Ask Jigsaw: Feeling anxious going to bed

Sunday, 31 January 2021

Hi,

I just wanted to know if it was normal to have anxiety before sleeping at night as multiple times during the past few weeks I’ve been feeling anxious going to bed and I’m not quite sure what is causing it.

– gracex06

Hi gracex06,

Feeling anxious before sleeping at night is common and you are not alone experiencing this. Often when we are feeling stressed these feelings can surface at night making it difficult to sleep. This can be frustrating especially if you are unsure where this anxiety is coming from.

Michelle

Jigsaw Clinician

Sometimes we can’t just pin down where our anxiety is coming from and that’s OK too, there are ways of managing anxiety.

Why am I feeling like this?

Everyone experiences anxiety. It is our body’s way of highlighting a potential stressor in our lives. However, it can be difficult to figure out what is causing these feelings. You mention it has happened a couple of times over the past few weeks- it may be helpful to reflect back on these weeks and notice if there have been any changes in your life. Has anything happened in the last few weeks or has your routine changed?

The current COVID-19 restrictions have increased worry for many of us. Online learning and school closures amongst many other changes can impact both our physical and mental health. Sometimes we can’t just pin down where our anxiety is coming from and that’s OK too, there are ways of managing anxiety.

Michelle

Jigsaw Clinician

Often when we are trying to sleep floods of thoughts can begin to appear making it hard to doze off.

Managing your anxiety at night

Often when we are trying to sleep floods of thoughts can begin to appear making it hard to doze off. Sometimes writing down these thoughts before going to bed can help. It may allow you to see the thoughts you are having and if there are any common patterns.

There are many ways to relax and it can be useful to discover what works best for you. Deep breathing exercises are an effective way to help reduce anxiety and you can read more about this and other tips for managing anxiety here.

Thanks for getting in touch.

Take care,

Michelle