7 Simple Ways You Can Reduce Anxiety at Night

This article is a collaborative post and includes affiliate links where I might make a commission.  Please see the disclosure page for more information.  Disclaimer – always verify medical & dietary information with your doctor, dentist or a professional and follow all laws for your location.

You work all day, come home and take care of yourself or your family. But, unfortunately, by the time everything’s done, you can sometimes be left feeling flustered and energized at a time you should be winding down. You need to reduce anxiety at night for a restful and restorative sleep.

Get Some Help with Sleep

Losing sleep can be exhausting. Yet, pretty much everyone loses sleep at some point. A newborn baby, stress, worry, or hormonal changes can contribute to insomnia and staying awake. Fortunately, you don’t need to reach for strong or potentially harmful sleep medication or even trendy CBD products. There are many safe alternatives with no side effects. Valerian extract tablets are excellent for promoting healthy sleep. And you can even get a sleep drink with added melatonin to help you get some well-deserved rest each night. 

Reduce Anxiety at Night with a Journal

Around 50% of adults find it difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep for as long as they need. There are many reasons why this happens. For example, you might experience mental health issues, drink too much caffeine, or worry about things. Worrying about life causes undue stress and anxiety, stopping you from falling and staying asleep. A recommended activity that has proven effective is to write in a journal each night. Journals help you understand your emotions and feelings more clearly when you release them onto a written page for you to analyze.

Develop a Weekly Plan

Sometimes, life can get a little out of control, especially with family responsibilities. And it happens to the best of us. Not knowing where you are headed can cause anxiety in your life, leading to sleep loss. However, taking back control isn’t challenging. One of the simplest methods of reducing stress is by using a planner. Before bed, check your planner to see what you need to do, such as pay a particular bill, keep an appointment or do something important for work. The stress of not knowing is instantly removed when everything is clear. 

Set Aside Some Time for Relaxing Activities

With life and work, work and life, and everything in between, you will get stressed and anxious. It’s just a part of living. But you don’t need to be. You can significantly reduce stress and anxiety by doing something relaxing each night. It doesn’t even have to take long:

• Guided meditation or listening to calming music.
• Going for a walk in a close-by park or woods.
• A relaxing bath or shower with oils and fragrances.
• Yoga or some kind of light exercise.
• Use a massager or electric foot spa.

Essentially, the idea is to do things you find highly relaxing. In a relaxed state, it’s easier to form mental clarity and let go of the things causing anxiety and stress. Therefore, you must be in this state of mind before going to bed. Or you might unnecessarily lose the sleep you need.

Only Use Your Bedroom for Two Things

We live in a world where everything is connected, portable, and easy to use. Interactivity like this isn’t bad, but you can use things too much. For example, many people take their laptops into the bedroom to check work emails or finish reports. Others simply watch Netflix on a spare TV in bed. These are convenient and handy if you are ill. But the bedroom should only be used for two things; sleeping and you know the other. If you use your bedroom for multiple things, you risk conditioning your brain to function while in bed, causing alertness and sleep loss.

Woman sleeping in white sheets – Image Courtesy of Pexels

Exercise to Reduce Anxiety at Night 

You might find it challenging to begin exercising for numerous reasons. Being overweight, unfit, and simply tired can prevent you from doing even basic exercises. But exercise is a proven method of reducing anxiety and stress. When you exercise, you release serotonin which makes you feel good. It makes you feel good because it counteracts cortisol, the chemical that causes bad feelings. Sometimes there is an imbalance, and you can have too much cortisol. Therefore exercising combats an excess of cortisol. Even light exercise, such as stretching, works well.

Don’t Eat or Drink Before Bedtime

Eating and drinking also produce serotonin, so humans love to eat. But you might overeat, such as snacking before bed on sugary foods and caffeine-fuelled fizzy drinks. It’s hard to stop doing this when you are in the habit, but you will feel much better at night and get a sound sleep if you do. This is because sugar and caffeine are stimulants. Therefore they keep your brain active. And an active brain at night allows everything to enter your mind, especially when you try to sleep. So for a good night’s sleep, you need your brain in a restful and relaxed state.

Becoming anxious about the next day is common. But you can prevent most problems by helping your mind become at ease for a restful night. Certain tablets and drinks can help. But you can also ease your mind by writing your thoughts and reducing food and drink at night.