Anxiety disorders affect nearly 40 million Americans, making it the most common mental illness in the U.S. 

We all have some anxiety, but it becomes a disorder when excessive fear and worry continue beyond one event and start interfering with daily activities and sleep. Read on to learn how anxiety therapy in Sugar Land, TX can help you manage these overwhelming feelings, regain control, and improve your overall well-being.

Your Anxiety Therapist in Sugar Land Explains What Sleep Anxiety Is

Sleep anxiety is a type of performance anxiety that involves a cycle of anxious thoughts before going to bed which makes someone feel uneasy, nervous and worry more.

Anxiety for many is worse at night because there are no distractions from the anxious thoughts that you have during the day. Many people with anxiety disorders have trouble sleeping which can affect mood, contributing to irritability and leading sometimes to depression. Important things occur during the different cycles of sleep that help leave you feeling rested and re-energized, so it’s important to get help sleeping if you have anxiety.

Sleep and anxiety go hand-in-hand. Anxiety can cause sleep problems making it difficult to sleep, but the lack of sleep can also trigger anxiety. If you’re unable to sleep you may dread going to bed and feel even more sleep deprived. The lack of sleep can also ramp up regions in the brain that trigger excessive worry, which provokes more anxiety and less sleep.

Neuroscientists have found that sleep deprivation amplifies anticipatory anxiety by firing up the brain’s amygdala and insular cortex which are associated with emotional processing. The resulting pattern mimics abnormal neural activity seen in anxiety disorders.

What Can You Do to Sleep Better?

While there is no substitute for seeking help from an anxiety therapist, there are a few things you can do to establish good sleep habits including: 

• Keep a consistent sleep schedule. Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day.

• Exercise regularly

• Keep naps short–less than an hour and not past 3 pm

• Keep your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet without distractions like the TV or computer

• Read, listen to music, or take a hot bath to help relax before bedtime

• If you don’t fall asleep within 20 minutes, get up and do something relaxing until you feel sleepy again

• Use a weighted blanket

• Add a sound machine to your environment

• Try diffusing essential oils. Lavender oil is considered a natural sleep aid.

Treating Sleep Anxiety With Anxiety Therapy 

Research proves that people suffering from anxiety disorders, panic attacks, and post-traumatic stress disorder may benefit from sleep therapy. If sleep disruption is a key factor in your anxiety, the good news is that it is easily treatable! 

With the help of anxiety therapy, I can help clients decrease worry and fear and sleep better. With Cognitive behavioral therapy, I can help you identify and replace thoughts and behaviors that cause or worsen sleep problems, with habits that promote healthy sleep. This helps you overcome the underlying causes of sleep anxiety. 

If you’re interested in learning more about how to get more sleep and manage your anxiety, give me a call today! At Southern Pine Counseling, we can help you cope with your sleep anxiety and start sleeping peacefully.

Begin Your Journey to Better Sleep With Anxiety Therapy in Sugar Land, TX

If you're struggling with sleep anxiety and it's affecting your quality of life, anxiety therapy can help you regain peace of mind. Our approach at Southern Pine Counseling provides effective tools to manage worry and calm your mind, allowing you to get the rest you deserve. Start your journey toward better sleep and a more balanced life by following these three simple steps:

1. Contact me to schedule a free 15-minute consultation to see if Anxiety Therapy is right for you.

2. Begin meeting with me, Alyssia Anderson, a skilled anxiety therapist.

3. Start coping with your sleep anxiety!

Additional Counseling Services at Southern Pine Counseling

At Southern Pine Counseling, I offer a range of specialized services designed to support women on their mental health journeys. Along with anxiety therapy to help you cope with your sleep anxiety, I also provide trauma therapy focused on empowering you to regain control, reduce symptoms, and improve overall well-being for a more fulfilling life. My services also include therapy for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Acute Stress Disorder, Adjustment Disorder, perfectionism, and navigating major life transitions, such as divorce, relocation, or starting a new job. For more details on our approach, please explore my blog.