Anxiety is characterised by fear of performing regular daily tasks. The most common symptoms of anxiety are elevated heart rate, restlessness, difficulty in concentrating and having tense muscles. At night, anxious thoughts crowd the mind and often do not allow us to sleep peacefully.
But why does it happen? Why is night-time anxiety so common? Therapist Israa Nasir, in a social media post, explained the causes of night-time anxiety. A post shared by Israa Nasir (@well.guide) Lack of distractions: Israa Nasir pointed out that at night, the absence of activities and work makes us prone to get back to thoughts that are disturbing us.
Hence, we tend to get into that spiral. ALSO READ: Can magnesium supplements reduce anxiety? Here's the science behind the natural remedy trending for anxiety relief Increased cortisol levels: Cortisol – the stress hormone – has the circadian rhythm where it increases during the daytime and decreases during the night. However, when we are stressed throughout the day, the cortisol levels stay elevated at night as well.
Racing thoughts: Often we experience racing thoughts at night that are fueled by contemplation, stress and ruminations. This can further make us feel more anxious. Physical sensations: Physical discomforts can be triggered by anxiety, such as shallow breathing, racing heart and or muscle tension.
ALSO READ: This morning, combat anxiety and depression with these rituals Stress and life events: Major life events that project disturb.