Unpacking Anxiety: Insomnia
We are continuing through our journey of unpacking and discussing the various forms and symptoms of anxiety. Today we are discussing insomnia.
Sleep. It is necessary for life. It’s a key part of our emotional, physical, and mental health. And yet, for so many people, a quality night’s sleep seems so incredibly hard to attain. Today we are going to discuss insomnia as an aspect of anxiety, and take a deeper dive into how these two are connected.
Understanding insomnia:
As you might anticipate, the research does validate that there is a strong correlation between anxiety disorders and the presence of insomnia. (1) In fact, in most cases, the anxiety disorder preceded the presence of the sleep-related disorder, meaning, that there’s a strong indication that anxiety may initiate or contribute to the presence of the sleep-related challenges.
So why is there such a strong connection between insomnia or sleep challenges and anxiety?
To understand the connection, we do you need to take a brief dive into understanding the brain, and how the brain functions related to both sleep and anxiety.
Let’s start with anxiety: on the most basic level, when an individual is experiencing anxiety, there are elevated levels of cortisol in the individual system. Cortisol is the stress hormone of the body. Cortisol has an energizing effect on the body, stimulating nervous system activity, with the purpose of protecting, increasing vigilance, preparing to fight or flee, and other potentially life-saving or protective functions. (2)
Now let’s consider the neurochemistry of sleep. On the most basic level, as the body works towards a state of sleep, the neurochemistry of the body and brain changes to promote relaxation, a downgrade of stimulation, and a neurochemistry cocktail that promotes the ability to sleep. This is achieved through the inhibition of certain neurotransmitters that promote wakefulness and the increase of other neurotransmitters that promote sleepiness. (3)
So as you can see, the presence of anxiety or the neurotransmitters associated with an anxious experience directly counter the neurochemistry needed for a restful night’s sleep. When we think about the occurrence of anxiety and insomnia from the brain base level, the two going together just absolutely makes sense.
So what can I do about anxiety and insomnia?
The great thing is, when we address anxiety, often times the symptoms of insomnia will subside or improve. But there are a few things that you can do proactively to assist the process and be more intentional about increasing your sleep quality.
Reduce stimulation before bed
Reduce stress
Practice mindfulness or meditation
Stretch
Have a practice for what to do with any anxious thoughts
Anxiety management is a journey and a trained professional can help. If you are interested in learning more about anxiety therapy, connecting with a therapist, or exploring options for treatment of anxiety, we would love to talk to you. A member of our Arlington, TX-based therapy group is ready to help through in-person service or through our online therapy options. Connect with us today.
