9 anxious thoughts that keep you at night - and how to manage them

Experts provide information on common concerns that have an impact on people's sleep.


You have brushed your teeth, put out all the lights and climbed into the bed only to find yourself desperately looking at the ceiling. The struggle of trying to sleep Only to spend the whole night throwing and turning instead something that many of us know it too well. In fact, a Investigation in November 2023 From the Sleep Foundation revealed that 44% of adults in the United States say they regularly have sleep problems due to anxiety.

"Constant worry can make us less present, less happy and certainly sleeping worse at night," Alex Dimitriu , MD, a doctor certified in psychiatry and sleep medicine, said in a press release accompanying the investigation. "Thoughts, and especially concerns, can continue spiral as part of a vicious circle."

But you don't have to stay in this spiral. We have spoken to several experts to discover the common concerns preventing people from resting and what can be done to help alleviate these stressors. Read the rest for nine anxious thoughts that keep you awake at night and how to manage them.

In relation: 5 common habits that make you anxious, say the experts .

1
"There are so many things I have to do."

Organization and To Do List concept, workplace with notepad, ballpoint pen, some sticky notes, a laptop and smartphone, on wooden desk. Checklist for work and life.
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Many people immediately start to fix themselves on everything they need to do the next day just when they lengthened. If you often find yourself in this situation, do not run and do not rely there, approved psychotherapist Faith Reyes , LMFT, advises.

"Turn on the light, get out of bed and note everything. Having a plan reduces anxiety," she shares. "If you feel outdated, make a task list increases your feeling of control and motivation. Take out the tasks of tomorrow outside your head and on paper, so that you can rest."

2
"I'm worried about going to work tomorrow."

Shot of a young business man frowning while using a laptop in a modern officee
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Work anxiety can also keep people standing at night, according to Psychotherapist in private practice Gayle Weill , Lcsw.

"This current concern has an impact on sleep, because it creates a cycle of rumination and anticipation, which makes it difficult to relax and relax," she said.

If you often feel that your stress at the idea of going to work in the morning blocks your sleep, Weill recommends talking to a therapist.

"Thanks to therapy, individuals can reframe their thoughts and learn strategies to manage the anxiety of performance at work, or learn to navigate by having a difficult boss or colleagues, creating a more positive and manageable perspective for the next day" , she explains.

In relation: 6 reasons why you feel tired but that you cannot fall asleep, according to doctors .

3
"Do I do the right things in my life?"

Mature woman feeling bad sitting on the floor in the bedroom at home
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When you have often taken care of with work or other commitments during the day, you may see that your mind turns to greater existential concerns at night, said Alex Oliver-Gans , LMFT, a therapist based in San Francisco which Specialization of anxiety .

"Often, these thoughts can focus on the theme of the Directorate of Life," he notes.

In order to prevent you from worrying about whether your life is going in the right direction when you try to sleep, Oliver-Gans suggests devoting more time during the day to approach "these thoughts deliberate and determined, perhaps with a therapist. "

4
"Do I have enough money?"

Senior man holding piggy bank with glasses depressed and worry for distress, crying angry and afraid. sad expression.
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Perhaps the most common source of anxiety that keeps people at night is their finances. According to the Sleep Foundation Survey, 77% of American adults admitted that they have lost sleep on money worries, at least sometimes.

Preston Cherry , PHD, financial therapist and accredited financial advisor, says Better life This is something he often meets in his work.

"The uncertainty of money keeps anxious people during the day and awakened at night," he said. "People want to understand the notion of" enough "better: do we have enough? What are we sufficient and how can we get enough?"

This uncertainty is what you want to attack in order to manage this anxiety and start sleeping again, according to Cherry.

"The prevention of the avoidance of money by approaching your aspirations and finances with financial planning helps you to find more peace with clarity and confidence, transforming the unknowns in better known and shaping the life you are considering", explains -he.

5
"Why did I say that?"

Shot of a group of businesspeople having a meeting in an office
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Some people spend their time in bed at night to replay the day in their heads. By doing this, "they can start to ruminate on something that happened earlier in the day", and how they answered it, according to Oliver-Gans.

This may include an argument with a spouse, a meeting at work that could have done better, or even an email with a typing fault. Anyway, Oliver-Gans says it is important to redirect your thought to determine what you can do Before Instead of remaining anxious for a moment that has already passed.

"Allow yourself to take the lesson you need for the future and note whatever you want to repair the situation the next day, then recognize when you have done everything you can for today," advise- he.

In relation: 10 genius tips to get asleep in the middle of the night .

6
"Why didn't I say that?"

Worried male candidate waiting for human resource's decision on a job interview in the office.
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At the same time, other people can fix themselves on what they doesn't Say during the events of the day.

"Maybe you have designed in a recent interview, a social situation or a business meeting - and the words you cannot find at the time are flooded in your mind now," said Reyes.

But you beat on what you should have said will not help you continue and fall asleep. Instead, try to say what you wanted to go out aloud in bed, suggests Reyes.

"Hear you say that words can be a cathartic practice and improve the probability that you can find your voice next time," she said.

7
"Am I going to go well?"

The mature woman sits on the examination table and holds her mobile phone as she waits for her doctor to enter the room.
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It is too easy for people to remain awake concerned with the problems they could end up facing their health or their safety.

"We do not have much control over the future, especially at the end of the day, and it is difficult to refuse sleep when you feel helpless," explains Oliver-Gans.

But what can you do to stop ruminating the unknown so that you can rest? The therapist based in San Francisco recommends redirecting your thoughts to what you TO DO know. AE0FCC31AE342FD3A1346EBB1F342FCB

"Think about your strength," he said. "What brought you to your life?

In relation: 7 effective ways to control your anxiety, according to therapists .

8
"Why can't I cut my mind?"

Couple With Man Lying In Bed Awake At Night Suffering With Insomnia
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Some of us are not content to fight a concern at night. Ashley Fields , LCSW, a mental health therapist Based in Indianapolis, says the floods thought that people also fall asleep.

"You can lie down and find yourself thinking about so many things that you don't even know what you think," she shares. "Sometimes they are called racing thoughts."

Race thoughts can come out of nowhere and tend to "feel endless, useless and random", according to Fields. A way she suggests managing this is by a technique used in acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) called "sheets on a flow".

"Imagine a flow of water flowing in a forest," explains Fields. "As you have a thought, you must imagine putting this thought on a sheet and let it float when it is ready. This exercise helps you to notice all your thoughts (positive, negative and neutral) and separated from them."

9
"I'm going to spend a horrible day tomorrow if I can't fall asleep."

Woman lying in bed suffering from insomnia
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Sometimes the simple fact of not being able to sleep is what keeps us standing, Katelyn McMahon , Msw, registered psychotherapist and content strategist at Therapieseo, note. You can start to worry about what you will feel tomorrow if you don't sleep enough.

There are several things you can do to try to reverse this thought, according to McMahon.

"People can find it useful to listen to guided meditations, sleep stories or relaxing white noise like waves crashing," she said. "This can give your brain something else on which to focus instead of giving in to anxious thoughts."

Best Life offers the most up -to -date information for high -level experts, new research and health agencies, but our content is not supposed to replace professional advice. Regarding the medication you take or any other health issue you have, always consult your health care provider directly.


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