The Cut talked to six sleep experts who say it’s possible to stop worrying yourself awake.
“When individuals begin to feel anxious or worried about something during the daytime, they can engage in coping strategies to help distract their attention from these worries, such as calling a friend to talk on phone or turning on their favorite TV show. However, once the distractions of the day are pushed aside, rumination and worries often come to the surface. At night, engaging in some of these coping strategies to distract from the worry may actually cause more difficulty falling asleep because they may be too stimulating. Difficulty falling asleep may unleash its own set of worries and fuel the cycle of anxiety and insomnia.
