24 and 36%.

The number is high enough for us to consider the seriousness of this problem. After all, we must not forget that chronic poor rest at night can contribute to the development of various diseases.

What are the symptoms?

One of the primary symptoms that people suffering from night anxiety experience is hyperactivation. It is not only our thoughts that seem more willing to let themselves be carried away by the stream of worries. Our body also accumulates tension, even though it is exhausted, as if one is prepared to flee or take part in a race.

The following characters are also common:

1. It is common for people to  experience increased heart rate,  chest tightness and the feeling of drowning.
2. Headaches or tingling in the temples  are also common.
3. The person may  be several hours about to fall asleep,  and when they finally do, they still wake up often.
4. Night anxiety involves the  feeling of not having rested. This is because they have difficulty reaching the REM stage of the sleep cycle. REM sleep is essential when it comes to sleeping heavily and being able to perform certain tasks. For example, there is information processing, learning and storage of memories.
5. Lack of REM sleep intensifies emotional turmoil, which increases a person’s anxiety.
6. At the same time, there is one important detail to keep in mind:  When the disorder reaches high levels, the person may suffer from an anxiety attack.

What are the causes of night anxiety?

Mariano Chóliz, a professor at the University of Valencia, has conducted interesting research on anxiety and sleep disorders. In it he speaks of what is known as Monroe’s hypothesis (Monroe, 1967). According to this approach, the origin of night anxiety may have something to do with the following aspects:

• Individuals suffering from this disorder are characterized by a higher degree of physiological activation  (arousal, according to the technical term used in neurophysiology). They suffer from faster breathing, higher body temperature as well as more intense tension in the muscles.
• In addition to these symptoms, we can also emphasize  cognitive factors (negative thoughts and worries) and emotions (anxiety, fear). All of this creates a triangle of symptoms that intensify anxiety at night.

What does the treatment of night anxiety entangle?

Anxiety and the associated insomnia are only symptoms of an underlying problem. There is no need to resort to relaxing tea or even drugs to promote sleep if we do not deal with the origin of the disorder.

Hypnotic drugs or sleeping pills will allow us to fall asleep, but they are not the solution. What is the most effective strategy in these situations? Psychological therapy to either deal with the trigger of the situation or to offer us abilities that we can use to improve our quality of life.

For this reason, we will now look at what you should consider in reducing night anxiety:

• Identify environments, habits and situations that may play a role in the situation.
• Get the correct diagnosis: A specialist must determine what kind of anxiety the patient is suffering from.

• On usually, cognitive behavioral therapy is most appropriate in these cases.
• It is necessary to follow the same times in his routine every day. In other words  , one should go to bed and get up at the same time every day.
• Exercises for relaxation and deep breathing  are also an excellent idea.
• Experts recommend limiting the use of cell phones, computers and other electronic devices two hours before bedtime.
• Avoid eating foods with sugar before bedtime  as it can promote brain activation due to glucose.

Do not let it develop

Finally, there is one more aspect we need to emphasize. It is never a good idea to let this type of situation last. Letting go of night anxiety and insomnia go unnoticed, it produces harmful changes in one’s body. It worsens one’s health and seriously affects one’s quality of life.

One should therefore go to a professional as soon as possible to normalize one’s sleep pattern and get the rest that is needed.