Why Anxiety Gets Worse at Night and How to Handle It

You spend all day keeping it together. Then night comes — and your mind won’t stop. You lie in bed, tired but restless. Thoughts race. Your chest tightens. You’re not in danger, but your body feels like it is. And sleep? It feels miles away.

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Anxiety often feels worse at night — and there are real reasons for that. The good news is, there are ways to manage it.

Let’s walk through what causes nighttime anxiety, and what you can do to calm your mind and body before bed.

During the day, distractions — work, errands, conversations- keep your mind busy. But when things quiet down at night, your thoughts get louder.

Your brain starts going over everything you didn’t get done. You replay awkward conversations. You worry about tomorrow. There’s nothing to distract you — just silence and your thoughts.

This happens because anxiety thrives in quiet and stillness. And without the usual noise of the day, your brain finally has room to let everything surface.

You might feel exhausted but somehow still wired. That’s anxiety keeping your nervous system activated, even when you want to relax.

This is often due to an imbalance in stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. If you’ve been stressed all day, your body doesn’t just shut off. It stays in fight-or-flight mode — alert, tense, and on edge.

That tension shows up as:

• Racing heart
• Tight chest
• Restless legs
• Shallow breathing

And even though you’re trying to rest, your body doesn’t feel safe enough to let go.

One of the most common signs of anxiety at night is overthinking.

You might:

• Rehash your day
• Worry about things that haven’t happened
• Imagine worst-case scenarios
• Criticize yourself for not doing more

It becomes a loop. The more you try to quiet your mind, the louder the thoughts get. And that makes falling asleep feel impossible.

Anxiety and sleep problems go hand in hand. In fact, according to the Sleep Foundation, people with anxiety are more likely to have insomnia — and poor sleep can make anxiety worse.

Here’s how the cycle works:

1. You feel anxious about your day or the next
2. You can’t sleep because your thoughts won’t stop
3. The lack of sleep makes your anxiety worse the next day

It becomes a feedback loop that’s hard to break — unless you start addressing both the anxiety and the sleep patterns together.

Some habits and situations can make nighttime anxiety stronger without you realizing it. These include:

• Caffeine too late in the day
• Scrolling on your phone before bed (especially news or social media)
• Overbooked days without downtime
• A cluttered or noisy sleep environment
• Unprocessed emotions or stress you pushed aside all-day

When your brain and body haven’t had a chance to slow down before bedtime, anxiety takes the wheel.

You don’t have to live with it. Here are simple ways to ease anxiety at night and sleep better.

1. Create a steady bedtime routine
   Doing the same calming activities every night can signal your brain that it’s time to wind down. Try dimming lights, stretching, reading, or listening to soft music.
2. Limit screens before bed
   Blue light from phones or TVs can keep your brain alert. Try turning off screens 30–60 minutes before sleep.
3. Use breathing techniques
   Slow, deep breathing helps calm your nervous system. Try inhaling for 4 seconds, holding for 4 seconds, exhaling for 4 seconds, and repeating.
4. Write it out
   Journaling can help unload thoughts so they don’t sit in your head all night. Even jotting down tomorrow’s to-do list can help you relax.
5. Try simple mindfulness
   You don’t need to meditate for an hour. Focusing on your breath or your body for just a few minutes can help slow anxious thoughts.
6. Cut off caffeine after 2 PM
   Even if it doesn’t affect you during the day, caffeine can keep your mind alert longer than you think.
7. Talk to a therapist
   If nighttime anxiety happens often, therapy can help. You don’t have to figure it out alone. A trained therapist can teach you ways to reduce anxiety and sleep better.

If you’re ready, consider scheduling an anxiety therapy session with u

At Sunset Counseling Services, we work with people who are exhausted — mentally, physically, and emotionally. Many say their worst anxiety happens when they’re trying to fall asleep. We understand how disruptive that is.

In therapy, we help you:

• Identify patterns that make anxiety worse
• Understand your triggers
• Learn calming tools that work for you
• Rebuild a healthy sleep rhythm

You don’t need a diagnosis to get support. If your nights feel restless and your thoughts are keeping you up, we can help.

Would you prefer to talk from the comfort of your home? We offer secure Telehealth counseling for Utah residents. It’s private, flexible, and easy to access. You’ll meet one-on-one with a licensed therapist through a safe, confidential video platform—no commuting, no waiting rooms—just real support wherever you are.

If anxiety is keeping you up at night, you’re not just a light sleeper. And you don’t have to keep pushing through it.

Sunset Counseling Services offers private, one-on-one therapy to help you feel more at ease — day and night.

Let’s talk. Schedule an anxiety therapy session and take the first step toward calmer nights and clearer days.