Have you ever noticed that a common friend or characteristic of anxiety is bouts of sleepless nights or sleeplessness? Sleep deprivation, or insomnia, is a common companion to anxiety attacks. Some may think that it is anxiety that is causing the lack of sleep, and insomnia is just a symptom of another larger physiological or psychological problem. However, in all honesty, it can be the exact opposite. Researchers are discovering how lack of sleep or insomnia can be a major contributor to a case of anxiety.
Some may wonder how loss of sleep can lead to emotional upheaval. Well, let’s start with the basics. There are 5 stages of sleep in the sleep cycle. They are stages 1-4, which make up the Non-REM Sleep Phase (NREM) and stage 5, which is the REM phase. While sleeping, the body must go through the five phases of the sleep cycle several times a night. Although the role of sleep is unknown, multiple studies have been conducted to show that each phase provides a specific health benefit to the body. Studying the benefits of Stage 5 REM sleep in particular, many refer to it as the sleep stage. This stage is useful for clearing the mind of the stressful events of the day, which is the body’s natural way of dealing with anxiety or other forms of stress. In addition to dreaming, the REM stage is also responsible for stabilizing emotional health. When we don’t have enough REM sleep, the emotional centers of the brain are out of balance and we tend to behave more “hyperactive” than usual. REM sleep is essential for balancing our daily moods and responses to stressful circumstances. One of the many causes of anxiety is a lack of a full night’s rest or a sudden interruption of REM sleep.
Many factors can be attributed to REM sleep blockage. One of the most common is the consumption of alcohol and caffeine, which alone can cause feelings of anxiety and other emotional or psychological disturbances. Alcohol and caffeine can interfere with the function of various chemical hormones that regulate the sleep cycle. Some people may use alcohol as a way to relax and induce sleep, but excessive alcohol consumption can disrupt your sleep pattern and interfere with REM sleep. Caffeine, on the other hand, can disrupt REM sleep by keeping you awake. Lack of sleep, both from alcohol and caffeine, is what triggers anxiety.
Sudden and abrupt changes in the sleep cycle can also trigger emotional stress. Insomnia and other sleep disorders can greatly alter the activity of hormones and adjust various pathways in the brain. These changes in brain activity can disrupt the sleep cycle. Another factor that disrupts REM sleep and causes anxiety is an increased level of cortisol in the brain. Research has shown that higher levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, not only interfere with the sleep cycle, but also contribute to emotional problems, such as anxiety and other depressive disorders. Exercising right before bed and eating the wrong diet can raise cortisol levels in the brain, making it difficult to fall asleep at night. As a consequence, the end result is a case of anxiety or depression.
Prescription sleep medications, given as a cure for insomnia, can also trigger feelings of anxiety. Studies have been conducted to show that many of the most popular sleeping pills may have side effects of anxiety and mild depression. Statistics show that approximately 90% of patients with anxiety and depression suffer from chronic insomnia. Most people believe that anxiety or depression is causing insomnia, when in reality, the lack of a full sleep cycle may be one of the main reasons for anxiety or an enhancer of the condition already present. With all this in mind, we must make an effort to eliminate all kinds of stress and try to maintain a healthy amount of sleep, in order to stay free of anxiety or other depressive disorders.