Sleep Disorders
Sleep disturbance and anxiety are related to each other as a symptom and effect of each other. Day long anxiety comes at night with ruminations, and hence, the disruption of normal sleep cycle ensues. The patients may complain of difficulty in falling asleep due to the preoccupation of the mind with the anxious thoughts. Otherwise, the patient may have a hard time in maintaining sleep throughout the night. Studies indicate that there is a decrease in the REM phase of sleep, which is indicative of the impact on the deep sleep. A disrupted sleep can further trigger anxiety in a non-rested mind. Nightmares are another challenge encountered in this aspect. Nightmares can be explained as a predisposition of the mind towards negative thought process, even during the sleep.