How Anxiety Disrupts Sleep in Primary-Aged Children - and Why a Holistic Approach Matters

In recent years, we have become increasingly aware of how deeply anxiety can affect primary school–aged children - not only emotionally, but physically too.  One of the most immediate and often overlooked consequences of childhood anxiety is its impact on sleep.  Good quality rest is essential for a child’s development, yet anxiety can significantly disrupt sleep, creating a vicious cycle that can affect every area of their wellbeing.

This article focuses on just one important piece of a much bigger picture, how anxiety interferes with sleep.  In practice, improving sleep is part of a wider, step-by-step process that supports a child’s nervous system, emotional safety, and day-to-day resilience.

How anxiety impacts sleep

While not every child who experiences anxiety will struggle with sleep, many do. Difficulties may include resisting bedtime, taking a long time to fall asleep, waking frequently during the night, waking very early, experiencing nightmares, needing a parent present to fall asleep, or developing physical symptoms such as stomach aches that delay sleep onset.

Ongoing sleep disruption can significantly affect a child’s mood, behaviour, memory, concentration, and emotional regulation - all of which are crucial for learning, confidence, and healthy development in the primary school years.

The biochemical causes behind sleep disruption

Thankfully, the days of dismissing anxiety with a ‘just get over it’ approach are increasingly behind us.  As our understanding of childhood anxiety continues to grow, so too does recognition of the need for sensitive, compassionate, and holistic support.

From a biochemical perspective, anxiety keeps the brain in a state of hyperarousal.  Even when a child appears outwardly calm, their nervous system may remain on high alert, making it difficult to transition into the deep, restorative stages of sleep.

When a child feels anxious or under stress, the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis is activated, prompting the release of stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline.  While helpful in short bursts, prolonged elevation can disrupt sleep. Cortisol is designed to fall in the evening to allow melatonin - the hormone that signals sleep - to rise.  In anxious children, however, cortisol may remain elevated into the evening, suppressing melatonin and making it much harder to settle and stay asleep.

If you’re reading this and recognising your own child, you’re not imagining things and you’re certainly not alone. Many of the families I work with come to me after months (or even years) of broken nights, rising stress, and feeling unsure where to turn.  If you’d like, you’re warmly invited to book a free, no-pressure discovery call where we can explore what might be driving your child’s sleep difficulties and whether personalised support could be helpful for your family.

Why a holistic approach is essential

Sleep challenges in anxious children are rarely isolated issues.  A child who struggles to fall or stay asleep is often also navigating school pressures, social stressors, emotional overload, or difficulties with transitions.  These experiences continually activate the body’s stress response, leaving the nervous system stuck in a heightened state of alertness.

Because what happens during the day profoundly affects how a child sleeps at night, supporting sleep means looking beyond bedtime routines alone.

While every child is unique, there are common areas that are often explored within a holistic support approach:

• Emotional support - creating regular, safe opportunities for children to express worries through play, conversation, or creative outlets, helping to reduce internal stress.

• Behavioural strategies - implementing personalised bedtime routines, relaxation techniques, and gentle methods that encourage independence and healthy sleep habits.

• Nutritional and physical wellbeing - supporting balanced nutrition, hydration, and regular movement to help regulate stress and promote healthier sleep patterns.

• Parental support and collaboration - helping parents understand how anxiety shows up in their child and how to respond in calm, compassionate ways that strengthen emotional safety.

• Professional guidance - offering tailored strategies and support that consider a child’s individual needs, family circumstances, and school environment.

Who would benefit most from personalised support?

A consultation is particularly helpful if:

• Your child regularly resists bedtime, wakes frequently, or cannot sleep independently.

• Anxiety, worries, school stress, or emotional overload escalate in the evenings.

• You feel you have “tried everything” but nothing has led to lasting improvement.

• You would like guidance that looks beyond routines and addresses emotional, behavioural, and physiological factors.

• You are seeking a calm, step-by-step plan that is tailored to your child and family life.

Rather than offering one-size-fits-all advice, personalised support helps uncover what is truly driving a child’s sleep challenges and creates a plan that supports both calmer nights and smoother days.

How I support families

With a background in both teaching and sleep consultancy, I bring a deeply informed and compassionate perspective to family support.  My classroom experience has shown me first-hand how anxiety can impact behaviour, learning, and emotional resilience throughout the school day.  Combined with my expertise in sleep support, this allows me to look beyond bedtime routines and address the wider context of a child’s life.

By working together, families are supported to build practical, evidence-based strategies that improve sleep, strengthen emotional security, and make day-to-day life feel calmer and more manageable.

Take the next step

If your child’s anxiety is affecting their sleep, you don’t need to navigate this alone. Sleep challenges are rarely 'just about sleep', they are often a sign that a child’s nervous system needs deeper, more holistic support.

You’re warmly invited to book a free discovery call where we can talk through what’s been happening for your child, explore what support might look like, and let you decide whether working together feels right for your family.

Calmer nights and easier days are possible and support is here when you’re ready.