Illustration by Clara Wright
What I have discovered is that my anxiety and sleep are interconnected. I find my anxiety rises by notches if I consistently experience inadequate sleep, whilst I cannot sleep properly when I am too anxious. Therefore, I enter a vicious cycle of sleep deprivation and anxiety, unsure how to recover. You might think that one night without sleep is not dangerous, (as almost everyone at Oxford has pulled an all-nighter at some point) however, it is important to recognize that there is a fine line between a one-off and a regularity that should not be crossed.
Inadequate sleep presents a greater risk of developing multiple health issues. Hypertension, nervous system dysregulation, reduced testosterone levels and increased appetite have all been linked to sleep deprivation. During Trinity Term I was unable to completely shut down all the thoughts that were troubling me during the day. My anxieties would manifest themselves in nightmares. As I was having daily compounding stressful events, not only was my sleep affected, but my digestive tract and bowel movements started to malfunction. My anxiety skyrocketed, and I failed to follow a healthy diet: skipping meals and drinking too much coffee contributed to an excess of acid in my stomach, causing me to cramp and, therefore, not allowing me to sleep during the night. Our bodies shouldn’t hurt for no reason. If our body is in pain, it is telling us that there is something wrong. That is when I decided to ease on caffeine and stretch regularly in order to reduce my anxiety and improve my sleep. Adopting these new habits was not easy at first, but I soon experienced the benefits.
Another habit that I adopted to fix my sleeping schedule includes having a warm cup of chamomile tea before going to bed while watching Mr Neel Raithatha aka The Wax Whisperer’s videos on YouTube. Mr. Neel Raithaka is an audiologist and a HCPC Registered Hearing Aid Dispenser and Cerumenologist, an ear care specialist who performs some very challenging ear wax removal. He has over 388k subscribers on his channel. Though some might feel nauseated by the sight of wax-obstructed ears, watching those videos makes me feel a rush of dopamine. I love watching those videos before going to bed because they help to clear my mind and not think about anything else, such as unfinished tasks, allowing me to completely unwind. Different people might find comfort in watching a different kind of show on Youtube as there are many options out there.
My own experience led me to believe that what keeps us from sleeping is worrying; thinking about unpleasant things that are making us anxious. I would suggest trying to find the deeper root of the problem, potentially through professional help. Seeing a therapist can be one way to minimize the negative mental health impact many are currently facing due to a lack of sleep. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is an effective long term management approach for people who suffer from insomnia as it helps one identify thoughts, feelings, and behaviors contributing to sleeplessness. If this is not an option, though, there are free counseling sites which promote well-being. These are just some suggestions that might marginally improve your quality of sleep, as everyone is different, what works for some may not work for you.
Everyone has likely experienced a mysterious restlessness at some point of their life. The issue of not being able to fall asleep easily needs to be acknowledged as it compromises one’s quality of life. Whether white noise, a sleeping mask or a lavender pillow spray helps you unwind, there is something out there for everyone. I recommend you experiment until you find what helps you get some much-needed, quality sleep. Finding what works best for you takes time and patience. Don’t worry – you will get there.