How to Calm Anxiety at Night
- Graham Gallivan
- Nov 10
- 3 min read
Written By Graham Gallivan
You get into bed at the end of the night, turn the lights off, find a comfortable spot, and then feel your brain spin like a hamster on a wheel. Nighttime should be a sanctuary where you can unwind, recover from the day, recharge, and reset.
For many people, however, the night is when anxiety starts to creep in the most. There are no distractions left, and the quiet gives your mind a platform for racing thoughts, worries, and restlessness. With that much internal noise, it can be challenging to fall asleep or stay asleep peacefully.
Whether you’re experiencing high stress from your day, worrying about future unknowns, or just have an overactive mind, nighttime anxiety is a pretty common struggle that can have lasting effects on your mental and physical well-being.
Create a Wind-Down Routine
Your brain thrives on structure and control. Creating a consistent nighttime routine can help improve communication between your brain and nervous system, signaling to it that it’s time to wind down.
Some things you may want to incorporate into your routine include:
Dimming lights while getting ready for bed
Limiting electronic use at least an hour before bed
Perform light stretching or restorative yoga poses
Listening to soothing music
Doing light reading
Drinking a cup of calming tea
Regardless of the steps you decide to incorporate, you want to maintain consistency with them. As these habits become routine, your body will begin to recognize the cue that it’s time to prepare to sleep.
Practice Deep Breathing Techniques
When anxiety strikes at night, it often triggers your breathing to become more rapid and shallow. An easy way to combat this shift is to focus on deep breathing exercises to help activate your parasympathetic nervous system and signal to your body that it’s safe to relax.
A simple technique to start with is box breathing:
Inhale slowly for a count of four
Hold that breath for a count of four
Exhale for four counts
Hold four more counts before repeating the cycle
Another option that can help you fall asleep more quickly is the 4-7-8 technique:
Breathe in through your nose silently for four counts
Hold your breath for a count of seven
Breathe out forcefully through your mouth, making a whoosh sound, for eight counts
Keep a Journal
Sometimes, anxious thoughts swirling around inside your head just need somewhere to go to be released. Keep a notebook next to you that’s specifically for journalling those thoughts. You're remembering to-do list items or tasks you forgot to do. Write them down. They are things that can be well-addressed tomorrow.
Consider Your Daytime Habits
In some instances, nighttime anxiety is a response to the activities of your day.
Are you a person who drinks the entire pot of coffee by the end of the morning? Are you more sedentary during the day with your job? Do you operate on high levels of stress and pressure to meet your daily career goals?
Certain lifestyle habits can be a contributing factor to heightened anxiety at night. Build in mindful breaks throughout your day to reduce the intensity of your day.
When to Seek Professional Support
If nighttime anxiety is persistently interfering with your sleep schedule or quality of life, working with a therapist can offer a different level of support than lifestyle modifications. An anxiety therapist can help you develop a deeper, healthier relationship with your anxious thoughts rather than trying to suppress them. When you're ready to address anxiety at its roots and create lasting change, I invite you to reach out. Together, we can explore what's keeping you up at night and develop personalized strategies that honor your unique needs and values.
