Most people don’t realize that sleeping problems have, as their underlying cause, emotional distress, depression and anxiety.  You could be suffering from a phobia, a specific fear or a set of compulsions that are interfering with the degree and quality of sleep you’re getting. 

Your mind can be constantly spinning with anxiety so that you find yourself worrying about your life instead of getting a good night’s sleep.  It can become so bad that your whole health is adversely affected and you can suffer from sleep deprivation.

You really need to get some sleep in order to become energized again after a long day and having anxiety as the root of your sleep disorder interferes with this.  You can suffer from errors in judgment, such as when you’re driving and this can get to be very dangerous.  Your lack of sleep can make you feel like you can do things that your body really cannot accomplish and you can get injured or killed.

Anxiety-related sleep disorders happen as a result of constant worrying about your life, your job or about relationships and money.  You begin to worry acutely when you’re lying down to sleep at night and the constant worrying makes it difficult for you to get to sleep.  You can also suffer from nightmares and frequent wakening due to worries and anxiety.

Ways to Treat Anxiety-Related Sleep Problems

You need first to clear your mind during the daytime or early evening hours and work out your issues while you are fully awake.  It takes a great deal of effort to do this and to try not to focus on what you’re worrying about during the nighttime hours but you really have to do this to make it easier for you to sleep. 

There is medication you can take to control the mental and physical aspects of anxiety before going to bed at night.  Some antidepressants also curb anxiety as a side effect and these aren’t habit-forming. Anxiety medications alone can be addictive so you need to be prepared for that should your doctor prescribe one for you.

Think about hypnosis as an option for anxiety-related insomnia.  It is not habit forming and uses natural techniques to train you to calm your mind before you sleep.  You will get a better night’s sleep with the use of a good hypnotherapist who can teach you how to relax at night. 

Herbal remedies can also be tried, including valerian root, chamomile, lavender, passion flower and hops.  They treat sleep disorders the natural way, through teas, capsules, tinctures and herbal tablets.  You can consider doing external massages with essential oils that help you sleep and help you feel relaxed and comfortable before going to bed.

Some people use acupuncture for anxiety, especially along with meditative techniques.  You can also exercise during the day to get your body tired enough for sleep.  Don’t exercise just before sleep because it revs your body too much and you won’t be able to sleep.

Supplemental Sound Therapy

There are great products now available in the area of sound therapy to alleviate anxiety and depression, as well as sleep disorders that can be caused by them.  One such sound technology is the world renowned Hemi-Sync  patented and have been clinically proven and tested to help in different applications.

An array of Hemi-Sync recordings beneficial to sufferers of  anxiety, depression and related sleep problems have been proven to be effective without any side-effects. Some of the Hemi-Sync titles have audio guidance similar to pre-hypnotic suggestions, and others have music, called Metamusic, containing the Hemi-Sync frequencies that are soothing and relaxing. These can be played throughout the night, which make them ideal for sleep sound masking.