Insomnia caused by Anxiety or Anxiety caused by Insomnia. Either way it means being unable to have a good night's sleep. Understanding the underlying problems can greatly help you overcome the insomnia.
Insomnia = Anxiety = Insomnia = Anxiety and so on. What comes first?
Many people have that odd night or two where they may have difficulty going to sleep and/or staying asleep. It is only when the odd night or two extends to a considerable period of time that it is likely to be considered a sleep disorder. It may not have been an anxiety problem to start with, but it sure will become that as time goes on and if nothing is done to overcome the initial cause.
When caused by anxiety, insomnia may not be quite as easy to cure as you would expect because anxiety sleep disorders can range from mild to very severe thus
preventing you from getting any sleep at all. There are a number of anxiety disorders that often lead to insomnia for example, panic orders, post traumatic stress and obsessive compulsive.
Panic Disorders
Panic disorder is a severe instance of anxiety in which the sufferer will feel that something terrible is going to happen, something that can strike without giving any warning. This condition is particularly devastating at night when it may even require the sufferer to be hospitalized because of its intensity. In this situation the condition really is an extreme case of anxiety sleep disorder.
Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome
Another type of anxiety sleep disorder that a person can suffer from is post traumatic stress syndrome. This occurs when a person becomes extremely anxious after having experienced a traumatic event such as an accident, rape or even terrorist acts. Such events come to haunt the person especially in the nighttime when the person becomes most fearful and will thus have difficulty in getting any sleep.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
There is another type of anxiety sleep disorder which is known as obsessive-compulsive disorder. The sufferer becomes obsessed with thinking about rituals that are quite uncontrollable and which persist even though the person knows that these thoughts are quite senseless. It is an instance of anxiety sleep disorder which can be attributed to feeling fear and thus a person will not get to sleep because he or she is in dread of experiencing nightmares.
Dealing with the Anxiety
To be able to deal with an anxiety sleep disorder, one may need to take certain steps including practicing good sleep hygiene and even attempting self hypnosis. While a hot bath before turning in for the night is also recommended. A bath is preferable as a shower can be a bit too stimulating and could further keep you from falling asleep.
Another option available to anyone suffering from anxiety sleep disorder is to listen to soothing music while in bed and even meditation and some yoga movements can help in treating the problem.
