There is a possible connection between insomnia and anxiety. Events that induce excitement or stress bring animals into a vigilante state, which inhibits sleep. The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) is an extension of the amygdala, a key part of stress response. A group of researchers at the International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine found that when the BNST are excited during non-REM sleep in mice, it resulted in an immediate state of wakefulness.
Read more: The secret connection between anxiety, sleep