Have you heard about sleep anxiety and the toll it can take on a person? While many people take getting a good night’s rest for granted, it can prove elusive for millions of people.
Montare Tucson provides a highly effective residential program that treats anxiety disorders. For many, having one means dealing with sleep anxiety. This anxiety can also show up as a symptom of another mental health disorder. Our licensed facility offers first-class treatment designed to help people develop a healthy sleep pattern and a reduction in their anxiety symptoms. Our admissions staff is happy to let you know you’re not alone and explain our program.
What is Sleep Anxiety?
Sleep anxiety causes people to feel stressed out or afraid of the process of going to sleep. For some, trying to fall asleep is a long and arduous process that often takes hours. Others can fall asleep but have difficulty staying asleep, which causes them to cycle through the process repeatedly. As well, some people develop a phobia called somniphobia that causes them to fear that something bad will happen when they are asleep.
How Common is Sleep Anxiety?
The most common mental illness in the country is anxiety. About one in five adults struggle with an anxiety disorder, and this often includes difficulty going to or staying asleep.
Symptoms and Causes
Experiencing sleep anxiety can baffle a person because they don’t that their symptoms are a sign of a greater problem, and they don’t understand the reasons they have them.
Signs and Symptoms of Sleep Anxiety
Common signs and symptoms of sleep anxiety include:
- Difficulty falling asleep
- Repeatedly waking up during the night
- Difficulty thinking and concentrating
- Avoiding going to bed
- Restlessness
- Sense of impending doom
- Digestive distress (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and more)
- Sweating
- Tensed up body
- Nocturnal panic attacks that begin while the person is asleep and wakes them up
What Causes Sleep Anxiety?
Anxiety disorders cause a physical reaction in the body by releasing hormones that cause a person to feel anxious. When these hormones have been in play most of the day, it makes it difficult for the body to fully relax and embrace sleep. Anxiety also affects a person’s rapid eye movement (REM), which is key to getting good sleep.
Can Sleep Anxiety Cause Insomnia?
Sleep anxiety can contribute to developing insomnia. When this disorder happens, it adds to the feelings of anxiety, making it a vicious cycle.
Other Risk Factors for Sleep Anxiety
Having sleep anxiety can become a problem if a person also has one of the following conditions:
- Insomnia
- Restless Leg Syndrome
- Sleepwalking
- Sleep apnea
- Narcolepsy
In addition, people who have anxiety disorders, PTSD, mood disorders, and schizophrenia are at a higher risk of developing sleep anxiety. It can also happen to people who struggle with an addiction to drugs or alcohol.
How is Sleep Anxiety Diagnosed?
If a person suspects they may have sleep anxiety, they should see their primary care physician to discuss it. The doctor will perform a physical exam, discuss their medical history, and ask them detailed questions about their sleep process and the symptoms they experience. In some cases, the doctor may recommend the individual participate in a sleep study program.
How Can I Overcome Sleep Anxiety?
Different types of therapy can help a person overcome their sleep anxiety, including traditional talk therapy. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) helps people understand how their thoughts and emotions can impact their ability to fall asleep and rest throughout the night.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) can also prove helpful. It teaches people about things like mindfulness, emotion regulation, and distress tolerance. Each of these can help them relax and feel better prepared to sleep peacefully.
Finally, prescription medications can help people overcome sleep anxiety. Some medications are taken on a short-term basis, while others work best over a longer period. Use of them should be monitored by the prescribing clinician.
Why is it Important to Treat Sleep Anxiety?
Everyone goes through brief spells of not being able to sleep and then recovers from them. When a person deals with sleep anxiety for a long time, it affects their physical and mental health. These results make it even more difficult to help heal from their anxiety disorder and any other mental health disorders. Sleeping well on a regular basis is part of any plan to enjoy overall good health.
Contact Montare Tucson to Start Treatment
Has anxiety taken over your life and made it difficult to fall and stay asleep? When a person feels anxiety about the sleep process, it can impact all parts of their lives and their ability to feel relaxed and refreshed. Montare Tucson treats the symptoms of sleep anxiety by matching each person we treat with a menu of therapies designed to help their specific situation. We also include access to prescription medications that can be taken short-term or longer to help reduce anxiety and increase a person’s ability to sleep.
Contact us today to find out what we can do to change the direction of your life and help you sleep easily. Our friendly admissions staff can answer your questions and provide a free insurance verification.
Published: 3/20/2025
