Are you having trouble sleeping?

Are you having trouble sleeping?

I hear from many that they’re struggling with falling asleep or staying asleep. Others say their sleep is not restful and they feel tired all the time. Is this you? Well, sleep disturbance can be a symptom of anxiety, which may have developed or increased during this time of COVID-19 and social distancing. So what can you do? You may have had an irregular sleep schedule doing this time and your brain might be confused as to when it is supposed to sleep. When a person has a regular sleep schedule, they tend to fall asleep easier and have better quality sleep overall. So you could try to retrain your brain 🧠 back to a regular sleep schedule.

But how do I know if my sleep disturbance is connected to anxiety you ask? Anxiety has many symptoms. It can look different for different people. See if the following symptoms might fit you. Are you also experiencing Restlessness, Feeling keyed up or on edge, Being easily fatigued, Difficulty concentrating or mind going blank, Irritability, or Muscle tension? Maybe you are constantly worrying about yourself or a loved one getting the coronavirus, or about whether or not you have been cleaning enough or about the whole social distancing thing. Are you finding it difficult to control your worry? Also, are you noticing the anxiety spilling over into your relationships with your loved ones at home? (By the way this is not uncommon, with everyone being cramped into small quarters during the social isolation.) Or are you noticing the anxiety hindering you from being productive at work or notice it affect any other area in your life? If you answered yes to a couple of these it might be a good idea for you to get some counseling.

We are all experiencing some degree of difficult emotions during this time of Covid 19 and social isolation. But leaving anxiety unchecked, it can get worse and even become depression. Also, if you are feeling alone during this time of social isolation it could help to connect and talk to a counselor. You can book your appointment on my website by clicking the book now button below. Not sure if counseling is right for you? I also offer a free phone consultation. You’re not alone. Let’s Talk!

No insurance? No problem. If you are struggling financially, I can offer lower fee rates through a program called Open Path Collective. Or, if there’s anyone in your household who qualifies for an employee assistance program (EAP), you might be able to get some counseling sessions through that. The employee connected to the EAP has to contact the EAP and request sessions for you. If you want to see me for counseling and I happen to not be on that particular EAP, let me know and I can contact the EAP to see if a one time contract is available.

~ Petra

www.petracounseling.com