The 3 AM Survival Guide: How I’m Managing Anxiety
Struggling with 3 AM anxiety? Discover how I use a "deserted island" survival strategy, the power of externalizing thoughts, and the importance of stillness to turn overwhelming stress into an actionable plan.
Lately, I’ve been waking up at 3 AM, feeling that familiar, heavy weight of anxiety. It’s that nagging, obsessive sense that I’m missing something, or that the future is uncertain and things just aren't going to go well. I’ve realized that anxiety is often just fear—sometimes deep, unprocessed fear—masquerading as a problem I need to solve right now.
I’ve started changing how I handle these moments. Instead of letting the thoughts spiral, I say them out loud: "This is a thought." It creates immediate separation. The thought isn't me; it’s just something I’m experiencing. Once I name it, I write it down. Anxiety thrives when a plan is unclear or unbelievable, so writing it down is the first step toward clarity.
The Deserted Island Strategy
To get perspective, I’ve been using a mental metaphor: What if I were stranded on a deserted island? I wouldn't just sit there and panic. I would need a survival plan. I’d need to find shelter, locate a source of fresh water, and get to higher ground for visibility. I’d need to identify a food source and prioritize these tasks based on my current resources.
The key is that I would make this plan when I’m fresh and rested. Once the plan is set, I have to trust it. I can't keep rewriting the plan every time I feel a wave of fear. I need to execute, learn, and adapt as I go. Movement is life. I don't need to know everything before I start; I just need to start moving and trust that I’ll figure out the details along the way.
Finding Stillness and Grace
I’m also learning that I need to give myself grace. Sometimes, the best move isn't to rush into action, but to sit still for 15 minutes, pray, and reflect. It’s about practicing gratitude and grounding myself before I take that next step. It changes the direction I head in and, more importantly, it changes the way I start the journey.
It’s easy to forget the "miracles" in our lives—I sometimes think a miracle has a shelf life of about seven days before I’m back to worrying that I’m being punished or forgotten. But by externalizing my thoughts, sticking to a clear plan, and prioritizing stillness, I’m finding a way to move forward, even when the stress is high.
It's amazing how quickly we revert to worry. Truth is, we've probably been here before, or experienced something like it, and have what we need to at least take the first step. Even if that's just making the plan and moving.
What about you? What do you do at 3 AM to get back to sleep?
If you're having a hard time, call me. I'm probably awake ;)
