Anxiety at Night: Why You Can’t Sleep and How to Calm a Racing Mind

August 27, 2025
Posted by Margie Crespo
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For many people, the hardest part of the day is when the world gets quiet. Instead of winding down, the mind speeds up—rehashing conversations, replaying mistakes, or worrying about tomorrow. Anxiety at night is common, and it can leave you staring at the ceiling when all you want is rest.

Hannah Powell, 22, is featured in one of TouchPoint’s case studies. She knows this struggle well. In therapy, she often used TouchPoints™ to help ground herself when her anxiety threatened to take over. She also began using them before bed and noticed a similar effect: her mind calmed down, and she felt more able to fall asleep. Her story shows what research continues to confirm—stress and sleep are closely connected, and small calming practices can make a big difference.

Why Does Anxiety Keep You Awake?

Anxiety triggers your body’s “fight or flight” response, flooding you with adrenaline and keeping your brain alert when it should be winding down. Instead of entering a restful state, your mind races with what-ifs and worries. Research shows that people with anxiety are more likely to have insomnia or disrupted sleep patterns, and poor sleep then worsens anxiety, creating a vicious cycle (NIH, 2023).

For Hannah, staying grounded during EMDR-type therapy sessions meant she could process difficult emotions without spiraling. At night, that same grounding response helped her slow racing thoughts and prepare for rest. Her experience reflects the Mindfulness and Sleep dimensions of health that TouchPoints support: calming the nervous system so both body and mind can reset.

How to Calm a Racing Mind

Breaking the anxiety-sleep cycle doesn’t require drastic measures. Small, consistent habits can signal safety to your body and encourage rest. Here are a few strategies:

Create a wind-down routine: Dim lights, avoid screens, and engage in calming activities like reading or stretching an hour before bed.
Practice mindfulness: Try deep breathing, meditation, or journaling to clear intrusive thoughts.
Use calming aids: Just as Hannah used TouchPoints before sleep, you can integrate them into your nightly routine to gently ease your nervous system out of “alert mode.”
Set boundaries with worry: Keep a notepad by your bed to jot down tomorrow’s to-dos instead of carrying them in your mind.

These practices don’t erase anxiety overnight, but they help retrain your body to recognize bedtime as a safe, restful space.

Case Study Spotlight: Hannah’s Story

As shared in her TouchPoint case study, Hannah used TouchPoints weekly during therapy to help manage anxiety and stay focused while processing difficult emotions. She noticed that even in moments of high stress, the devices helped her feel more grounded and less overwhelmed.

Outside of therapy, she also used them before bed. That simple choice created space for relaxation, helping her quiet her mind and slip into sleep more easily. Hannah’s experience shows how tools that support emotional regulation in therapy can also transform nightly routines at home.

See Hannah’s full case study here

Creating Space for Sleep

Improving sleep isn’t about perfection, it’s about consistency. Checking in with yourself, creating calm rituals, and using supportive tools can gradually reset the cycle of anxiety and sleeplessness. Hannah’s story highlights what’s possible when you address both stress and sleep together: more energy, focus, and resilience the next day.

Bringing Peace Back to Bedtime

If anxiety keeps you awake at night, you’re not alone. Simple steps—whether mindful breathing, reaching for TouchPoints, or building a gentle bedtime routine—can calm your racing mind and restore a sense of peace.

Discover how TouchPoints can help you quiet nighttime anxiety and reclaim restorative sleep.