5 tips for coping with nighttime fears

Fear at any time of the day is terrible, but if you chose the worst time to be afraid of strikes, the majority of people of the night would agree. Thinking about all of the things you need to do, uncomfortable encounters with people or a casual comment that you made can quickly make you feel uncomfortable and feel like you are not good enough.

Anxiety during the night leads to loss of sleep, back and forth, and spirals of anxiety that ruin not only your night but the next morning as well. Despite all of this, the night is one of the most common times of anxiety as our guard is down and the weight of our day can hit us in full force. Since we have nothing else to take up our time in sleep, we become prone to intrusive thoughts.

Here are 5 tips that can help you avoid nighttime anxiety:

Create a bedtime routine

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Bedtime routines not only prevent nighttime anxiety, but also make it easier to wake up in the morning. While this is definitely a process that will take some time, it will help you sleep better, which is a skill that we should strive for. Make a bedtime routine that works for you, whether you turn off your screens an hour before bed, incorporate reading time into your bed, or make your bedroom the most peaceful space you can manage.

Try a breathing exercise

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Stopping to breathe in the middle of a sweaty spiral of fear may not sound like effective, but it is. When you get your body out of the way by breathing calmly in and out, you feel like nothing is following you that is actually the truth. Breathing exercises are some of the best tools available to you when you are afraid of going back into your body and giving it something to hold onto.

Get out of bed

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If fear is preventing you from staying calm, get up from bed and do something that requires little light and effort. Organize your laundry or your wardrobe, or turn on your lamp and read a few pages of a book. While this will rob you of some sleep, it will likely distract you and keep you from becoming increasingly anxious.

Go about your day

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Another activity that can also help you is reviewing the events of your day and trying to find the anxiety levels. This review of your day will distract you and also give you perspective.

Try to have a perspective

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Speaking of which, perspective is important when you’re scared. There is a chance that you will not find yourself in a “fight or flight” situation while in bed, regardless of what your mind tells you. Remind yourself that your fear is temporary and that tomorrow is a new day where you will be given many opportunities to resolve anything that is bothering you. There’s probably not much you can do right now, so your fear will only make your life harder.