The 2024 annual mental health poll by the American Psychiatric Association reveals rising anxiety rates in the U.S. among adults, with 43% feeling more anxious than last year. Yet, only 24% have consulted a mental health professional about it. Stress and lack of sleep appear to be two of the main factors contributing to anxiety.
If you feel that you or someone you care about might be suffering from elevated levels of anxiety, it is essential to get professional help. This is especially important when a person is experiencing suicidal or self-harm thoughts. The Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (dial 988) operates around the clock to allow trained counselors to help people experiencing substance abuse, suicide, and/or mental health crises.
A majority recognize untreated mental illness as detrimental to families and the economy, and 71% believe children and teens face more mental health challenges now than a decade ago. This poll, conducted with over 2,200 adults, underscores the need for accessible mental health care.
Factors Contributing to Anxiety
Stress is a major factor contributing to anxiety. Stress is what happens when something puts pressure on your mind or body, like when you feel frustrated or nervous about something. Sometimes, anxiety shows up because of stress, but it can also appear without any clear reason.
Is all stress bad?
Nearly everyone feels stressed or anxious at times, and it’s not always a bad thing. These feelings can motivate you to tackle tough tasks or do things you’d rather avoid but need to do. However, if stress and anxiety become overwhelming, they can start to disrupt your everyday life and affect your mental and physical health.
Everyone experiences stress differently, but some of the most common triggers are:
Workplace Stress
There are many reasons why work can be stressful. Some people might be unhappy with their job, while others might have too much work or too many responsibilities. Long working hours, salaries that don’t meet the cost of living, poor management, or unclear job expectations can also add to stress.
Major Life Changes
Life’s challenges can significantly affect us. Various events can cause stress, such as experiencing the loss of a loved one or lockdowns from global pandemics. Relationship changes like divorce or marriage can also be stressful, and so can losing a job or facing increased financial responsibilities.
Worrying
Stress often originates from within rather than from external factors. Worrying about various things can cause you to feel overwhelmed. Constant exposure to news about potential threats like terrorist attacks, global warming, and toxic chemicals can heighten stress levels, especially when you feel powerless to change these situations. Although such disasters are rare, intense media coverage can make them seem more imminent than they truly are.
Fears can also be more personal. You might worry about not completing a work project on time or being unable to pay your bills this month. These everyday concerns can add to your stress, making it crucial to find ways to manage your worries effectively.
The Role of Sleep and Anxiety
When people don’t get enough sleep, their brain activity can look similar to what is seen in anxiety disorders. The amygdala, the part of the brain that controls our fight or flight response, becomes more active when we haven’t had enough rest.
A study showed that even short periods without sleep increased activity in the parts of the brain that generate emotions while decreasing activity in the areas that help regulate these emotions.
These results help explain why many people with anxiety disorders feel a surge of anxiety in the morning. Lack of good sleep appears to make the brain more alert by causing increases in stress hormones like cortisol. This results in an anxious morning jumpstart even before the day begins. Often, losing sleep can lead to anxiety disorders, but anxiety can also cause sleep problems. These two conditions feed into each other, making the effects worse over time.
Fortunately, science brings some positive news. Since anxiety and sleep are closely connected, researchers suggest that sleep hygiene and sleep therapy might be a good way to treat anxiety disorders.
Sleep Hygiene
Getting a good night’s sleep involves having a regular bedtime routine and a sleep-friendly environment. This is known as “sleep hygiene,” which means practicing healthy habits and creating conditions that help improve your sleep quality. By focusing on these factors, you can take control of how well you sleep each night.
To improve your sleep as a strategy to manage anxiety, it’s important to stick to the same schedule for going to bed and waking up each day, even on weekends. Though it might be tempting to sleep in, your body craves a routine. By keeping a consistent schedule, you help train your internal clock, known as the circadian rhythm, to know when to sleep and wake up. This habit can make it easier to fall asleep quickly and wake up feeling refreshed, avoiding restless nights and the temptation to hit the snooze button.
What is the best bedtime?
Your ideal bedtime should be based on how much sleep you need, typically seven to nine hours, by counting backward from your wake-up time. For example, if you need eight hours of sleep and must be up by 7 a.m., your bedtime should be 11 p.m., meaning you should already be asleep by then.
To ensure good sleep hygiene, start unwinding an hour before bedtime. This time is crucial for signaling to your mind and body that it’s time to relax. Follow a consistent pre-bedtime routine, such as flossing, brushing your teeth, and caring for your skin, sticking to the same order every night. Keep the lights low and avoid screens, including TVs and phones, to help you wind down effectively.
Your bedroom should feel like a relaxing and safe place for rest and relaxation. To make your bedroom more sleep-friendly, try keeping electronic devices like phones, tablets, and computers out of the room. Ensure that your bed is comfortable with a good mattress and pillows. Use dim lights and consider installing blackout curtains to block out light. Also, keep the room cool with a temperature between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit (15 to 19 degrees Celsius).
Avoid drinking and snacking before bed. Your body, including your digestive system, slows down as you get ready for sleep, so eating or drinking late can be harmful. Try not to eat in the three hours leading up to bedtime. Eating late can lead to discomfort or even reflux. Also, be mindful of caffeine and alcohol consumption later in the day. While alcohol might seem to help you sleep because it makes you drowsy, it breaks down quickly and disrupts your sleep quality, especially REM sleep.
To quiet your mind for better sleep, you need to find ways to relax your thoughts before bed. It’s common to lie down and have your mind race with questions like. You might even dwell on embarrassing memories from high school. To avoid this, try meditation, gentle yoga, or progressive muscle relaxation. Writing in a journal during the day can also be helpful, as it lets you express your worries and plan for the next day, keeping those thoughts out of your bedtime routine.
What can I do if I can’t sleep?
If you’re struggling with restless sleep and nothing seems to help, it’s okay to reach out for more support. Consulting with a healthcare provider, such as a family doctor or a specialist in sleep medicine, can really help. When sleep issues last for three months or more, they can be diagnosed as sleep disorders. Early diagnosis leads to quicker treatment, which helps improve how you feel and keeps your sleep beneficial for your health.
Strategies to Manage Anxiety
Anxiety may be something a lot of us face, but learning some strategies to manage anxiety can make a big difference. It’s important to try out various techniques to see what works best for you, as there’s no single solution for everyone. Here are some methods to help lower anxiety or cope with it when it arises.
To find some strategies to manage anxiety, start with identifying what triggers it, which isn’t always simple. While obvious stressors like job changes are easy to spot, long-term sources can be harder to identify. Often, our own thoughts and actions contribute to anxiety, not just external events.
To reduce anxiety, try cutting out unnecessary stressors. Start by saying “no” to extra responsibilities if you’re overwhelmed. Limit time with people who stress you out and avoid news and conversations that make you anxious. Take less crowded routes and consider online shopping if errands stress you. Steer clear of discussions on topics like religion or politics that upset you.
Physical Activity for Anxiety
Physical activity is a great strategy to manage anxiety. When you exercise, your brain releases chemicals called endorphins that make you feel happier and less stressed. This helps your body handle anxiety better, like during the fight or flight response. Exercise also improves your heart, digestion, and immune system. It’s like moving meditation, helping you stay focused. Just try to avoid it before bed, as this can affect your sleep.
Mindfulness Practices for Anxiety
Mindfulness is a holistic strategy to manage anxiety that you can practice anywhere. Mindfulness involves focusing on the present moment without judgment, often practiced in activities like yoga and meditation. It includes being aware of what you see, hear, and feel right now, instead of the past or future, accepting your thoughts and feelings without trying to change them, and observing negative feelings without reacting. Simple exercises like mindful breathing and body scans help with this.
Sleep for Anxiety
Getting enough sleep is a crucial strategy to manage anxiety. It’s super important because sleep helps you stay calm, focused, and in a good mood. When you have a regular sleep schedule, you can think more clearly, make better decisions, and solve problems more easily. Without enough sleep, you feel tired and your thinking gets muddled, leading to emotional reactions, impulsive actions, and getting upset easily. Bounce back to earlier in the article for tips on sleep hygiene to help with a better night’s rest.
Therapy and Medications for Anxiety
When anxiety becomes chronic or disrupts daily life, such as with something like social anxiety, it needs to be treated. If there’s no medical issue like a thyroid problem, therapy is the most common treatment. Therapy helps people figure out what triggers their anxiety and guides them in making positive changes and dealing with past trauma.
What is the best therapy for anxiety?
A highly effective strategy to manage anxiety is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). It helps individuals see how their thoughts influence their emotions and actions, teaching them to switch negative reactions for more positive ones. CBT works well for both general anxiety and anxiety tied to specific issues like job stress or trauma.
What medication should I use for anxiety?
Sometimes, medication is necessary to control chronic anxiety. Doctors might prescribe drugs such as benzodiazepines (like Xanax and Valium), SSRIs (a type of antidepressant), or sleeping pills if anxiety affects sleep. It’s crucial to follow a doctor’s guidance with these medications since they can have serious side effects. Natural remedies might be used alongside or instead of traditional treatments.
The table below details some of the most frequently purchased products in this category. Please remember that before taking any medication, it’s essential to consult a healthcare provider for a proper diagnosis and treatment plan, considering the potential benefits and side effects.
For more details on the precise function, action, and side effects of each drug, click on the product.
| Product Name* | Type & short description |
| Trintillex | SSRI – treatment of MDD in adults. |
| Wellbutrin XL | NDRI – used to treat MDD and seasonal affective disorder. |
| Effexor XR | SNRI- for treatment of recurrent depression, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and social anxiety Disorder (SAD). |
| Prozac | SSRI – used to treat MDD by increasing levels of serotonin in the brain. |
| Cymbalta | SNRI – for treatment of MDD and some forms of long-term pain in adults. |
| Regalia – generic Vraylar | Atypical antipsychotic – for treatment of schizophrenia, bipolar I disorder, or an add-on for antidepressants in MDD |
| Escitalopram – generic Lexapro |
SSRI – serotonin regulator to treat depression and anxiety and regulate mood. |
| Lamictal | Anticonvulsive – used to stabilize mood in bipolar disorder. |
| Zoloft / Lustral | SSRI – used to treat depression and improve mood. |
| Norpramin | TCA – for treatment of depression, anxiety, and some other conditions. |
*All names in the table are US brand names. IsraelPharm may be supplying the same drug with a different name. However, it is still a branded drug marketed under different names in other countries.
If you are feeling stressed and anxious these days, then know that you are not alone. While it is normal to feel this way from time to time, if it is affecting your day-to-day, don’t be afraid to reach out to a healthcare provider for some support, or try some of the techniques in this article. We all need a little help sometimes, and that’s okay!
