Question:
I average about 5 to 6.5 hours of sleep per weekday, but on two weekend
nights I get 8 hours. It seems that on my weekdays I experience more
anxiety problems than on the weekends. As much as I try to get to bed
earlier on weekdays, I just can not sem to do it. I have been this way for
over 15 years. I wonder if sleep deprivation can be a major factor in
inducing anxiety and PAs. Anyone have any ideas on this? My doctors seem to
turn a deaf ear on it.
Answer:
sleep is absolutley essential for the well being and maintenence of the human
body-it stands to reason that people that are sensitive to anxiety are
sensitive to all states of ennui so sleep and good nutrition as well as
excercise are critical for feeling better-incidently sleep deprivation seems to
change bioamines and actually helps in short term basis some milder depressions
and it is beleived that some of the lack of sleep behavior by folks who are
depressed (some sleep too much) is a way we are trying to reset the amine
loads. But its a theory- maybe its time to turn a deaf ear on your doc?
I have also had some problems getting enough sleep. I definitely
get more anxiety on days that I feel tired. Actually I would find that
being anxious about going to work the next day was the cause of my inability
to sleep. And on the weekends I also would sleep a normal night. Maybe you
should discuss this with a Dr. who will listen.
I don't know but I do know this, last night I got 2 hours of tossing and
turning sleep, waking up with pounding heart and panic and have been a mess
today. It took me an hour to psych myself into a shower to go to dialysis.
I think lack of sleep, for me anyway, makes my panic and anxiety wild, also
low blood sugar. Take care, you are not alone.
I get up early (5:30) 3 days a week to run, almost no matter what. (Next to
drugs, running has helped me the most.) If I have anxiety the night before
and don't get to sleep soon enough, it makes my anxiety worse the next day,
which in turn makes it harder to get to sleep, ... . Then it gets to a point
where the need for sleep exceeds the anxiety and I sleep. For some reason
this happened a lot last month, but not as much this month.
Short answer: makes sense to me.
When I am sleep deprived, I am less tolerant of the little things that might
cause stress and anxiety, so I am more likely to have increased anxiety and
panic. Irritability can be just a stone's throw away from anxiety, at least
to me. I am much happier and more at peace when I'm getting regular and
enough sleep.
