What to do if you can't sleep because of fear?

If we were to conduct a small survey now to ask what is the most painful thing but not a serious illness, I think many people would say toothache and insomnia. After working hard all day, you should have a good rest at night, but I just toss and turn in bed and can’t fall asleep. Sometimes I think about a lot of things and often wake up in the middle of the night. Many people suffer from insomnia due to fear. What should I do?

Early trauma is often the cause of fear, and phobia patients can be treated through systematic desensitization therapy. Some home remedies can also help.

Family treatment measures

Desensitization therapy

Avoiding fear will prevent you from overcoming it. On the contrary, when you gradually expose yourself to the things you fear and learn to face them, you will find that the things you fear have not really happened, and you will gradually eliminate your fear of them. For example, if you are afraid of spiders, in this desensitization therapy training, you will start to face your fear. You learn to accept spiders in photos, usually in the company of others. Once you're comfortable with this, try seeing dead spiders, then live ones, and you can even learn to catch spiders with your hands. You may still feel some fear every time, but when you know that what you are worried about has not happened, you will gradually get used to it. By the same token, this method can also be used to treat fear of public places.

Distracting attention

When you are attacked by fear, you might as well do some psychological exercises to distract yourself. You might do mental arithmetic, read, recite, or breathe deeply. When you engage in these activities, you can reduce fearful thoughts and images. Your body will calm down and not spin out of control.

Measuring fear

Rank your fear level on a scale of ten. You will find that your fear level is not constant, but fluctuates, sometimes high and sometimes low. Keep track of thoughts and activities that increase or decrease your fear. Understanding these triggers will help you control your fear.

Gradually overcome

Trying to overcome fear step by step is more practical and feasible than completely eliminating fear. Through desensitization therapy training, self-confidence can be gradually built up and the out-of-control situation can be improved.

Multi-Activity

When fear strikes, your body secretes an excess of adrenaline, and when you move, you consume that adrenaline. Therefore, when you feel scared, don't sit still, but get up and walk around to consume the adrenaline.

If you can't walk, try contracting and relaxing your muscles. Contract your thigh muscles and then quickly relax. This tightening and relaxing of muscle movements also consumes adrenaline.

Don't drink coffee. It will make you too excited and further deepen the fear in your brain. Don't drink tea or Coke, it's the same principle. Don't drink alcohol. You may think that drinking will make people forget their fear and fall asleep faster. In fact, it is just the opposite. It only masks your fear. When you sober up, you will still be afraid. It is only treating the symptoms and not the root cause.