Do you suffer from 'middle of the night' anxiety?

Blame this on a deadly cocktail looming work deadlines, relationship woes or just an offshoot of busy life in a metro, but a large section of Mumbaikars are grappling with what is called Catastrophising or `Middle of the Night Anxiety'.Not to be confused with insomnia (though it is a cause of it), this is about a cycle of worrisome thoughts that break into sleep, and jolts you awake, leaving you dizzy , upset, frustrated and often in a cold sweat.

Too many triggers

An individual sleeps in cycles of 90-120 minutes and while most people may get up in between these cycles, change their position and go back to sleep, others get up fully awake and experience a sense of worry and dread. And this can happen to anyone. Says Dr Prasad Karnik, technical director at Mumbai's International Institute of Sleep Sciences (IISS). "This middle-of-the-night anxiety happens due to a mix of reasons -delayed sleep and wrong eating habits owing to a poor lifestyle, escalating worries, even an onset of menopause -are all factors that can disturb a person at night. We find cases of this is on the rise in the city , even among school-going kids."

These are irrational fears

Most of the fear people experience at this time is unexplained, states psychologist Dr Seema Hingorrany. "It may be a thought about a presentation for the next day or even a simple task, but the worries get magnified at night, especially for those who get hyper aroused easily. Most often, these are irrational fears that emanate from our own negative beliefs and even kids can develop such anxiety disorders. It is worse for those who are `closed' and can't express their emotions; they must write down their feelings or share it with someone," she says, adding, "It's also important to deal with this. "Over time, if unchecked these attacks grow worse. But there are several things you can do to help prevent worrying at night. Try meditation, reading a book and avoid movies or games that are aggressive, just before bedtime."

Ways to deal with nocturnal panic attacks

Work with the nocturnal panic attack, instead of against it.

Pick a simple transitional activity; it could be any task, even deep breathing.

Put a few drops of lavender oil on your pillow.

Sip on a night-time tea such as chamomile.

Play soft music, which can lower blood pressure and relax the mind.

Try moderate-intensity exercise, which boosts the length of sleep.

Ill-effects of disturbed sleep

Irritability

Acid reflux

Poor work output

Increased risk of obesity and heart disease

Occurrence of Type 2 diabetes

5 good key benefits of a night's sleep

More focus:

Sleep impacts judgment; when the brain is rested one is able to concentrate better and assess problems in a sharper manner.

A stronger you:

Lack of sleep hampers the functioning of the immune system and makes one vulnerable to infections, so ensure that you sleep for the prescribed number of hours.

You're in a better mood:

Tiredness makes people irritable, so get enough shuteye to be happier.

Good for memory:

Sound sleep reduces stress, which in turn increases memory.

Healthier appetite:

Enough sleep also keeps the digestive system functioning well.
How much is enough?
Health organisations recommend getting six to eight hours sleep per night.