The Link Between Anxiety and Insomnia and How to Break it (Essay Sample)

THE LINK BETWEEN ANXIETY AND INSOMNIA AND HOW TO BREAK IT
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Abstract
Current literature suggests that most young adults report frequent and high levels of insomnia. However, there is limited research on how insomnia among young adults may be related to their mental wellbeing. This study filled this gap by investigating the link between anxiety and insomnia among young adults, and how the link can be broken. The study involved a systematic review of quantitative studies published between 2010 and 2022. The researcher conducted the literature search and chose eight relevant articles from the British Medical Journal (BMI), National Library of Medicine, National Centre for Biotechnology Information, National Institutes of Health, ProQuest and Google Scholar. The findings demonstrate a bi-directional relationship between anxiety and insomnia, whereby high levels of anxiety predict frequent insomnia and vice versa. The bi-directionality of the relationship between anxiety and insomnia was predicted by social, personal, genetic and environmental factors. This study proposed the introduction of CBT for insomnia to increase the quality of sleep among young adults. Although healthy sleep patterns or routines may effectively reduce anxiety and insomnia, it was insufficient for young adults with clinically significant levels of the conditions. The study findings increase mental health practitioners’ and young adults’ knowledge of the factors that may trigger high anxiety and insomnia levels since adolescence. However, there is a need for further research following the introduction and evaluation of CBT for insomnia in primary healthcare settings.
Keywords: anxiety, mental health, young adults, insomnia, delayed sleep onset, anxiety disorders and sleep
The Link Between Anxiety and Insomnia and How to Break It
Introduction
Overview
Healthy sleep involves adequate sleep at appropriate times and with minimal or no disturbance (Paruthi et al., 2016). According to Crowley et al. (2018), the psychological, social and biological factors in the adolescent and young adult stage make sleep vulnerable to young adults. Research by Hagenauer and Lee (2013) shows that the developmental stage experienced by young adults involves two bioregulatory sleep phases. The first phase involves more extended periods to develop sleep homeostatic pressure in young adults compared to children and adolescents, leading to higher levels of biological alertness in early mornings and late evenings (Hagenauer and Lee, 2013).