Hands up if this should be what it's like "not sleeping" with anxiety. Anxiety and lack of sleep often go hand in hand. We get anxious, we find it hard to get to sleep and stay asleep, many anxious people find it difficult to have enough deep sleep and often feel groggy and unrested when they awake! Not getting enough hours of sleep can cause anxiety in some people and can keep them in this continuous loop.

1 "They didn't text me back, did I do something wrong"

2 "I still need to do all those jobs tomorrow"

3 "Why was I not productive today"

4 "They probably think I'm weird"

5 "I need to get my life together, it's a mess"

6 "What if something bad happens to me while I'm asleep"

7 "Does he/she still like me, do they want to break up"

8 "How many hours of sleep am I going to get if I go to sleep now?"

What actions can we take, having a good sleep routine is crucial for anyone who is dealing with anxiety, try not to drink caffeine after 2pm, try to do something mindful before bed such as taking a bath or meditating or even reading a book! Put your phone away!! If you wake up anxious in the middle of the night step out of bed and try a mindful task such as reading to help the eyes naturally tire then try to go back to sleep.