How to Calm Feelings of Anxiety for a Better Night’s Sleep

We’ve all had the experience of feeling anxious or stressed about something to the degree that it keeps us up and makes it hard to fall asleep. If you’re a worrier by nature, your fears and concerns may regularly cause you to lie awake in bed for hours, tossing and turning.

When this happens frequently, one naturally begins to feel anxious or stressed about bedtime as night approaches, making it even harder to wind down. The good news is that anxiety can be successfully treated. By incorporating some simple changes, you can break the vicious cycle and calm anxiety at night.

In this article, Dr. Susan Biali helps guide us through reducing anxiety before bed using these simple methods…

Anxiety can significantly disrupt our rest, affecting both our ability to fall asleep and stay asleep. This is because it triggers the fight-or-flight response, a stress reaction that causes symptoms such as increased adrenaline, a racing pulse, and muscle tension. As the name suggests, this response is designed to help us run or fight, not sleep, so it makes it very difficult to drift off. Even when you do manage to fall asleep, anxiety can still affect how much time you spend in each sleep stage, reducing the amount of deep sleep and REM – the stages responsible for energy restoration and helping you feel rested. It can also lead to disturbing dreams or frequent nighttime awakenings, further interrupting your rest. Over time, this poor sleep can intensify anxiety symptoms, creating a cycle where anxiety leads to insomnia, and insomnia worsens anxiety, making it increasingly difficult to break the pattern without support.

Feelings of anxiety or stress are the body’s natural response to a perceived threat. These days, that “threat” might not be obvious – or even rational – but our bodies can still react in the same way, often triggered by small, everyday worries. This can lead to a mix of worry and physical symptoms, like a racing heart or restlessness. At bedtime, when things quiet down and we’re left alone with our thoughts, certain triggers can become even more noticeable. Some common causes of anxiety at night include:

• Tiredness or sleep deprivation: Not getting enough sleep can lead to feelings of anxiety, which often build as bedtime approaches. The more tired we feel, the harder it becomes to switch off, making a good night’s sleep even more difficult to achieve and leaving us feeling tired and on edge the next day.
• Stressful life events: Whether it’s something difficult like a family illness, the loss of a loved one, or even big life changes like moving house or starting a new job, these moments can bring up feelings of unease and anxiety, even when they seem exciting on the surface.
• General worries: Social pressures or worries about the day ahead, like a big meeting, an exam, or even a first date, can start to feel heavier in the evening. As things quiet down, those thoughts can creep in, sometimes leading to feelings of anxiety or a sense of dread that makes it harder to relax and drift off.
• Genetics: Studies suggest that anxiety can sometimes run in families, meaning if a close relative experiences anxiety, you might be more likely to develop it, too.
• Medication: Anxiety can sometimes show up as a side effect of certain medications. If you’ve noticed anxious feelings starting or getting worse around the time you began a new prescription, it’s a good idea to have a chat with your doctor to see if there are other options that might work better for you.
• Caffeine: Coffee and other caffeinated drinks stimulate the central nervous system, which can boost adrenaline levels and increase your heart rate, leading to symptoms that feel a lot like anxiety. If you’re sensitive to caffeine or consume it in larger amounts, this can leave you feeling restless, jittery, and uneasy. Plus, it can interfere with your ability to fall asleep, making it harder to unwind at night.
• Unresolved trauma: Stressful events from years ago, even as far back as childhood, can still affect how we feel today. When a traumatic experience isn’t fully processed, the nervous system can remain on high alert, stuck in ‘fight or flight’ mode. This makes it harder to feel calm and secure in everyday life. Sometimes, familiar smells, sounds or memories can unexpectedly bring those feelings rushing back, causing the body to react as if the threat is happening all over again – even when we know we’re safe.
• Alcohol: Alcoholic beverages can lead to feelings of anxiety, both during and after drinking. Alcohol disrupts the brain’s natural balance of neurotransmitters, and as the effects wear off, you might feel low, restless or on edge – a reaction often nicknamed “hangxiety.” It also interferes with deep sleep, so you’re more likely to wake up tired and tense. For some, even a small amount can make anxious feelings worse, not better.
• Overstimulation: Scrolling through social media, working on a laptop or watching a gripping crime documentary before bed can overstimulate the brain. Blue light and fast-paced content can make it harder to wind down, leaving your mind racing when it’s time to sleep.
• Hormonal changes: Fluctuations in hormones, like those related to the menstrual cycle, pregnancy and menopause can affect mood and anxiety levels. This can become even more noticeable at night when there are no other distractions.
• Fear: No matter our age, it’s perfectly normal to feel a little uneasy at night – especially when it’s dark and quiet. Whether you’re not a fan of the dark or find yourself feeling jumpy at every little noise, those feelings of fear can leave you on edge, making it harder to relax and fall asleep. For some, this can even be the fear of sleep itself, also known as Somniphobia, which can cause anxiety every night.

As well as a general feeling of unease, anxiety at night can present itself in several different ways, including:

• Increased heart rate
• Stomach ache and other gastrointestinal issues
• Worrying
• Restlessness and not being able to relax
• Headaches
• Muscle tension
• Sweating and night sweats
• Shortness of breath
• Dizziness
• Jittering
• Nightmares

While these are all common signs of anxiety, some symptoms can also point to something more serious, so make sure to speak to a healthcare professional if they persist.

Anxiety can often feel worse at night due to the lack of distractions. With the busyness of the day behind us, our minds have more space to wander, letting worries about tomorrow or replaying moments from the past creep in. The quiet and stillness of bedtime can also make us more aware of how we’re feeling, which can make anxious thoughts feel even more intense than they did during the day.

To help you break the cycle of stress and worry, Dr. Susan Biali shares her  top tips on how to calm anxiety at night and get a more restful night’s sleep.

Taking deep, relaxing breaths can calm the nervous system and decrease general tension. When you notice yourself starting to worry or tense up, take several slow, deep breaths in a row (breathe in through your nose and exhale your fears and worries out your mouth). I also use this technique whenever I have a difficult time falling asleep.

Find a guided relaxation recording that you like (for example, via an anti-anxiety app like Mindshift), and use it daily. Learn to shift from tension to relaxation by listening to the recording when you’re feeling anxious before bed.

A brisk walk or run, or going to the gym can work wonders for anxiety. Physical activity releases stress and also improves the depth of sleep at night – just make sure not to leave it too late in the day as this could negatively affect your sleep.

Anxiety and stress are often a result of poor thought habits, such as fearing the worst, focusing on the negative, inaccurate assumptions and negative self-talk. CBT techniques can change your habitual ways of seeing the world. If your anxiety is significant, consider seeing a professional therapist trained in CBT.

Alternatively, there are CBT self-help tools and worksheets available online that can help you work through your worries.

Ironically, the less sleep you get, the more anxious you’re likely to be. It’s also harder to manage stress. If you’ve been feeling anxious, the last thing you want to do is cut corners on sleep. Get to bed earlier to give yourself the best chance at a solid night’s rest. Setting a consistent bedtime can also help train your brain to unwind and relax, making it easier to relax. Find your perfect bedtime and wake-up time using our sleep calculator.

For more tips on how to improve your rest and manage stress better, check out our blog on how to sleep better at night.

Progressive muscle relaxation is a simple yet effective way to ease anxiety before bed. By tensing and then relaxing each muscle group, one at a time, you can release the physical tension that may have built up throughout the day. This process helps shift your focus away from anxious thoughts and brings you into the present moment, creating a sense of calm. Not only does it relax your body, but it also helps slow your heart rate, making it easier to drift off into a peaceful, restful sleep.

Practising mindfulness can be a great way to stay present and stop the cycle of overthinking. It’s all about tuning into your breath, bodily sensations, and the world around you without judgment, helping to calm the mind and ease worry. By focusing on the here and now instead of stressing about what’s past or what’s to come, mindfulness brings a sense of calm and control, making it easier to relax and unwind.

Gentle movements and deep breathing in yoga help release both physical tension and mental stress. By slowing the heart rate and encouraging relaxation, these soothing stretches create a calm, peaceful mind, making it easier to enjoy a better night’s sleep.

Following a calming bedtime routine each night helps signal to your brain that it’s time to rest and relax. Simple, soothing activities, like reading a book or enjoying a warm bath, are great for your sleep hygiene, helping to calm your mind and prepare you for sleep.

As mentioned, alcohol is a stimulant that can contribute to feelings of anxiety not just while drinking it but even the day after. Steer clear of alcohol beverages to help ease symptoms of anxiety, especially around bedtime.

Sleep Matter Club provides advice on how to sleep when you’re feeling anxious and stressed in a short video…

Trying these simple tips can help you ease feelings of stress and anxiety at night, allowing you to achieve a more restful night’s sleep and helping to reduce symptoms long-term. You can also find more tips from the NHS to manage stress and anxiety. And if you’re suffering from stress and anxiety, our sleep expert Sammy Margo advises you to always contact your GP for medical help.