There is also a chemical element. Cortisol, the stress hormone, should dip during sleep, but if you have been feeling stressed all day, this doesn\u2019t always happen.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you\u2019ve been running on high alert, the body can misfire, leaving you wired and restless when you should be winding down,\u201d Keenan says.<\/p>\n
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At night our thoughts can turn inwards, making it difficult to switch off<\/p>\n
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And this time of year can exacerbate even small and mundane worries, says the registered counsellor Georgina Sturmer. \u201cThe weather has turned, and the festive season brings with it an extra level of pressure,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
So what should you do to quell your night-time anxiety? Get up and crack on with that spiralling to-do list? Or thrash around until the sun comes up? We asked the experts for their top tips.<\/p>\n
1. Set aside half an hour a day to worry<\/p>\n
Build worrying into your night-time wind-down, so you can put those troubles to bed once and for all.<\/p>\n
Allow yourself 20-30 minutes to write down what\u2019s on your mind \u2014 from things you have control over (such as work deadlines and calling back that old schoolfriend) to things you don\u2019t (such as humanitarian crises and whether it will rain next weekend) \u2014 before you go to sleep.<\/p>\n
Get everything down on a page so it is no longer whirring around your mind. \u201cCreate a buffer zone between \u2018day mode\u2019 and \u2018night mode\u2019,\u201d Keenan says. \u201cThe goal is to give your mind time to shift gears.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2022 Easy ways to relax before bed \u2014 according to three experts<\/a><\/p>\n Then, complete a few small, gentle tasks, such as reading<\/a>, tidying or stretching<\/a>, to help yourself switch off. \u201cSet a small ritual that tells the brain the day is done: dim lights, change clothes or write down tomorrow\u2019s top three priorities,\u201d says Heather Darwall-Smith, a psychotherapist and author who specialises in sleep. \u201cClosure signals safety.\u201d<\/p>\n 2. Switch off your phone before you go to bed<\/p>\n Nearly nine in ten of us admit to checking our phone or tablet within an hour of bedtime. Mindless scrolling is now a regular part of our nightly routine.<\/p>\n \u201cThis can mean that our anxiety and stress spill over into bedtime and sleep,\u201d Sturmer says. What\u2019s more, if you wake at night, it is tempting to reach for your phone.<\/p>\n \u201cOur devices have become the ultimate tool for distraction or what we sometimes refer to as \u2018self-soothing\u2019,\u201d she says. \u201cFeeling bored, lonely, worried or low? Chances are you\u2019ll pick up your phone for a cheap dopamine hit of distraction from these feelings.\u201d<\/p>\n Instead, experts recommend keeping your phone as far from your bed as possible \u2014 even, if you can bear it, switching it off early in the evening and leaving it downstairs.<\/p>\n \u201cTo do this effectively, we need to find analogue solutions to any digital problems that might arise,\u201d Sturmer says. \u201cNeed your phone to wake you up? Invest in an alarm clock. Keep thinking of things you need to do? Go old school with a pen and paper.\u201d<\/p>\n 3. Get up and fold laundry<\/p>\n Instead of lying there tossing and turning for hours, get out of bed. If you know you won\u2019t fall asleep within the next 20 minutes, there is no better way to break the cycle of anxiety and stop your thoughts from running amok.<\/p>\n \u201cPut the brakes on, change your location, read, doodle or count your breath instead of problems,\u201d Darwall-Smith says.<\/p>\n Engaging in a mindless activity such as folding laundry can help you get to sleep<\/p>\n GETTY IMAGES<\/p>\n Ideally, go into another room, keep the lighting dim (bright light signals it is time to wake up) and engage in a dull, mindless activity, such as folding laundry or doing a puzzle. Don\u2019t try anything your brain might perceive as exciting \u2014 and avoid screens at all costs.<\/p>\n Repeat this several times if you need to and get back into bed when you start feeling drowsy. <\/p>\n 4. Do a quick five senses meditation<\/p>\n \u201cIf your mind is racing, shift focus to the physical,\u201d Keenan says. \u201cNotice the feel of the sheets, the temperature of the air, the sound in the room.\u201d<\/p>\n Some people keep a smooth stone or soft blanket by the side of the bed, so they can touch it if they wake and feel anxious. Sipping a cold glass of water, sniffing a familiar scent (such as peppermint or lavender) or listening to soft, relaxing music can have similarly calming effects on a busy brain.<\/p>\n \u201cTouch and smell are direct pathways to steadying the nervous system,\u201d says the accredited counsellor Yasmin Shaheen-Zaffar. By anchoring yourself in the present, you can wrench your mind away from worries and reduce cognitive noise.<\/p>\n \u201cNotice the feel of the sheets, the temperature of the air, the sound in the room\u201d<\/p>\n GETTY IMAGES<\/p>\n 5. Tire your brain with word games<\/p>\n Forget counting sheep. It may sound counter-intuitive, but your brain needs something more stimulating to distract it from spiralling thoughts.<\/p>\n Try recalling tiny details from your favourite film, a classic novel or episodes of that TV show you\u2019ve watched hundreds of times. Quote the best lines, sketch the scenery or remember what the characters were wearing.<\/p>\n You could also try a body scan, mentally tuning into every part of your body from the top of your head to your toes, and consciously relaxing each one. Or choose a category \u2014 a shopping list, animals, celebrities \u2014 and come up with an answer for each letter of the alphabet. Before you know it (and usually before you get halfway through), you will be fast asleep.<\/p>\n 6. Practise 4-7-8 nasal breathing<\/p>\n Slow breathing, through your nose with your mouth closed, is one of the fastest, most effective ways to calm an anxious nervous system.<\/p>\n Ruth Cooper-Dickson, a practitioner of positive psychology and patron of No Panic, the national anxiety charity, recommends the 4-7-8 technique, which involves inhaling for a count of 4, holding your breath for a count of 7 and then exhaling for a count of 8.<\/p>\n \u201cThe double, extended exhale helps,\u201d she says. \u201cDeveloping a breathwork practice can help to support a good night\u2019s sleep and activate the parasympathetic \u2014 rest and digest \u2014 nervous system.\u201d<\/p>\n The psychotherapist and anxiety expert Kamalyn Kaur suggests putting a hand on your chest as you do this, and breathing for at least 60 seconds until your body softens. \u201cThis signals safety to your nervous system,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n 7. Keep a notepad beside your bed<\/p>\n Even if journalling isn\u2019t your thing, try keeping a notepad on your bedside table and jotting down what\u2019s worrying you when you wake in the middle of the night.<\/p>\n Write a mantra or comforting note to yourself at the top of a notepad<\/p>\n GETTY IMAGES<\/p>\n \u201cYou don\u2019t need to analyse this or put the light on, but the act of putting pen to paper can help to let go of the thoughts,\u201d Cooper-Dickson says.<\/p>\n Tell yourself you can think \u2014 or even worry \u2014 about these things when you\u2019re feeling awake and alert. Better still, write a mantra, or comforting note, to yourself at the top of the notepad \u2014 something like \u201cIt\u2019s going to be OK\u201d or \u201cI\u2019ll deal with it tomorrow\u201d \u2014 and read it when you need a boost.<\/p>\n \u201cWorrying about worrying is what gets many people stuck,\u201d Keenan says. \u201cIf you\u2019re awake at 2am, remind yourself, this is just my brain processing. That small self-compassion shift can lower adrenaline enough to drift back to sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n 8. Get some fresh air during the day Getting a bit of fresh air and doing some exercise during the day helps you unwind later<\/p>\n GETTY IMAGES<\/p>\n \u201cNight-time anxiety is part of a 24-hour cycle,\u201d Sturmer says. \u201cSee if you can be proactive about managing these feelings during the day.\u201d<\/p>\n If things are starting to get on top of you, take time during your waking hours to quell your mounting stress levels before they affect your sleep. Take regular breaks during working hours, eat well, exercise and connect with friends.<\/p>\n![\"multiracial](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/\/5035b84a-7b9f-47de-ad42-aa70cfab6440.jpg\")
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