The therapeutic potential of sphingolipids for cardiovascular diseases

What Causes Anxiety At Night (and What You Can Do To Help It)

Anxiety at night is a feeling of fear or worry that makes it hard to fall or stay asleep. However, it's not a separate class of anxiety. It's the same as anxiety that happens during the day but may be more noticeable at night when you're not focusing on daily activities.

Why Do I Get Anxiety at Night? The initial causes of anxiety at night are the same as the causes of anxiety during the day. You may be able to push aside fears or worries during the day and focus on your daily activities. However, when you lie down to sleep at night and don't have anything to focus on, your fears and worries may rise to the surface. Some causes of anxiety, including anxiety at night, are: Adverse experiences or significant life changes: Financial insecurity, health challenges, losing an income, ending a relationship, or even positive changes such as a new relationship or job can increase stress. Cultural or societal pressures: These external pressures may impose the need to look, act, or live a certain way to be accepted. History of trauma: Traumatic experiences can be challenging to process and contribute to anxiety at night. Not getting enough support: Sometimes, people feel shame or stigma about anxiety, which is a barrier to getting the care they need. Social isolation: People who have limited social interactions may feel a sense of rejection or insecurity, which can worsen anxiety. Work or school stress: Deadlines, performance challenges, and working in high-stress fields can increase the risk of anxiety. Lack of Sleep Can Also Trigger Anxiety Over 30% of adults and up to 90% of teens don't get enough sleep. Getting insufficient sleep can trigger anxiety and create a cycle because anxiety makes it more difficult to sleep. Practicing sleep hygiene to promote good sleep and managing stress and anxiety throughout the day can help improve sleep and anxiety simultaneously. How to Find Quick Anxiety Relief More than 30% of American adults experience an anxiety disorder at some point in life. Since it is so common, many people with anxiety think their level of stress and worry is normal. Regardless of the prevalence, finding ways to relieve the symptoms and decrease stress is essential. Try one or more of the following: Challenge negative thoughts. Do some breathing exercises. Listen to soothing music. Meditate or do yoga. Write in a journal. Medical Treatment Options According to research, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the most effective treatment for anxiety. CBT is a talk therapy focusing on connecting thoughts, actions, and feelings to improve outcomes. When anxiety affects sleep, a healthcare provider may recommend doing cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia. Additional treatment options include other types of talk therapy, medications, or a combination of treatments. Incorporate lifestyle changes and different strategies along with medical treatment options. Other Management Strategies Certain lifestyle factors can adversely affect your mental health. Researchers recommend the following management strategies to improve anxiety: Following a plant-forward diet Getting regular physical activity Getting restful sleep Prioritizing stress management Avoiding tobacco and excessive alcohol Maintaining supportive relationships When to See a Healthcare Provider It is important to see a healthcare provider for chronic stress, worries, fears, or other anxiety symptoms—especially those lasting longer than a few days or that interfere with tasks of daily life or with sleep. Anxiety is a medical condition that can be treated, and it is possible to overcome, manage, and live well. Seek urgent medical attention if you experience symptoms such as shortness of breath or chest pain. How Do You Know If You Have Nighttime Anxiety? Over half (about 56%) of people who experience anxiety at night have moderate to severe symptoms. If you're unsure if you have nighttime anxiety, here are some examples of symptoms: Difficulty breathing or tightness in the chest Difficulty falling asleep or returning to sleep Digestive issues Dizziness or light-headedness Headache Nightmares, unpleasant visions, or flashbacks Over-analyzing the past Restlessness Rumination (dwelling on negative thoughts) Sleepiness during the day Tight muscles or muscular pain, especially in the neck, back, and shoulders Waking up in the night or too early in the morning Worry or fear about the future Summary Anxiety at night may interfere with getting quality sleep. Significant life changes or hardships, certain medical conditions, financial challenges, work or school stress, relationship challenges, and more can cause anxiety. Making stress relief and sleep a priority, following healthy lifestyle habits, and managing thoughts can all help to prevent, treat, and manage anxiety. Additionally, medical and mental health professionals can help to diagnose and treat anxiety and related conditions. 8 Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Mental Health Foundation. What causes anxiety? Palmer CA, Bower JL, Cho KW, Clementi MA, Lau S, Oosterhoff B, Alfano CA. Sleep loss and emotion: A systematic review and meta-analysis of over 50 years of experimental research. Psychological Bulletin. 2024;150(4): 440–463. Doi:10.1037/bul0000410 National Institute of Mental Health. Any anxiety disorder. Harvard Health Publishing. Top ways to reduce daily stress. Bandelow B, Michaelis S, Wedekind D. Treatment of anxiety disorders. Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience. 2017;19(2):93-107. Doi:10.31887/DCNS.2017.19.2 Piotrowski MC, Lunsford J, Gaynes BN. Lifestyle psychiatry for depression and anxiety: beyond diet and exercise. Lifestyle Medicine. 2021;2(1):e21. Doi.Org/10.1002/lim2.21 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Talk with your doctor about anxiety. Sleep Foundation. Anxiety at night: causes and tips for relief. By Ashley Olivine, Ph.D., MPHDr. Olivine is a Texas-based psychologist with over a decade of experience serving clients in the clinical setting and private practice. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error

Can Stress Really Cause Hair Loss? Understanding The Connection

Chronic (long-term) stress can lead to noticeable hair loss, usually months after a stressful situation occurs.

Research suggests stress hormones may affect hair follicle stem cells, interfering with the normal hair growth cycle. This type of hair loss isn't usually permanent, and there are ways to manage and prevent stress-related hair loss.

Physical, mental, or emotional stress can trigger certain types of hair loss. Telogen Effluvium Sudden or rapid hair loss, medically known as telogen effluvium, is the most common type of hair loss caused by stressful events. It can be brought on by extreme stress, including: Giving birth Life changes like caregiving for a family member, going through a divorce, or losing a job Emotional distress or mental illness Recovering from surgery, cancer treatment, or a major illness—particularly if it caused a high fever Certain health conditions, like hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid), hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid), or iron deficiency anemia (low red blood cell count) Rapid weight loss of 20 pounds or more Stopping hormonal birth control pills Certain medications, like retinol or beta-blockers Telogen effluvium hair loss usually occurs around three months after a stressful event—and hair may start growing back naturally within six months or more. While it's typically temporary, the hair loss can become chronic if the stress remains. Trichotillomania Stress can also contribute to hair loss through trichotillomania, a disorder in which people pull out their own hair habitually. Many people with trichotillomania report experiencing a stressful event before starting to pull out their hair. For this reason, experts believe that trichotillomania may be a coping mechanism for stress that turns into a habit. Treatment often includes cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and stress management techniques to help stop hair-pulling. Stopping the behavior should stop the hair loss that comes along with it. Alopecia Areata Alopecia areata is a form of hair loss that can also be stress-induced. The condition develops when the immune system mistakenly attacks the hair follicle cells, leading to bald patches or complete baldness. Research suggests that emotional or psychological stress can trigger alopecia areata in people who are already at risk for the condition, which is considered to be an autoimmune disorder. This means that while alopecia areata can flare up after a stressful event or illness, other factors can also lead to this type of hair loss. Some of these different factors are still being studied. Hair loss happens when a trigger (in this case, some form of stress) disrupts your natural hair growth cycle. As a result, the hair follicles stop growing. Hair grows in three stages, driven by stem cells inside the hair follicles: anagen, catagen, and telogen. During the last phase, hair naturally falls out, allowing the cycle to start over again. While evidence has shown that stress has a physical effect on the body, researchers are still learning about how long-term stress affects hair follicle stem cells in particular. One recent study performed in mice found that removing a stress hormone (the equivalent of cortisol in humans) triggered rapid hair growth cycles, regardless of factors like aging. When they replaced the stress hormone, the hair cycle returned to a normal or slower growth rate. Further testing revealed that the stress hormone interfered with the production of GAS6, a molecule that activates hair follicle stem cells and hair growth. When the researchers injected the mice with a dose of GAS6, hair growth was restored in mice experiencing chronic stress. Experts say these findings are promising for future use of the GAS6 pathway to activate stem cells to promote hair growth. However, human studies are required to confirm this potential theory. The main symptom of stress-related hair loss is the hair loss itself. You may not experience other symptoms unless an underlying health condition, like iron deficiency anemia or thyroid disease, is the stressful trigger. Stress-related hair loss might appear differently for different people. You may notice symptoms like: Significant clumps of hair that fall out when shampooing or brushing Evenly distributed hair loss Hair loss that happens a few months after a stressful event or illness Hair loss that usually occurs on less than half of the scalp hair Hair loss that may seem heavier at first before gradually slowing or stopping No scarring and little inflammation on the scalp No visible changes to the hair shaft With hair loss unrelated to stress, you'd likely notice different signs—like patchier hair thinning, hair loss on a larger portion of the scalp, severe scalp inflammation, or changes to the actual hair strand. During diagnosis, a healthcare provider may order blood tests or take a scalp biopsy to determine whether your hair loss is stress-related or caused by an underlying condition. Stress-related hair loss can be reversed. Excessive hair loss usually stops when the stressor is lessened or removed, and hair returns to normal within 6-9 months. Managing your stress levels is the first step to treating stress-induced hair loss. In the meantime, you can talk to your healthcare provider about treatments to slow hair loss or promote hair growth. Stress Management Techniques Hair loss can become long-term if you don't take steps to manage or resolve the stress. It's important to find a stress management technique that works for you and your lifestyle. Experts often recommend mind-body practices to help control stress—and resulting hair loss. Common stress reduction methods include: Practice meditation Get acupuncture treatment Practice visualization Practice breathwork Get regular exercise, like walking, yoga, or tai chi Get enough sleep consistently Eat a balanced and nutritious diet Speak with a mental health professional, if needed Medical Treatments Most cases of telogen effluvium do not require medical treatment. For example, you wouldn't need any specific treatment for stress-induced hair loss triggered by childbirth. However, if you have an underlying health condition or if eliminating stress isn't immediately possible, there are some hair loss treatments to discuss with your healthcare provider. These include: Minoxidil: Your provider may recommend the topical version of this medication to help hair regrow. An oral formula is also currently being researched for its effectiveness. Supplements: If blood tests determine that your hair loss is caused by vitamin or mineral deficiencies, your provider can recommend a specialized supplement regimen to help support hair health. Topical or oral corticosteroids: Your provider may prescribe these steroid medications if inflammation is present due to an underlying health condition. A healthcare provider may also recommend switching or adjusting medications if a specific drug is causing your hair loss. It's normal to lose around 50-100 hairs daily, but if your hair is suddenly shedding more or falling out in clumps, you may want to see a healthcare provider. Other signs that may warrant a trip to your provider include: Rapid hair loss Hair loss in an unusual pattern Pain, itching, or scalp discoloration Patchy hair loss on the eyebrows or beard Acne, excessive facial hair, or menstrual cycle disruptions Weight gain, muscle weakness, fatigue, and cold intolerance During this visit, your provider may refer you to a dermatologist, a healthcare provider who specializes in treating hair, skin, and nail conditions. A stressful life event or circumstance can sometimes lead to hair loss a few months later. Once the stressor is removed or lessened, hair growth typically returns to normal. Experts recommend tactics like managing stress and medications to help support hair regrowth. Check with a healthcare provider if you notice rapid hair loss or pain and inflammation on the scalp, as these signs could indicate an underlying health condition.

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The Causes Of Anxiety

The true cause of anxiety is being a human being, gifted with the capacity to imagine a future. As a mental state of apprehension about what might, or might not, lie ahead, anxiety reflects uncertainty about future circumstances, whether regarding one's own health, job, or love life, or climate change or a downturn in the economy. It can be triggered by events in the real world—an upcoming doctor's visit, relationship conflict, a rent increase—or generated wholly internally, through thoughts of real or imagined threats (not knowing what to say when the boss calls on you in a meeting).

Occasional bouts of anxiety are entirely normal and one of the unavoidable costs of being alive; anxiety alerts us to danger, compels our attention, and urges us to make necessary preparations to protect ourselves. But sometimes worries intensify or persist, endlessly caroming through the brain without engaging problem-solving mechanisms, or overwhelming them, and impairing the ability to function. Many factors can contribute to prolonged rumination—worry, the cognitive component of anxiety— over uncertain outcomes.

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