Nighttime anxiety is a beast that many of us grapple with, and you’re not alone if you’ve spent countless nights tossing and turning.
As a psychology enthusiast and a frequent night owl, I’ve noticed some behaviors that seem common among those who often feel anxious at night.
Psychology says that these habits might be feeding into your worry, keeping you awake when you really need some shut-eye. And while understanding isn’t a cure, it’s certainly a step towards managing it.
In this piece, we’ll dive into seven behaviors commonly exhibited by those who frequently experience nighttime anxiety.
It doesn’t take a psychology degree to notice these patterns, but by recognizing them, we can begin to understand and address our nighttime anxieties.
So, grab your favorite night-time beverage, get comfy, and let’s explore these behaviors together. Maybe by the end of this article, we’ll both be one step closer to a more peaceful night’s sleep.
1) Overthinking at bedtime
Nighttime is often when our minds decide to run a marathon, rehashing the day’s events, and diving deep into the “what ifs” of life.
If you find yourself lying wide awake, lost in a whirlwind of thoughts, you’re not alone. Overthinking at bedtime is a common behavior among those who frequently feel anxious at night.
Psychologists refer to this as ruminative thinking – the process of continuously thinking about the same thoughts, which are typically negative or distressing.
Famous psychologist Sigmund Freud once said, “Unexpressed emotions will never die. They are buried alive and will come forth later in uglier ways.” This can certainly be true when it comes to our nighttime worries.
Recognizing this behavior is the first step in addressing it. The next time you find your mind racing at night, try to steer your thoughts towards more calming waters.
It may not be easy, but with time and practice, it could lead to more peaceful nights.
2) Nighttime rituals dominated by worry
It’s the end of a long day, and I’m finally ready to hit the sack. But instead of slipping into peaceful slumber, I find my bedtime routine is overrun by worry.
Checking the doors are locked, again and again, going over tomorrow’s to-do list one more time, fretting over a stray work email that pinged just as I was winding down – sound familiar?
Get Smarter Everyday Join Us On WhatsApp
This behavior, where even the act of preparing for sleep becomes a source of anxiety, is another pattern common among those who often feel anxious at night.
Carl Jung, one of the most influential psychologists of the 20th century, said, “What you resist persists.” Essentially, the more we try to push away our worries, the stronger they become.
Identifying and acknowledging this behavior can be a stepping stone towards managing nighttime anxiety.
Maybe next time when you’re about to double-check that door lock, pause for a moment. Ask yourself if this is necessary or if it’s just your anxiety trying to take control. Answering this could be your first step towards a more restful night.
3) Procrastinating bedtime
Ever find yourself delaying going to bed, even when you’re bone-tired? I know I have.
It’s like there’s an invisible wall between me and my bed. Instead of embracing sleep, I find myself aimlessly scrolling through social media, binge-watching a series, or even cleaning. All to avoid facing the silence of the night.
This form of procrastination is another behavior often seen in those who regularly experience nighttime anxiety. It’s as if we’re trying to outrun our fears by keeping ourselves busy, even when sleep is what we truly need.
Albert Ellis, a renowned psychologist and the pioneer of cognitive-behavioral therapies, said, “The art of love… is largely the art of persistence.”
Perhaps we can apply this philosophy to our relationship with sleep as well – by persistently choosing to embrace rest, even when anxiety tries to steer us away.
Acknowledging this behavior can be challenging, but it can also be a game-changer. Recognizing the moments when we’re avoiding sleep could help us make healthier choices and foster a more positive relationship with our bedtime.
4) Consuming caffeine late in the day
It’s mid-afternoon, and I reach for another cup of coffee. It’s a ritual, a pick-me-up, but it’s also a behavior that could be contributing to my nighttime anxiety.
Caffeine is a stimulant that can keep us awake and alert. It might seem like the perfect antidote to that afternoon slump, but if consumed too late in the day, it could be interfering with our sleep and increasing our anxiety levels.
A study published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found that consuming caffeine even six hours before bedtime could significantly disrupt sleep. And we know that poor sleep can often heighten anxiety.
So, if you’re like me and find yourself frequently feeling anxious at night, it might be worth looking at your caffeine consumption habits.
Get Smarter Everyday Join Us On WhatsApp
Cutting back on that late afternoon coffee or switching to decaf could be a small change with big benefits for our sleep and overall wellbeing.
5) Spending too much time in bed awake
I’m guilty of this one. Lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, hoping sleep will come. But the more I try, the more elusive it seems. And that’s exactly the problem.
Spending too much time in bed awake can lead to associating our bed with wakefulness rather than sleep, making it harder to fall asleep and heightening our anxiety.
Renowned psychologist William James said, “The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.”
Rather than lying awake in bed, we can choose to get up, do a calming activity, and return to bed when we’re feeling sleepier.
Recognizing and changing this behavior might not be easy, but it could be a significant step towards reducing nighttime anxiety and improving our sleep quality.
6) Overemphasizing the importance of sleep
It might sound counterintuitive, but bear with me. We all know that sleep is important for our physical and mental health.
But sometimes, we can overemphasize its importance to the point that it becomes a source of anxiety.
If we’re constantly worrying about getting the perfect eight hours of sleep, we might find ourselves feeling anxious at night, ironically making it harder to fall asleep.
As the renowned psychologist Abraham Maslow once said, “What is necessary to change a person is to change his awareness of himself.”
If we can shift our perspective on sleep – seeing it as a natural process rather than a performance – we might find our nighttime anxiety easing.
So, next time you find yourself stressing over sleep, remember: it’s important, but it’s not everything. A few nights of less-than-perfect sleep won’t be the end of the world.
7) Avoiding physical activity
Exercise isn’t just good for our bodies; it’s good for our minds too. But sometimes, we might find ourselves avoiding it, especially when we’re feeling anxious.
A lack of physical activity can increase feelings of anxiety and make it harder to sleep at night.
Get Smarter Everyday Join Us On WhatsApp
As B.F. Skinner, a leading figure in psychology, said, “A failure is not always a mistake. It may simply be the best one can do under the circumstances.”
So if you’re feeling anxious at night, try incorporating some light exercise into your day. It doesn’t have to be a marathon – even a short walk can make a difference.
Final reflections
The dance of nighttime anxiety is a complex one, with numerous steps and rhythms that can often seem out of sync. It’s a dance that many of us find ourselves reluctantly participating in, night after restless night.
The behaviors we’ve explored here are some of the common steps in this dance. They’re not definitive, and they’re not universal, but they offer a glimpse into the patterns that might be contributing to our nighttime worries.
Recognizing these behaviors is just the beginning. It’s the first step towards changing our dance with anxiety, towards finding a rhythm that allows for more peaceful nights.
As we move forward, let’s remember that it’s okay to stumble. It’s okay to have nights where the anxiety seems to lead the dance.
But with each new day, with each new night, we have the chance to learn, to grow, and to find new ways of navigating our nighttime anxieties.
So as we close this chapter, let’s take a moment to reflect on our own behaviors. To ask ourselves if we see any familiar patterns.
And if we do, let’s remember that awareness is the first step towards change. And change, however small, can lead to quieter nights and more peaceful dreams.
If you found this blog post insightful be sure to share it with those out there that are still not aware of it Don't forget to FOLLOW US on Facebook and hit the LIKE button for more new content. Thanks so much for reading.....
