Nighttime can feel like the witching hour when you are in recovery or treatment to recover from a mental health condition or a substance use disorder. Day time is manageable. For whatever reason, as long as the sun is shining, the reality of your fears doesn’t seem to bad. There is plenty to do, plenty of people to interact with. The world is bustling and busy which keeps you churning at the wheel. When night falls, things become silent and still. Being in early recovery makes silence and stillness two very uncomfortable experiences. People start going to sleep, the world starts slowing down, and we are left feeling very anxious. Many people use a sleeping medication short term when they are in treatment to cope with the nighttime anxiety and difficulty sleeping. Part of the anxiety which comes at night could be caused by sleep problems. Fearing a restlessness, sleepless night over and over again is enough to cause anyone anxiety.
Insomnia and Anxiety Disorders
Bustle writes that “between 24 and 36 percent of all insomniacs suffer from anxiety disorders, according to studies.” What results is a pattern called sleep-anxiety which, after a long day of coping with anxious thoughts and feelings, sounds exhausting. Dealing with sleep-anxiety can employ the regular everyday sleepy time routines to help the brain wind down and prepare for rest. Anxiety makes a cup of chamomile and lavender eye pillow a little less effective.
The article cites a few different practices you can utilize which are science backed to reduce sleep-anxiety specifically. For example, aromatherapy is scientifically proven to help with sleep. Rather than have sleepiness attached to a novelty product, even tea, aromatherapy helps change the air. Even if you’re not breathing mindfully, if you’re trying to sleep, you’re still breathing! Aromatherapy helps get calming essential oils into your every breath, wafting into your nose and bringing tranquility to the brain. Clocks, they emphasize, need to be removed from the room, shut off, or turned away from site. Watching the clock induces more anxiety than it helps. Use an anxiety management or meditation app to help focus the mind and bring a greater connection between the brain and the body. This will help balance energy and calm your nerves.
Living with anxiety isn’t easy. If you feel you are in need of treatment for your anxiety disorder, call Avalon Malibu today. Our trusted treatment programs are designed to help you heal. For a confidential assessment, call 1 888-958-7511.
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