Many individuals with anxiety disorders have trouble sleeping. This is an issue. Too little sleep affects mood, resulting in irritability and sometimes depression. The different stages of sleep have essential functions that aid you chill out and energize or aid you learn and form memories. Sleep normally improves when the anxiety disorder is treated. Practicing good “sleep hygiene” also helps. Here are some steps to take:
- Go to bed and rise up at the identical time day-after-day, even on weekends.
- Daylight helps regulate sleep patterns, so attempt to get outside for half-hour a day.
- Exercise usually (but not too near bedtime). An afternoon workout is good.
- Keep naps short — lower than an hour — and stop sleeping after 3 p.m.
- Avoid caffeine (present in coffee, many teas, chocolate and lots of soft drinks), which may take as much as eight hours to wear off. If you've gotten panic attacks, you might must avoid caffeine altogether. Many individuals who experience panic attacks are more sensitive to caffeine.
- Review your medications with a physician to see for those who're taking any stimulants, that are a standard offender in keeping people awake at night. Sometimes it is feasible to change medications.
- Avoid alcohol, large meals, foods that cause heartburn, and drinking plenty of fluids several hours before bed.
- If you smoke, quit. Smoking causes many health problems, including compromising sleep in a wide range of ways.
- Keep your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet without distractions like TVs or computers. Avoid using electronic devices to read in bed. Screen brightness can trick your brain into pondering it's daytime. If your mattress is uncomfortable, change it.
- Reading, listening to music, or relaxing with a warm bath or deep respiration before bed can aid you go to sleep.
- If you don't go to sleep inside 20 minutes of coming in (or for those who get up and may't get back to sleep inside 20 minutes), get away from bed and rest until you're feeling sleepy.
No material on this site, no matter date, needs to be used as an alternative to direct medical advice out of your doctor or other qualified practitioner.