If you struggle with racing thoughts at night, you’re not alone. Anxiety and insomnia are closely linked, and one often makes the other worse.

How Anxiety Disrupts Sleep

When anxiety is high, the brain stays in “alert mode.” Instead of winding down, your mind replays worries about tomorrow or fixates on what you can’t control.

The harder you try to force sleep, the more awake you feel. Over time, your bed becomes a place of stress — not rest.

How CBT-I Breaks the Cycle

CBT-I helps by targeting both the body and the mind:

• Cognitive tools calm racing thoughts and reduce sleep-related worry.

• Behavioral tools reset your sleep drive and reestablish a strong connection between bed and sleep.

This combination reduces anxiety at night and retrains your body to fall asleep naturally.

What to Expect

Most people notice that CBT-I changes their relationship with sleep. Instead of dreading bedtime, you begin to feel confident again. With consistent practice, your body remembers how to sleep without effort.

The Takeaway

Anxiety and insomnia often go hand in hand, but CBT-I provides practical, evidence-based tools to restore sleep.

This post is part of my CBT-I video series. Next up: Menopause and Sleep: How CBT-I Can Help.

If you’re ready to see how CBT-I can help with your anxiety and sleep, book a free consultation.