1221: Sleep And Anxiety: Rest Happens When The Body Feels Safe
In today's episode, Gina discusses some of the most important solutions for overcoming anxiety's interference with our sleep. From alcohol moderation or elimination, to caffeine elimination and late-night screen time and other blue light elimination, these tips will help you get back to a regular sleep pattern! Listen in and begin to reclaim your healthy sleep starting tonight!
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Free Guided Meditation for Calming Your Anxious Mind 10-Minute Body-Scan Meditation for Anxiety
Quote:
Try not to resist the changes that come your way. Instead, let life live through you.
-Rumi
Chapters
0:26 Introduction to Rest and Safety
2:10 The Paradox of Anxiety
3:55 Everyday Stimulants and Sleep
6:22 Signals for Better Sleep
8:03 Closing Rituals for Rest
14:16 Embracing Sleep as Safety
15:57 Final Thoughts and Rumi's Wisdom
Summary
In this episode, I delve into the intricate relationship between anxiety, rest, and sleep. We often think of rest as the body’s response to fatigue, yet it’s crucial to understand that real rest and restorative sleep occur when our bodies feel safe—not merely when we force ourselves to wind down. I explore the all-too-common experience of feeling exhausted yet wired, where anxiety heightens our mental alertness, leaving our bodies unable to relax. This paradox can lead to self-blame, where we tell ourselves that we’re failing at sleep or lacking discipline. It’s essential to reframe this perspective; sleep isn’t a moral obligation but rather a state of the nervous system that reacts to our environment.
Anxiety tends to keep our nervous systems in a constant state of hyper-alertness, prompting feelings of exhaustion coupled with restlessness. Our bodies become conditioned to link stillness with vulnerability, resulting in an inability to let go of that constant readiness. When it comes time to sleep, our bodies fail to transition smoothly from a state of stress to calm because the hormonal responses—cortisol and adrenaline—function as if a threat is still present. I underline the irony of sleep pressure: the more we try to force sleep, the more anxious we become, activating rather than calming our nervous systems.
I emphasize that everyday stimulants like alcohol and caffeine can exacerbate these issues, disrupting an already fragile sleep quality. While alcohol may initially help with sleep onset, it often leads to fragmented slumber, particularly for those with anxious systems. Similarly, caffeine may not seem disruptive at first but can keep stress hormones elevated longer than one might realize. I encourage listeners to experiment with these substances without judgment, fostering a deeper understanding of how they affect sleep.
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