Why Do I Feel More Anxious at Night?

<p><b>Why Do I Feel More Anxious at Night?</b></p> <p>The quiet hours can bring a lot of internal chatter, and here’s how to deal with it.</p> <p>Whenever you try to fall asleep at night, many anxious thoughts and embarrassing memories come racing into your mind, preventing you from drifting off. Why does this happen, and can you do anything about it?</p> <p>Experts say that whether you’re throbbing through tomorrow’s to-do list or dwelling on past regrets, it’s normal for worries and fears to surface at night.</p> <p>According to an October 2022 survey of 3,192 adults in the United States, 34 per cent of respondents reported feeling anxious or nervous within the past month. And 32 per cent said that their stress had led to changes in their sleeping habits, including difficulties with falling asleep.</p> <p>However, there is an evolutionary purpose to evening anxiety, said Dr. Rafael Pelayo, a clinical professor of psychiatry and behavioural sciences in sleep medicine at Stanford Medicine and author of the book, “How to Sleep.” </p> <p>“Sleep is the most dangerous thing we can do,” he said, and being hyper-aware of our surroundings allowed our ancestors to spot any incoming threats.</p> <p>But when your anxiety keeps you awake, you not only miss out on the health benefits of sleep, you might kick off a vicious cycle of poor sleep routine and increased stress that can be hard to break.</p> <p>“Sleep loss is often a precursor for anxiety disorders, and anxiety leads to sleep loss,” said Dr. Sarah Chellappa, a neuroscientist at the University of Cologne in Germany.</p> <p>Here’s what the experts say you can do if your overactive mind keeps you awake.</p> <p>The cruel connection between anxiety and sleep</p> <p>Anxiety can surface at any time, but there are a few reasons it may feel more intense at bedtime, said Candice Alfano, director of the Sleep and Anxiety Center at the University of Houston. “Most of us are incredibly busy during the waking hours; our attention is pulled in many different direct