The Rise Of Sleep Anxiety – Why We Can’t Rest?

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ou are completely drained. Your body is begging for some sort of rest and relief. But the moment you lie down and put your head on your pillow, your brain revs up like an engine piling up late-night miles. Sleep suddenly becomes impossible, and terrifying.

This is the paradox of sleep anxiety: The harder we pursue sleep, the more it seems to escape us. And in 2025, this is more than just a personal challenge, it is a wellness crisis worldwide.

Also Read: Stress May Be As Unhealthy As Junk Food 

What Is Sleep Anxiety?

Sleep anxiety is more than just simply tossing and turning. It is the anticipatory worry about not being able to sleep, often triggered by past sleepless nights, racing thoughts or pressure to “sleep well.”

It comes out as:

• A racing mind at bedtime
• Physical tension (tight jaw, clenched fists, racing heartbeat)
• Obsessive thinking about what is in store for tomorrow
• Panic attacks that wake you from sleep

In extreme cases, it can develop into somniphobia, fear of sleep.

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Investigating the Reason for Increasing Sleep Anxiety 

1.  Digital Overload

We are plugged into something 24/7. Our brains are exposed to blue light from screens that inhibit melatonin production, and when we power scroll, it engages further mental stimulation as we inhibit falling asleep. Sleep trackers can also increase your anxiety unknowingly by demanding you "perform" your sleep perfectly. This is orthosomnia. 

2. Economic and Emotional Uncertainty

We never feel certain about a job, our partnerships, or our health; those are just a few stressors to name. We carry them with us not leaving them behind at work or at the end of the day, and they often get activated much more closely at night. With fewer distractions, we have no choice but to face unresolved feelings. It often feels like we fight an internal battle each time we try to sleep. 

3. Mental Health Crisis

Nearly 40% of Gen Z experience anxiety connected to sleep at least a few times each week. Poor sleep and poor mental well-being impact each other massively; there is a vicious cycle to each. 

4. Revenge Bedtime Procrastination

We delay going to bed to feel like we have some control over an otherwise chaotic day. This is why that late-night scroll or Netflix "binge" isn’t just pure laziness; it is an act of protest to a day being too full!

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Why Can’t We Just “Let Go”?

Because sleep anxiety takes over the brain's threat detection system. Our amygdala (the centre for fear) activates, causes us to produce cortisol and adrenaline... and the body is prepared for fight or flight, not restful sleep.

This process continues in a vicious cycle: Worry → Hyperarousal → Poor quality sleep → More worry → Repeat The fear of not sleeping is worse than not sleeping, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Also Read: How Does Physical Activity Support Mental Health?

Interactive: What Are You Sleep Anxiety Profile?

Take this quick quiz to determine what is your sleep anxiety profile:

1. Are you dreading bedtime even when you’re tired?

2. Do you check the time constantly in bed?

3. Do you feel constantly anxious about sleep trackers?

4. Do you delay sleep for “me time” even while tired?

Results:

• The Clock-Watcher: Personalized anxiety over sleep metrics • The Overthinker: Worries, unresolved thoughts
• The Night Owl Rebel: Delays sleep to create autonomy
• The Hypervigilant: Extreme fear about missing out on what happens during sleep

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Sleep Anxiety Types & Targeted Tools

Ways to Combat the Cycle

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I)
The best-first method. It reframes your perceptions surrounding sleep, reduces anxiety, and helps develop solid habits. 

Use Deliberate Worry Time
Plan for 15 minutes in the day to write your worries down, which teaches your brain to process stress a little earlier than bedtime.

Sleep Hygiene Reset
• No screens 1 hour before bedtime • Keep your bedroom cool, dark and technology-free • Use your bed only for sleep (not your work or scrolling device)

Mindfulness & Gratitude
Meditation, breathwork or gratitude journaling have the ability to reduce the sympathetic nervous system activation and refocus you from fear to present.

Acceptance
Not every night will be the "right" night. Let go of the expectation to sleep "right." Paradoxically, this mentality often produces more optimal rest.

Also Read: Self-Care Tips For Stress-Free Life

The Science Behind the Spiral

A study from Stanford has shown that lack of sleep decreases emotional regulation and increases anxiety. Better sleep, through CBT-I, is associated with more benefit in mood and brain function. And here's the kicker: Sleeping earlier -- even if you consider yourself a night owl -- may assist your mental health. Staying awake late at night has known risks associated with poorer decision-making and greater emotional volatility, known as "mind after midnight".

Sleep Anxiety in a Culture That Glorifies Hustle

In a culture where productivity is linked to worth, taking time to rest might feel like a loss. We have been trained to optimize every facet of our day—sleep included. We have been part of a rise in bio-hacking, and even comparing sleep scores instead of just getting sleep. Rest has become performative. Sleep is not a competition; it is simply a biological reset. It is not a trophy or honour. This cultural pressure is particularly intense for those who strive to achieve at a high level, caregivers, and digital natives. The ironic part? The more we try to hack or control sleep, the more it eludes us.

What You Can Do Tonight?

Here’s a straightforward, science-supported reset to reclaim rest—we can start now: Tonight’s Sleep Anxiety Reset:

• Stop using screens 60 minutes before bed
• Write down 3 worries and 3 gratitudes
• Try 4-7-8 breathing for 2 minutes
• Repeat to yourself: “Rest is enough. Sleep will follow.”
• Don’t check the time—trust your body’s clock

Sleep anxiety isn’t weakness—it’s a symptom of a world that never stops…

However, rest isn’t a luxury. It’s biological need, it’s a mental health anchor, and it’s a radical act of self-care…

Also Read: Bedtime Exercises To Promote Sleep

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