Big life events such as starting a new job, getting married or receiving your exam results can keep you awake at night with anxious thoughts running through your head.
To help you get the sleep you need during stressful times, Sleep Coach, Nicky Blakeman gives her expert advice below for managing your anxiety at night.
1. Accept That Anxiety Is Normal
The first step is to accept that it’s normal to be having anxious thoughts about stressful and important times in your life. Try not to get too involved in your thoughts, just notice them but do not attempt to fight with them. If you say to yourself, "This is just a thought, don't believe it as true," it takes some of its power away. It is possible that your mind may be thinking what if I don't succeed? or what if all goes wrong? Avoid resisting these thoughts, but try to consider them with curiosity. You could say to yourself, "I notice I have this thought in my mind that I might fail, and then it's like a cloud that floats away across the sky.
Anxiety can intensify when trying to resist it. Struggling with anxiety can give it a boost. When you actively try to ignore your worries, they will come back to you. That's the power of acceptance. It doesn't mean you enjoy the anxiety nor do you want it to remain. It is just a matter of letting go of the denial and the struggle of resisting something that is present. A great way to practise this is to do a short mindfulness exercise. Sit or lie down, relax your body and focus your attention on the breath. If you have a worried thought, imagine it on a leaf and watching it float down a stream. Avoid to accelerate it or to halt it. Simply allow it to go at its own speed. This helps your brain to view thoughts as fleeting moments, and not as orders you have to obey.
2. Deal With Your Anxiety During The Day
The problem many people have is they don’t deal with their anxious thoughts during the day so they’re left to deal with them at bedtime when our minds are at their least rational.
In order to help prevent anxious thoughts from keeping you up at night, you need to find a way of managing and dealing with these thoughts in the daytime.
Take 10 to 15 minutes every evening to use as your "worry window. In this time, jot down what you are thinking and ask yourself what you can do right now. When a thought is related to something that can be done, add a small plan. If it's beyond your control, try letting it go until your next worry window. This simple practice helps your mind to avoid late night brainstorming and to respond to stress at the right time and right place.
3. Write Down How You Feel
A good way to get your anxious thoughts out of your system before bed is journaling. In the days leading up to an event you're worried about, start to write down how you feel. This will help you to get all your thoughts onto the paper and you can then begin to rationalise them.
Have a journal by the bed and try to journal for 5-10 minutes every night. Don't be concerned with correct sentences or grammar. Write freely with your thoughts. It can be helpful to write down what you're thinking, and then you may ask yourself what you can do and what you cannot do. It is a simple thing but by externalising the worry you create mental space and it will be easier to let go of when you are ready to sleep.
4. Come up With a Plan to Deal With The Worst Case Scenario
You’re much better at problem solving in the daytime than when you’re lying in bed at night so come up with a plan in the day. Consider the worst-case scenario i.e you don’t get the job you want or the grades you want in an exam and remember that you will always have options no matter what.
Accept that you can't always control how a situation will turn out and take some time to consider the options you have if the worst happens. Once you’ve come up with a list of options you can refer back to them when you start worrying at night tackle your negative thoughts in the daytime and they will be much easier to manage at night.
Need More Help With Your Sleep?
If you need more help drifting off at night, check out our 5-HTP Bedtime gummies here.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why am I more tense and stressed at night than I am during the day?
When it's quiet at night, the mind is more conducive to thinking about your problems. When you don't have a chance to relax, stress hormones such as cortisol can remain high and you can find it more difficult to sleep. That's why worrying thoughts are more audible at night.
2. How does journaling help me sleep better?
Writing helps to clear mental clutter by putting thoughts on paper. If you take 5 to 10 minutes to write before you go to sleep you will recognize what you can control and what you can't. This gives a sense of closure and helps to fall asleep easily.
3. What will I put in my bedtime journal?
Try to concentrate on the present. You can make a list of your concerns and circle those you can do something about and those you cannot. Others may find it useful to write 3 things they are thankful for or one positive moment of their day.
4. Can I eat Yumi Bedtime Gummies right before I go to sleep?
Eat two gummies 30 minutes prior to going to sleep. This allows 5‑HTP to aid relaxation in your wind down process. For best results combine with relaxing activities such as reading or gentle stretching.
5.May I take Bedtime Gummies daily?
These gummies are meant to be used occasionally, when experiencing stress or sleeplessness. If you are considering using them frequently, consult with a healthcare professional to make sure they are suitable for you. Never take with prescription sleeping or mood medications.