Symptoms of anxiety and sleep problems

Feeling worried, anxious, or nervous is a normal part of everyday life. Everyone frets or feels anxious from time to time. However, anxiety that is overwhelming and interferes with daily life is not normal. When you are anxious, you may have both physical and emotional symptoms.

Physical symptoms of anxiety include:

• Difficulty sleeping or a change in your sleep pattern.
• Trembling, twitching, or shaking.
• Muscle tension, aches, or soreness.
• Restlessness or fatigue.
• Breathlessness or rapid heartbeat.
• Sweating or cold, clammy hands.
• Nausea, vomiting, or an upset stomach.
• Headaches.

Emotional symptoms of anxiety include:

• Feeling keyed up and on edge.
• Excessive worrying or fearing that something bad is going to happen.
• Inability to concentrate, to remember, or to make decisions.
• Excessive startle response, irritability, or agitation.
• Constant sadness.

If you are having ongoing sleep problems, consider whether you may be more anxious than normal. If feelings of anxiety are causing your sleep problems, work with your health professional to develop a plan to decrease your anxiety and promote sleep.