Why Is Anxiety Worse At Night?
Many people deal with an increase in anxiety at night. This can be spiraling thoughts while laying in bed or even just higher stress once the sun goes down. You might be wondering why this happens to you, luckily, Healthline has the answer.
Clinical psychologist Elanine Ducharme says that many people “spend billions of dollars to rid themselves of anxiety.” She says that even though anxiety symptoms can be frustrating, they can also be life saving. “They keep us alert to danger and assure survival,” she says. However, nighttime anxiety is a different situation, where the anxiety itself isn’t really needed for survival. Ducharme states “The problem for those suffering [from] anxiety is that usually there is no need for the anxiety. The physical danger is not real and there is no need to fight or flee.”
But why does this anxiety always happen at night? Well there’s a pretty simple explanation. During the day, most people are distracted by many tasks that keep them distracted. At night your mind is able to roam free, which can lead to anxiety in those who overthink.
When your body starts to tell you it’s time to sleep from your circadian rhythm, most people start to get tired. But those who have anxiety can have a hard time shifting over to “rest mode” which keeps them up later and later. To fix this problem, it can help to do relaxing activities before bed like meditation, deep breathing, or taking a warm bath.
