Content

• Steps

In times of fatigue, you will lack the ability to recognize and reject irrational fears. The worries you normally control are creeping in, sometimes in new forms. You may be afraid of things that you know are not real or that are less likely to happen, such as a thief breaking in. You may be frightened of the dark or afraid of being alone. Learning to recognize your fears, soothe yourself, and get a good night's sleep will help you get scared at night.

Steps

Method 1 of 4: Coping with anxiety

1. 

   Identify daytime stressors. Stress during the day can lead to anxiety and panic at night. People often feel scared at night when they are stressed out by something in real life. Track your moods and record stressful times, where and when they occur. What thoughts does that pressure come from?
   • Are you particularly stressed at work, at school or in any social situation?
   • People with post-traumatic anxiety disorder often experience fear at night, have nightmares, and sleep disturbances. If you have experienced trauma such as violence, abuse or danger, seek a therapist who specializes in treating patients with post traumatic anxiety disorder.

2. 

   
   
   Identify your fears. Whenever you feel scared at night, say that feeling. Speak out loud if you don't mind. For example, "I'm scared", or "I'm nervous", or "I'm thinking about scary things." Next, figure out what triggers that feeling. For example say, "The shadow of a tree on the wall frightens me," or "I feel scared at night because I feel lonely and worry that no one is here to protect me."

3. 

   
   
   Call my name. Talking to yourself can help calm you down and control your emotions. Calling your name instead of using "me" can greatly increase the effectiveness. Use your name to command yourself in simple and affectionate words.
   • You can say “Come on, Giang, calm down. Warm up. Pull up the blanket and close your eyes. You know it's just the wind out there, and you know it always scares you.

4. 

   
   
   Logging. Writing down your fear will help you overcome it. You can write down your fears in a "anxiety diary", or you can keep a regular diary with many events, including fears. Try writing before you go to bed, remembering to write down the things that are troubling you.

5. 

   Tell a friend or family member. You should not be alone. Talking to someone you love can help you get through, and talking about everything is also a wonderful cure. You may even find some helpful advice.

6. 

   Talk to a therapist. Nocturnal anxiety is still anxiety, and anxiety is even more difficult to deal with if it is not clearly defined. Talk about your fears to your doctor, and have your doctor refer you to a therapist. Talk to your doctor or therapist about your nighttime fear and ask for help in managing your stress. advertisement

Method 2 of 4: Create a sense of security

1. 

   Practice meditation or pray. Sitting in bed or by the bedside, take some time to delegate your worries to the world. If you pray, try mentioning your fears in your prayers. If you meditate, try not to think about anything, or say a mantra like, "I'm afraid but that fear doesn't hurt me", or "I'm safe, I'm in the house." Sit comfortably and deliberately.

2. 

   Deep breath. This can help you relax. Focus on feeling the breath in and out of the body as you breathe. Feel the parts of your body rise and fall. Pay attention to your breath and remind yourself to do so when you start worrying about other things.

3. 

   See the bed as your safe space. Instead of getting scared and getting out of bed at night, try treating your bed like an oasis. Beds are just for relaxation and sleep. If you do something in bed other than sleeping, make sure it's really relaxing. If you watch movies in bed, watch soothing movies. Action and drama movies should be saved to watch while sitting on the sofa.
   • When you get to bed, take some time to prepare your bed. Touch all the fabrics on the bed. Pat your pillows and caress your sheets. Allow yourself to be in the present moment by focusing on all the sensations you are getting.
   • Make the bed in the morning.

4. 

   Use a night light, but let the lights dim. You can use a light when you sleep if you are afraid of the dark. Light disturbs your sleep, so choose a night light that turns off automatically. If you're afraid of waking up suddenly in the dark, let the lights dim, or try leaving the lights on in the hallway instead of in the room.

5. 

   Find a comforting feeling. Feeling lonely at night can be one of the biggest triggers. You can get around this by opening the door for someone else to enter the room. If you have other people living in the house, keep your bedroom door open at night. If you live alone, hang up photos of loved ones and talk on the phone at night. If there is someone you truly trust, such as a parent, sibling, or best friend, ask them to call you at the same time every night.
   • You can also feel more secure when you sleep around your pet. Many dogs and cats love to sleep in bed with their owners. You may find that having a pet in your home can help you feel less alone.
   • Sleep with a stuffed animal, a beloved blanket, or an object reminiscent of someone you love.
   • Wear soft, comfortable pajamas.
   • Decorate your bedroom with things you love to see, and eliminate anything that might scare you at night.
   advertisement

Method 3 of 4: Fall asleep and get deep sleep

1. 

   Create a regular sleep routine. Going to bed in a routine will teach your body to sleep and also train your body to relax.Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day. Brush your teeth, use the bathroom and do everything else in the same order every night.

2. 

   Prevent nightmares. Maybe your fear stems from nightmares that make everything related to darkness and sleep seem scary. To prevent nightmares, make sure you get a long, deep sleep. Adults should get seven to eight hours of sleep each night. Children and teenagers need 9-11 hours of sleep.
   • Do not take naps during the day. Babies and toddlers need about 3 hours of sleep during the day, but napping will affect nighttime sleep in adults, teenagers, and older children.
   • Go to the bathroom before going to bed. A full bladder can cause nightmares.
   • Avoid eating or drinking alcohol or caffeine near bedtime. These can interfere with your sleep and cause nightmares.

3. 

   Take a hot shower 1-2 hours before bed. A hot bath will warm your body, making you feel comfortable. Your body temperature will gradually drop as you step out of the tub. A drop in body temperature will help you fall asleep. Keep cool. Do not cover more blankets than necessary. Sleep can be disturbed if the temperature becomes too hot.

4. 

   Keep your body active. Exercise is beneficial for sleep and also helps reduce stress. Both of these help keep you from being scared at night. Go for a walk or bike ride during the day. Don't exercise right before bedtime as it will keep you energized and make it difficult to fall asleep. advertisement

Method 4 of 4: Tips for kids

1. 

   Go to bed at the same time every night. Sleep 9-11 hours each night. If you get enough sleep and get to bed on time, you will be more likely to fall asleep.

2. 

   Request to be put to bed. No one is too old to be put to bed. Going to bed alone can make you feel lonely, and feeling lonely can frighten you. Ask a parent or caregiver to sit with you and wish you a good night. Ask parents to read a story, sing a lullaby or just say a few sentences with you.
   • Have a good night hug.

3. 

   Do the same things every night. The sleeping sequence will help you relax. Try to get ready for sleep and do the things you enjoy in the same order each night. You can brush your teeth, take a shower, read a few pages before you fall asleep.

4. 

   Don't watch horror movies. Horror movies, violent video games, and thriller can scare you at night. That is the purpose of people! You need to get rid of those scary things so that you don't get scared at night. Never watch horror movies or play violent games at night.

5. 

   Visualize a peaceful scene. When you go to bed, close your eyes and imagine a beautiful place. It could be your real affection, like a tree house or a beach. It could also be an imaginary place like a castle or a magical forest. Visualize as much detail as possible.

6. 

   Tell yourself that nightmares are not real. When your fear arises, tell yourself it was just a fear. Say, "It's not a ghost, it's just my fear." Or, "I'm scared, but nothing will hurt me." Remind yourself to think about beautiful scenes instead of scary things.
   • If you are thinking about scary real-life events, such as the death of loved ones, say, “I'm anxious at night, but that doesn't mean the night is dangerous. . "

7. 

   Prepare a warm bed. Make your bed comfortable, with soft, clean sheets and warm blankets. Put your precious stuffed animals and a dear blanket in the bed to cuddle. You can leave the lights in the hallway or in your room if you want. Choose a light that turns off automatically after a while, so its light won't disturb your sleep.
   • Stay in bed when you feel scared. If you need help cry out. Staying in bed will help you learn that your bed is a safe place.

8. 

   Talk about your fears. You have nothing to be ashamed of because of the fear of the night. Fear can come to anyone. Even adults need some sleep. You can tell your family and friends when you are scared. When a nightmare wakes you up, you can give someone a hug before you go back to bed.
   • When you wake up from a nightmare, you may feel better and fall asleep again. Tell your parents about this next morning.
   advertisement