Why do I feel nervous or anxious when I'm trying to fall asleep?

When we talk about feeling anxious about sleep, the word "anxious" can mean very different things to different people.

Anxiousness isn't necessarily one single emotion that suddenly appears at bedtime. It can build from uncertainty into worry or nervousness, and eventually a much stronger emotional response. And when it comes to long-term sleep problems, even sleep related anxiousness can develop for very different reasons depending on what you've experienced and what is happening for you.

In this video, I focus on one particular type of sleep related anxiousness that I regularly see in my sleep coaching practice: the nervousness that develops when you have a history of not being able to fall asleep easily. After months or years of long-term insomnia, the uncertainty of not knowing whether you'll be able to fall asleep tonight can gradually create more nervousness around bedtime.

But even this can develop differently. For some people, the physical or emotional signs of nervousness come first and their thoughts follow. For others, particularly thinker type people, thoughts about tonight's sleep come first and gradually increase the nervousness they feel.

Understanding where your own pattern begins is important because sleep related anxiousness doesn't necessarily start once you're lying awake in bed. It can begin hours earlier, meaning you may already be carrying increased physical, emotional and mental activity with you by the time you try to fall asleep.

If you struggle with long-term insomnia, sleep anxiety, bedtime anxiety, nervousness around sleep or difficulty falling asleep in your 40s or 50s, this video explores these patterns from a practical sleep coaching perspective and helps you look beyond the general label of "anxiety".

If you're looking for personalised sleep coaching or support to fully overcome your long-term insomnia or sleep problems, you can arrange a Sleep Assessment appointment through my website.

Beatrix

The first video was about: Why it takes you so long to fall asleep? - Click here to watch

The second video was about: Why can't I fall asleep even when I'm tired or exhausted? - Click here to watch

It's always best to watch the entire video, but here are some chapters for you:

00:00 Introduction to why you feel nervous or anxious when you're trying to fall asleep at night

00:54 What kind of nervousness or anxiousness do you feel

02:14 Nervousness or anxiousness when you have a history of not being able to fall asleep under 20 minutes regularly

05:06 Nervousness or anxiousness rises, it doesn't just 'appear' out of nowhere

06:47 When emotion starts first, then the thoughts about it follows next

09:08 When thoughts start first, then the emotions follow next

11:04 Why does it take you longer to fall asleep when you feel nervous or anxious