Why do I have more anxiety at night than during the daytime?

Hi. It’s Jenny at AnxietyBoss.com. Our question today comes to us from Josh in Syracuse. Why do I have more anxiety at night than during the daytime?

To feel anxious at night is actually really common. Everything always seems more magnified at night. It may be because you feel more alone, especially if you’re the only one awake in your house. Whenever I feel anxious at nighttime, I try to remind myself that there are people who work through the entire night at grocery and retail stores nearby, and I’m sure they don’t get anxious, so why should I? After all, nothing changes at nighttime except the brightness outside.

Another reason that you may be feeling anxious is the lack of distractions. Throughout the day, we are constantly distracted, whether it be by friends, family, peers, co-workers, etc. And when you’re by yourself, it’s you versus your mind. Your thoughts may feel inescapable thus strengthening your anxiety and making your attack much worse.

So the best way to avoid feeling trapped by these thoughts is to stay busy before bed. Continue your usual routine in your pajamas and don’t lay down until you’re absolutely exhausted. The key here is to keep yourself distracted to rid the chances of any unnecessary anxiety; however, if you truly cannot sleep because of your anxiety, you may want to speak to your doctor about the possibility of insomnia. A severe lack of sleep can cause a lot of other issues, as can not getting enough good sleep.

Visit AnxietyBoss.com to see more on how sleep causes issues with anxiety. You can take their anxiety test as well if you’d like to see what may be causing your anxiety and how anxious you really are.