Why Your Anxiety is Worse at Night (And How to Fix It)
Ever notice how anxiety seems to hit hardest right before bed? Everything is fine during the day (or at least tolerable), but the moment your head hits the pillow—boom—your brain decides it's the perfect time to replay every awkward conversation you've ever had, overanalyze the future, and remind you of every unfinished task.
Why does this happen, and more importantly, how do you make it stop?
Image Credit: Midjourney AI
Turns out, nighttime anxiety isn’t just in your head (well, technically, it is, but you know what I mean). There’s a reason why your worries feel bigger at night, and once you understand what’s happening, you can actually do something about it.
During the day, distractions keep your mind busy—work, family, errands, scrolling through your phone. Your brain is occupied, so there’s less room for intrusive thoughts to creep in. But at night, when everything slows down and it’s just you and your thoughts, your brain takes that as an opportunity to process everything it didn’t have time to deal with earlier. Your mind is literally catching up on all the stress you’ve been ignoring.
On top of that, our bodies naturally produce less cortisol (the stress hormone) at night. While that’s great for winding down, it can also make anxiety feel more intense because you don’t have the same hormonal buffer keeping you in problem-solving mode. Add in exhaustion, the silence of the night, and the fact that things always seem worse when you’re tired, and it’s no wonder your anxiety feels out of control.
The goal isn’t to force yourself to stop worrying (spoiler: that never works). Instead, you want to create habits that make your brain feel safe and settled before bed. Here’s what actually helps:
Get the thoughts out of your head. If your brain won’t stop spiraling, grab a notebook and do a brain dump. Write down everything on your mind—no structure, no pressure, just get it out. Your brain won’t feel like it has to keep reminding you if it knows the information is stored somewhere.
Create a bedtime routine your brain associates with relaxation. Your body thrives on routine. If you always do the same calming activities before bed—like drinking tea, stretching, or listening to soft music—your brain will start to recognize those cues as a signal that it’s time to relax.
Limit screen time before bed. I know, I know—you’ve heard this before. But blue light messes with your melatonin production, making it harder to fall asleep. Plus, if you’re scrolling through stressful news or comparing yourself to strangers on the internet, you’re feeding your anxiety instead of calming it.
Reframe intrusive thoughts. Instead of letting negative thoughts spiral, acknowledge them and reframe them. If your brain says, What if I fail?, respond with, What if I succeed? If it says, I didn’t do enough today, remind yourself, I did what I could, and tomorrow is a new day. Talking to yourself like a friend makes a huge difference.
Do a simple grounding exercise. Anxiety thrives on uncertainty, so bringing yourself back to the present can stop the spiral. Try the 5-4-3-2-1 method: Name 5 things you see, 4 things you feel, 3 things you hear, 2 things you smell, and 1 thing you taste. It sounds basic, but it pulls you out of your anxious headspace and into the present moment.
Move your body during the day. Exercise isn’t just about fitness—it’s one of the best ways to process stress before it builds up. Even a short walk outside helps burn off excess anxiety and makes it easier to wind down at night.
Remind yourself: Thoughts aren’t facts. Just because your brain says something doesn’t make it true. Anxiety loves to lie and convince you that the worst-case scenario is the only possibility. Learning to separate thoughts from reality can stop you from spiraling into fear over things that may never happen.
Your anxiety isn’t punishing you—it’s just your brain trying to keep you safe. The trick is showing it that everything is okay. By creating small, calming habits before bed and learning to question anxious thoughts instead of accepting them as truth, you can quiet your mind and actually get some sleep.
So, next time your anxiety tries to take over at night, remind yourself:
This is just my brain processing stress. I am safe. I can handle this. Because you can.
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