Many of you have experienced the restless sleep that comes during times of extreme stress, but how do you determine if insomnia is causing your anxiety disorder?
Researchers are trying to determine this, but so far they haven't made a definitive link between insomnia and whether it can cause an anxiety disorder, or whether the reverse is true.
Anyone who's experienced anxiety disorder knows how it can affect your sleep. The very obvious signs are those jolting awakenings in the middle of the night. You've been asleep for several hours and all of a sudden, you pop awake. Your heart is racing, you're in a cold sweat and you feel a sense of dread, and perhaps feel that you have to do or fix something.
It's a disturbing event that can upset your entire day.
In a way, the resulting dis-ease is similar to waking in the middle of a dream and wondering what happened. The discomfort you feel can last several hours and even the entire day if the dream was especially powerful.
Anxiety disorder works similarly. The difference is that when an anxiety disorder is the cause, those feelings are more intense. The rest of the night and your entire next day are filled with a sense of apprehension, of fear. You will awake repeatedly throughout the night. It's especially bad when you can't identify exactly what is behind this anxiety attack.
The difference between stress and anxiety disorder can be explained this way.
In most cases, it's not that difficult to tell if you are experiencing stress. It generally occurs when you are under a lot of pressure from various sources. It can be because you can't pay your bills, you're worried about your job, you aren't getting along with your children or your spouse, or your family is facing some health issue.
There is a certain level of anxiety that comes with stress like this. While stress causes the tension and short-temperedness, anxiety is the fear the fear that you won't overcome this situation. But this isn't an anxiety disorder. This is the natural response to a situation that threatens your safety or well-being in some way.
The most important distinction is that this form of anxiety is short lived.
Anxiety can occur in anyone and in any situation where a person is extremely worried. In fact, we've all experience some level of anxiety in our lives. Generally, the anxiety is temporary and will subside relatively quickly.
Anxiety disorder, on the other hand, is more long lasting. It becomes a way of life for many people who haven't learned how to overcome it. In many cases, these are worriers who just can't let things go. In other cases, they are people with low confidence or self esteem issues.
In yet other cases, it's a learned response that has gone out of control. While temporary anxiety is a natural reaction to difficult situations, anxiety disorder occurs when the anxiety gets switched on even when there isn't a real threat looming.
Where insomnia exists, researchers have determined that there is a high likelihood that anxiety disorder also exists, moreso than in people who do not have insomnia.
Researchers have also suggested that the focus should be on easing the insomnia to prevent the development of anxiety disorder. It's interesting to note that they haven't actually tested that theory directly.
It comes back to the chicken or the egg syndrome. How do you tell which came first?
While anxiety caused by stress or an anxiety disorder certainly can cause insomnia, it's difficult to tell whether the reverse is true, that insomnia can cause anxiety disorder. Anyone who has lost sleep, even for a short time, one evening or a few days for example, will recognize short-term disruptions in their confidence levels, their levels of patience and tolerance, and the body and mind tensions and discomfort that result.
Many of us can relate to how lack of sleep can cause emotional disturbances, such as anxiety and mental discomfort.
On the other hand, it's easy to understand that a person with anxiety disorder will have restless sleep patterns simply because of the symptoms of the disorder, specifically a constant state of apprehension and fear.
Much like a person under stress will go through a period of sleeplessness until the problems causing the stress are resolved, a person with anxiety disorder will be in a state of constant awareness that interferes with sleep. Resolving the anxiety, which occurs in both cases, seems obvious.
Treating the anxiety disorder, in all likelihood, will make the insomnia disappear.
The key is getting people to accept and act on the fact that they have an anxiety disorder, which is difficult for some. Only then can recovery begin and restful sleep return.
One of the best programs on the market right now was created by a long-time anxiety sufferer. His package teaches you how to reprogram your mind and cure your anxiety disorder. Learn more about The Linden Method Sylvia Dickens is an award-winning journalist who has struggled and overcome depression, panic and anxiety. Formerly with the Canadian Mental Health Association, she's written, "A Guide to Teenage Depression & Suicide" and "How To Build Confidence and Banish Anxiety Forever" which is available as a Anxiety Bonus . Visit Sylvias Natural Anxiety Relief blog for more helpful articles.
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