As nighttime approaches, you may begin to feel an unsettling sense of heaviness and restlessness. Despite wanting to unwind, you may find yourself unable to relax. Add to this a rush of racing thoughts, from ‘what ifs’ and replaying conversations to revisiting old memories and imagining worst-case scenarios. It can feel as if nighttime somehow summons anxiety as you appear to become more sensitive, and the smallest things make you overthink.
Again, this is part of a broader pattern and is not personal or limited to one isolated situation. In fact, nighttime actually makes you more vulnerable, emotionally.
Why does this happen? To understand the reason behind nighttime anxiety, we asked psychotherapist Dr Chandni Tugnait, Founder and Director, Gateway of Healing, who explained why the mind can feel like it is on overdrive at night.
“For a growing number of people, nighttime is less a period of rest and more an unplanned tally of the day that was too loud to process. This is not a personal failing or a sleep disorder, but it is what happens when the nervous system has been overloaded for hours on end and is finally handed a moment of quiet; it does not quite know what to do with it,” she also noted that it actually happens with many people.
3 reasons why you are more anxious at night
Let’s break ot down and closely look at what the drivers behind nighttime anxiety are. The psychotherapist told us there are three reasons why this may happen:
1. Brain did not get time to pause during the day
- Constant noise in the form of notifications, deadlines and digital noise keeps the brain busy all day.
- At night, when things become quiet, stress and unresolved worries begin to surface.
2. Stress hormones may still be active
- Cortisol, the body’s stress hormone, is expected to settle at night as per the natural rhythm of the body.
- Overstimulation in the day disturbs this cycle.
- Cortisol is still high, and keeps the nervous system on alert for a threat that never arrives.
- This leaves the body feeling restless, alert and unable to relax.
3. Silence at night makes thoughts louder
- In the morning, there is a lot of noise in the street, in the neighbourhood, and at work. These distractions keep thoughts at bay.
- At night, when there is no noise or activity, those thoughts return and feel intense.
How to reduce anxiety?
The psychotherapist warned, “The solution is not more stimulation to outrun the thoughts, nor is it forcing the mind into stillness it is not ready for.”
This means you may end up scrolling on your phone or watching something on TV as a form of distraction. But according to Dr Tugnait, the actual way to cope with anxiety at night is by slowing down the mind and body.
Her recommendations include following a gentle bedtime routine, such as putting screens away, journaling, reading, stretching, or listening to calming music.
These habits can collectively help the mind slow down and relax your nervous system.
For the long term, consider practising stress management techniques during the day, such as deep breathing when you face a hurdle at work. This can help you prevent the nervous system from becoming overstimulated at night. When you begin to manage stress better during the day, nights will become easier too!
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
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