How to Fall Asleep When you have Anxiety: 5 Tips from Empower Counseling

Do you have trouble falling asleep at night? Do you wake up in the middle of the night and find it difficult to go back to sleep? Empower Counseling shares 5 tips on how to fall asleep when you have anxiety.

Excessive worry makes it hard to fall asleep. Not getting enough sleep then makes anxiety worse.

Here are 5 tips to improve your sleep quality.

Beautiful woman leaning head against wall tired before anxiety therapy at Empower counseling

#1 How to fall asleep when you have anxiety: Acceptance Commitment Therapy for anxiety with Empower Counseling

There are other tips on how to fall asleep when you have anxiety but the bottom line is the best answer for a good night’s sleep is to get to the root of the problem. When you know the cause of the anxiety, you can then learn how to loosen it’s grip on you. Empower Counseling offers anxiety therapy that will equip you with the tools to sleep better on a regular basis.

#2 Separate work and rest.

If there is any other space in your home where you can work, other than your bedroom, then do so. Keep your bedroom as a sanctuary for rest only. Do not sit on your bed and work on your laptop. Work anywhere else other than your bedroom, and it will be easier for your brain to associate your room, your bed, with rest and sleep.

#3 Turn off your screens.

Another tip for how to fall asleep when you have anxiety is have a night time routine that helps you wind down from the day. Turn off screens an hour or even 2 hours before you go to bed. Take a warm bath. Read a book. Meditate. Do whatever relaxes you and prepares you for a good night’s rest.

#4 Avoid caffeine and alcohol.

It can take up to ten hours to completely metabolize caffeine. How quickly your body rids itself of caffeine depends on several factors, including body weight and sensitivity to the substance. If you have a cup of coffee or an energy drink at lunch time, you could still be feeling the effects at 10:00 p.m. So think about your caffeine habits. You might want to restrict caffeine to first thing in the morning if you are having trouble falling asleep at night.

#5 Exercise:

It is hard to get into an exercise routine when you are sleep deprived and exhausted, I know. However, physical exercise will help you in multiple ways if you are anxious and having trouble falling asleep. First, getting energy out through your body will leave less energy for your mind to worry. Second, you will be more tired when it is time for bed, making it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep.

Bonus tip: How to fall asleep when you have anxiety: Stay consistent with sleep and wake times.

If you get up at 10:00 on Sunday morning but need to go to sleep at 10:00 Sunday night, you might have trouble falling asleep. But if you consistently wake up at 7:00 a.m., it will be easier to consistently fall asleep at 10:00 p.m. Your sleep and wake times do not have to be rigidly monitored to the minute but the less your sleep and wake times vary, the better.’

Empower Counseling in Birmingham, Alabama:

If you are ready to address your anxiety and finally find relief, Empower Counseling is here for you. At our Birmingham, Alabama Counseling Clinic, we offer more than anxiety counseling. We also offer depression counseling and difficult life transitions counseling. We use Acceptance Commitment Therapy for teens, college students, young adults, and adults