Can anxiety lead to insomnia?

[Lily_s371]

So I haven't been able to sleep more often now. I mean I end up falling asleep but not untill 3,4,5 am most of the times. Today I slept at 5-6 am and woke up at 10 for some reason. I don't know why I slept for so little time and I'm afraid I have insomnia and I'm not gonna be able to sleep. The thought of falling asleep and feeling nothing scares me and I know I shouldn't but I am for some reason...I need help please...i can't stop worrying about it.

[LucyKe]

Absolutely! It’s actually one of the symptoms, it comes & goes, some docs give meds for it

[Lily_s371 in reply to LucyKe]

Yeah I'm afraid I won't sleep enough and it'll be bad for me. Like I'm sleepy and really tired but I just can't sleep.

[Calm_mama]

Hi Lily, that's very common for people with anxiety. I used to be a professional insomniac. I stopped fearing lack of sleep and the insomnia disappeared. Here's the thing- not sleeping won't hurt you. Really, it won't. People go through periods of extreme sleeplessness at various times in their lives. The surgeons I used to work with hardly ever slept. As a new mom I got by on a few hours here or there. When I had a fear of sleeplessness I barely slept a wink. The body knows how to handle it. The body also catches up on deep sleep when you finally do get some sleep. Use your sleepless time to do things you like! In college I learned to just go with it and did homework, wrote letters (no email back then ) planned trips etc. When my kids have trouble sleeping I get up with them and we make cookies, play cards, watch movies. When you truly stop fearing a lack of sleep (which you should- it's no big) you will naturally just start sleeping better 👍🏻

[Lily_s371 in reply to Calm_mama]

Yeah but I can't really get up and do stuff we have a bedtime so I have to try to sleep at that specific time. I've woken up my grandma telling her I can't sleep so she sleeps with me. And if I can't still fall asleep she just tells me to try again or to let her sleep or she'll leave...it's because she has work. I just wish she would stay up with me untill I do fall asleep..

[HopeWithSmile]

Hi, Lily! This is an absolutely common thing. I am dealing with it myself. A have to get up for work at 7am. I go to sleep absolutely tired at 11-12pm, however I don’t go to sleep that easily (all the negative thoughts bombard my brain, duh) and I get up inexplicably at 3-4am with same awful thoughts. I take melatonin before bed, but it doesn’t really help. I stare at the ceiling for 3 hours and then get up for work. It’s difficult, because during weekends I can’t sleep normally either.

[Coralrose5]

If you can’t sleep the best thing you can do is get out of bed and do another activity preferably in another room, not watch TV or use computer or to cell phone because the blue light will keep you awake. Try reading, coloring, drawing, puzzle etc.