Many people find falling asleep to be a nightly challenge, especially when anxiety enters the picture. If you struggle with anxiety, it may be particularly difficult to relax and drift off at the end of the day. But why is anxiety often worse at night?
According to Professor Ivo Vlaev, a behavioral psychologist from Warwick Business School, the quiet environment and lack of distractions at night create the perfect conditions for anxiety to flourish. During the day, you’re occupied with work, social activities, and errands that help suppress anxious thoughts. But when everything slows down at night, your mind has the freedom to wander, often dwelling on unresolved worries or uncertainties about the future.
Prof. Vlaev notes that this lack of mental distractions can lead to overthinking. As you lie in bed, you might reflect on the day’s events, which can easily snowball into overanalyzing small issues, leading to even more anxiety.
In addition to psychological factors, there are physical reasons for heightened anxiety at night. The body’s natural rhythms, including cortisol production, can play a role. Cortisol, a stress hormone, tends to rise in the early morning hours, sometimes making it harder to fall asleep or even causing you to wake up feeling anxious. Hormonal fluctuations tied to the body’s circadian rhythms can further amplify these feelings.
Fatigue is another factor. After a long day, your emotional regulation is often weaker, making it more challenging to manage anxious thoughts. Darkness, isolation, and the lack of control over falling asleep can trigger even more worry.
Thankfully, there are ways to ease nighttime anxiety, such as establishing a calming bedtime routine, practicing mindfulness, or taking steps to improve sleep hygiene. While anxiety at night is common, knowing the reasons behind it can help you take better control over your mental health and sleep patterns.
