The plopping on the bed after a long day's work. The aching bones and sore muscles testimony of the work schedule that was carried out through the day. A hundred thoughts running through my head - of what happened today, of what needs to be done tomorrow, of the things I have to arrange for and the people I have to meet. More and more thoughts clutter. Then, start trickling down out of my brain and onto my bed. And there, right before my tired eyes, sleep bids a teary goodbye. Countless sheep I have counted since hours ago, countless ways I've tried to sleep. And even if the sleep, it comes and greets for a while, it soon departs and leaves me craving for more. Every time I shut my eyes and feel like I'm drifting off into a slumber, a second thought of the piled work makes way, and there I am...awake. Wide, wide awake. Sleep anxiety. Or not being able to fall asleep. Bad news? Of course it is. Imagine not being able to sleep through the night, waking up after every few seconds, thinking why you're not falling asleep and what you're supposed to do. The next morning spent in a blur. Tired and eyes burning, yawn after yawn ensues. Something needs to be done about that. And the question staring you right in the face - How to get over sleep anxiety? Demanding answers. Sleep Anxiety Disorder - Symptoms and Causes The word 'anxiety' gives this disorder a very ironic twist, mind you. Here's how. So, let's say that you can't fall asleep. As the night lingers on and there's still no signs of sleep, you begin to get more and more worried. 'Why am I not falling asleep!', 'Sleep, please sleep' you coax your brain. Nothing. Then you start to think of all the things that have to be done the next day and that if you do not sleep, the negative effect it will have on those things. Thus, anxiety sets in and makes it difficult. With this anxiety, you cannot sleep and every time you do start to drift off, a conscious thought greets you of how you're finally falling asleep and poof! - the sleep? Gone, gone, gone. Your own worrying about how you have trouble sleeping at night, of how you'll carry through the following day and how tired you feel, keeps bringing in a regular supply of sleep anxiety attacks. What exactly happens when this condition makes way? What are the sleep anxiety symptoms? Here are some of the same. » Inability to sleep through the night due to disturbed and light sleep. » Waking up at regular intervals in the night, due to certain thoughts running in the head. » Worrying about the next day and how you'll carry on through the day. » Feeling tired and dull due to lack of sleep. » Physical symptoms like increased heart beats, shaking and trembling through the body, headaches, difficulty in breathing, nausea and acidity. So why does sleep anxiety disorder come about in the first place? And it's not just the adults who are affected, but sleep anxiety in children is quite a common phenomenon as well. There could be several causes that lead up to this condition. Peruse through these varied sleep anxiety causes for a detailed account of why sleep anxiety comes about: » Anxiety and stress » Depression » Traumatic experience in life » Side effect of certain medication forms » As a result of underlying health conditions like asthma, hyperthyroidism, acid reflux, allergies, Parkinson's disease, cancer and the like » Poor sleep environment and conditions Sleep Anxiety Disorder - Treatment Vicious circle as this one, needs to be dealt with, but how? Now that is the question that has to be answered. There are varied ways by which this anxiety can be dealt with effectively. Let us get to those steps in the following section. Psyche Yourself for Positivity So, you're all anxious and worried and no matter how much you don't want to think about it, that's all you're really thinking about. Literally stop those thoughts from having an effect, every single time before you sleep. Tell yourself that the thoughts cannot do any harm to you and you can discard them completely. When you stop thinking about how you cannot sleep, you'll find that your mind can relax and you can sleep well. Relax the Mind, Tame your Thoughts The next step you need to do is consciously relax your mind. Stop planning, thinking and making mental notes over and over again. This can get in the way of your mind relaxing. Other than that, carry through certain relaxation techniques like deep breathing, meditating, dimming the lights, soft music playing or even picturing a serene and calm setting like a flowing river or a meadow. These techniques will automatically coax the mind to give up the tension and bring about sleep. Exhaust Yourself Physically Exercise! Exercising will expel all the toxins from your body, get the blood flowing, and lead to inducing sleep. If one has the habit of taking naps during the day, then that has to stop. This can take away from the night sleep in a big way. Maintain a Sleep Timetable It is very important that you maintain the same time of retiring for bed and the same time for waking up. This leads to building a mental timetable for your body clock and you'll find that you begin to feel sleepy naturally as the calculated time approaches. Watch What you Eat Eating spicy, oily and fatty foods can lead to indigestion and acid reflux. These are some of the conditions that can lead to sleep anxiety. Avoid these and sleep will follow. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Other Methods Sleep anxiety can be effectively dealt with the help of CBT techniques. These target the problem at the base and replace the negative thoughts with positive thoughts. Similarly, other methods like hypnosis can also be used. How to get over sleep anxiety. Do we have the required answers for that now? An understanding of the varied causes and symptoms, as well as the treatment methods of this condition is important if one needs to be met with success. So, then what? Stop worrying and the sleep will follow. You'll see.