I’ve been pretty stressed recently and will frequently wake up in the middle of the night and it feels like I am immediately deep in thoughts about what is stressing me. It feels like the thoughts are waking me up, not another external source. What is happening in my brain when this happens?
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When you’re anxious, you often go into a light sleep that you can easily wake up from. On top of that, not all parts of your brain shut down when you sleep. This means the things that stress you out might already have been in your thoughts while asleep.
Anxiety increases your “vigilance” when sleeping. If you go to sleep in a dangerous setting, it’s beneficial to easily wake up in case something might pose a threat.
There is a study that suggests half of your brain remains alert when sleeping in a new unfamiliar space. You can see how everyday anxiety can share this same mechanism.
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