Is it normal to cry yourself to sleep

Episodes of parasomnia can occur at any time during the sleep cycle. They tend to run in families, so there may be a genetic cause. Stress and anxiety can affect a child or adult in many ways, including sleep-crying and mood changes. A baby with a breathing disorder such as asthma or acid reflux that causes heartburn may wake up crying out of physical discomfort. Adults may be less likely to wake up crying due to pain or discomfort.

But a condition like chronic back pain or cancer can become so severe that you wake up crying. Certain eye conditions, such as conjunctivitis or allergies , can make your eyes water while you sleep.

Mood disorders, such as anxiety and depression, tend to be the biggest reason adults wake up crying. Examine your recent feelings and behaviors and look for changes that could signal a mood disorder. Ask your friends or loved ones if they have noticed any changes related to mood or behavior. When sleep-crying occurs in older adults, the cause may have more to do with dementia than a mood disorder. However, it could be a combination of factors.

Older adults can be more easily overwhelmed by change or emotional stress, so they may cry at night. Also, physical ailments, such as arthritis or other age-related conditions, may cause so much pain that tears are the result. If you or an older loved one experiences sleep-crying on a somewhat regular basis, talk with a doctor.

A physical or emotional condition may be contributing to this new behavior. If your baby wakes up crying frequently, tell their pediatrician. If sleep stage transitions are to blame, helping your little one fall asleep on their own may make them less likely to have trouble during the night. If the problem is a physical ailment, effectively treating it should make the tears go away. Older children and adults also should be evaluated for medical conditions or psychological problems if they wake up crying.

These people may benefit from seeing a sleep specialist. Nightmares and parasomnia are sleep disorders that can be treated. If you believe that grief is causing your tears, consider seeing a counselor to share your feelings. Think about how you felt when you cried. You probably felt much better after releasing all the tension and tears. That is the experience of catharsis. People cry themselves to sleep because crying is a self-soothing behavior.

Crying is meant to soothe you from the thoughts and feelings lying heavily on your mind. It depends on who you are. Wanting to cry alone can mean that you want to take on your emotional challenge by yourself. It can be a sign of strength. This is why you randomly remember embarrassing moments, mistakes, or other sad memories. Lying down in bed at night adds another factor: our brains are idle.

Crying shows distress and vulnerability. From an evolutionary standpoint , children cry so the adults can tell that the child needs help. But these cries can also alert natural predators. But it can also open you to judgment or other adverse reactions from others. Going home and locking yourself in the room allows you privacy. Some people feel better after crying because of the support they got from the people around them.

For example, if you let your best friend see you cry, they can comfort you by being a shoulder to cry on. They could also help you think of things you can do together to get your mind off things.

Crying is rooted in emotions — the reason starts with overwhelming emotions, and the end goal is to make you feel better. With that, crying yourself to sleep is a good thing because it allows you to express emotions without holding back.

It soothes your mind and your body from the stress and tension built up in it. Crying can be exhausting for the body because of all the things going on at the same time. Thus, several parts of your body work to go back to the calm balance.

What happens in the body when you cry? These are created by your lacrimal glands , which settle comfortably above each of your eyes. You can also consider deep breathing exercises. Another thing you can do is engage in things that soothed you when you were younger. Watching cartoon shows that you loved or reading your favorite book could be one way to help yourself calm down. It is a way for your body to tell you that you need to pay attention to what you are feeling.

When a person is crying it signifies distress of being overwhelmed with something; it could be work, academics, social situations, and even their own sense of self. When you acknowledge it, it becomes manageable. When you acknowledge it it also becomes identifiable. Identifying your emotions can also help you understand where it is coming from and hence make the necessary changes that can help cope.

Tell someone how you feel. Maybe a friend or family. Maybe look for support groups. A problem shared is a problem halved. Counselling or therapy helps some people to explore their emotions, particularly if there are some big things causing the tears.

If one therapist does not work for you, consider seeing someone else or other forms of therapy. There are also creative forms of therapy such as dramatherapy, art therapy and music therapy. Group therapy is also an effective strategy as it allows people to understand that they are not alone and also allows others to gain new perspectives of their problems and various possible solutions. Participating in an activity that you enjoy, such as writing, playing an instrument, drawing, or painting, and meditation or prayer, can help create positive thoughts.

It can even be something as simple as calling a friend to try and brainstorm a solution. Focus on the choices you have and the pros in your life as opposed to the cons. This kind of optimistic mindset can help you come up with solutions to things that you are struggling with. If you are struggling with depression or anxiety it is possible that you are dealing with low self-esteem. Thoughts about your incapabilities are thoughts that are often irrational and stem from the belief that you are not good enough.

It is best that you challenge these thoughts by putting these thoughts against evidence of victories that you have gained throughout your life. If you think you do not have any notable victories, think of ways you can start now. It is never too late to start a new hobby, picking up that musical instrument you used to play, or taking a night or online class in a subject that fascinates you. Rest is very important if you are experiencing mental and emotional distress.

Set yourself up for sleep success as much as you can. Set a schedule and a limit to your on-screen activities and keep your room dark. Turn off screens at least two hours before bed to help maximize your sleep time. Make it a point to do things that relax you and soothe you an hour before sleeping, this could be taking a relaxing bath or listening to soothing songs.

In this article, we have discussed some reasons why you might be crying yourself to sleep and what you can do to cope.