Anxiety is a common experience that can impact various areas of a person’s life, including sleep. In fact, insomnia and other sleep disturbances are common in anxiety disorders and other anxiety-related conditions. The constant chatter of thoughts during bedtime can make sleep a challenging experience. One way to combat bedtime anxiety is through affirmations In this article, we’ll discuss how affirmations can help people cope with bedtime anxiety
Understanding Anxiety and Sleep
Anxiety can have a lasting impact on a person’s sleep. Excessive worry, intrusive thoughts and rumination can make it hard for people to relax and fall asleep during bedtime. Anxiety can even cause people to wake up in the middle of the night. Over time, people can also find themselves stuck in a cycle where anxiety causes a lack of sleep and the lack of sleep aggravates anxiety
How Can Affirmations Help With Sleep?
In simple terms, affirmations are short, positive statements that people can say aloud or repeat in their minds. These positive statements can help people change the way they think about themselves, others or life. Thus, positive affirmations can help counter negative thoughts and build confidence. Affirmations can help deal with sleep issues as well. Some benefits of repeating affirmations before bedtime are
- Bedtime affirmations can act as a counter to anxiety-provoking, negative thoughts. By repeating positive statements, people can redirect attention away from negative thoughts and focus on more calming thoughts
- Bedtime affirmations can help boost self-confidence and enhance self-esteem. Increased self-esteem contributes to a reduction in anxious thoughts.
- Affirmations can help people be in the present moment. Being in the present can reduce anxious thoughts and promote relaxation.
- Anxiety is often aggravated by self-criticism. Affirmations can help people create a more compassionate and kind self-talk. which is particularly crucial for a peaceful night’s sleep.
- Affirmations can reduce stress in general. Stress reduction can promote healthy sleeping habits.
A few examples of bedtime affirmations are:
- My mind is calm and my body feels relaxed
- I am letting all my worries go in the moment
- I inhale peace and exhale fear
- I have done my best for today
- My mind and body are ready to rest
- I am safe and comfortable
- Sleep comes to me naturally
- I choose my rest and sleep over anxiety and worry
The best thing about affirmations is that you don’t have to rely on the internet or anyone else for affirmations, you can create your own set of affirmations based on your situation.
Do Affirmations Actually Work?
Research suggests that incorporating positive affirmations into bedtime routines can positively impact sleep quality. A study in the Journal of Sleep Psychology revealed that individuals who practised positive affirmations experienced enhanced overall sleep quality. In another study, it was found that practising positive affirmations can reduce the time that one takes to fall asleep. Thus, affirmations are effective for sleep.
How To Practice Bedtime Affirmations:
A few ways to incorporate affirmations before bedtime are:
- Keep affirmations in short sentences
- Pick a calm place to repeat affirmations
- Combine affirmations with deep breathing for better results
- Always say affirmations in the present tense for them to be effective. For ex- Say, I am safe, instead of saying, I will be safe’.
- Keep a limited number of affirmations, repeating too many affirmations can cause confusion
- Be consistent with your practice
Conclusion:
Affirmations are a quick and effective way to alter thought processes and combat negative thoughts before bedtime. Many people may find affirmations useful, but they may not work for everyone. It is important to remember that affirmations can help you feel motivated and confident, but they are only one part of the change. We need to keep taking positive actions to sustain the effects of affirmations.
References:
- 40 Relaxing Bedtime Affirmations for a Restful Night. (2023, November 24). Innertune Blog ⏐ What You Think, You Become. https://blog.innertune.com/bedtime-affirmations/
- Bedtime Affirmations | BetterSleep. (n.d.). Retrieved February 16, 2024, from https://www.bettersleep.com/blog/bedtime-affirmations/
- Do Affirmations Work? Yes, but There’s a Catch. (n.d.). Retrieved February 16, 2024, from https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/do-affirmations-work#how-they-work
- How Affirmations Work While Sleeping—2minuteaffirmations.com. (2023, July 4). https://www.2minuteaffirmations.com/affirmations/how-affirmations-work-while-sleeping
