Sleep anxiety, which can occur when you are suffering from stress or depression, can cause you to lose out on your precious seven to nine hours of sleep. You are left feeling tired, irritable and even more stressed out. Look for signs of sleep anxiety that you can report to your health care provider in order to devise a sleep treatment plan.
Cognitive Symptoms
When you don't get the sleep that you need, it can result in poor cognition, memory loss and reduced function throughout the day, says the Anxiety Disorders Association of America. Poor performance and slow reaction time could lead to problems at work and even injury directly related to slow reaction or bad decision-making. You may have trouble remembering important details, or find yourself often losing your train of thought, making you less effective as you try to function throughout the day.
Insomnia
Insomnia is a common symptom of sleep anxiety. The Sleep Disorders Guide points out that insomnia can occur when you have trouble falling asleep at night, or wake frequently throughout the night. The loss of sleep that results from insomnia can add to your anxiety symptoms; you may dread going to bed at night or become increasingly stressed as the night goes on. Your doctor can prescribe sleep aids to help restore a healthier pattern of sleep and reduce some of the anxiety related to going to bed at night.
Nightmares
While Psych Central contributor Laura L. Smith, Ph.D. admits that dreamless sleep isn't as restorative as sleep with dreams, nightmares can keep you up at night. While everyone experiences nightmares now and again, some nightmares, especially those that occur after a traumatic event, can be reoccurring and cause you to be afraid of going to sleep at night.
Restless Leg Syndrome
Restless leg syndrome can sometimes accompany sleep anxiety, especially when paired with pregnancy or old age. The Mayo Clinic notes that some of the symptoms of restless leg syndrome include a tingling, crawling or restless feeling in the legs, along with the need to constantly move the legs. This can seriously disrupt sleeping or your ability to go to sleep.
