 Have you ever been kept up at night because of your worries? According to the National Institute of Mental Health, anxiety has affected over 40 million people around the world. However, while you may associate anxiety with constant nail biting or difficulty breathing, it's not always the case. Some symptoms are harder to spot and more prevalent than you realize. So how do we get a better picture of what anxiety looks like for a lot of people? You stick around. Here are seven habits caused by anxiety. Number one, overplanning and micromanaging. Do you like to plan out your day down to the minute or make multiple to-do lists to keep track of everything? While being organized is a positive trait, doing it in excess can be somewhat of a red flag. People struggling with a lot of anxiety are often guilty of overplanning and micromanaging everything in their lives because it gives them a sense of control. They wanna stay on top of things all the time so they won't have to worry about all the things that could go wrong. Number two, being restless and fidgeting. Do you have a nervous tick like biting your nails or playing with your hair? Perhaps you tap your leg, chew on your pens or just can't sit still most of the time. Little habits like these are called nervous ticks for a reason. You may do them most of the time because you're unconsciously trying to regulate your emotions and alleviate your anxiety. Number three, asking everyone's opinions. Another habit you might have because of your anxiety is indecisiveness. Perhaps you tend to ask everyone's opinion all the time or can't make up your mind because you worry about making the wrong choice. In this case, your anxiety is making you doubt your judgment and it eats away the idea that things can all work out for the best in the end. For this reason, you may constantly turn to other people for help to tell you what you should do. Even if it's something as simple and inconsequential as where you should eat or what you should say in a text. Number four, avoiding certain situations. The American Psychological Association defines anxiety as a future-oriented fear that leads people to avoid certain situations that may trigger or worsen their distress. So it's not surprising then that if you're dealing with a lot of anxiety, you will have a habit of avoiding certain situations that might make it worse. But everybody's triggers look different. For some, it might be loud and busy parties or big networking events. While for others, it might be something as simple as going out and talking to friends. Number five, avoiding eye contact. It's pretty common knowledge that people who feel nervous or anxious have trouble making or maintaining eye contact. You may dart your eyes around the room or look at the ground while someone is talking. Since maintaining direct eye contact can feel too aggressive, confrontational or vulnerable. So if you're guilty of doing this a lot, even with your closest friends and family members, then it's probably because of anxiety. Number six, having trouble sleeping. One of the most common but overlooked manifestations of anxiety is difficulty sleeping or staying asleep. And while it may not be as serious as a full-blown case of insomnia, many studies have shown that anxiety strongly and negatively impacts the quality and quantity of your sleep. Most people struggling with this tend to be up at night stressing about the day to come or overthinking the things that happened that day. So if you find you often sleep only a few hours a day or you tend to wake up in the middle of the night, then this might be the reason why. And number seven, having weird dreams. Speaking of sleep, another way your anxiety might already affect your life without you even realizing is through your dreams. Do you often have confusing dreams or recurring nightmares? Have you ever tried looking into the meaning or interpretation of these dreams? Chances are if you did, you may have come to realize that you're dealing with a lot more stress or anxiety than you thought. And though you might be subconsciously repressing it, it has still managed to find a way to resurface in your dreams. So has this list made you realize how anxiety might have a bigger impact on your life than you realized? If you're struggling with your mental health, please don't hesitate to reach out to a mental health care professional today and seek help. If you found this video helpful, be sure to like, subscribe, and share this video with those who might benefit from it. And don't forget to hit the notification bell icon to get notified whenever Psych2Go posts a new video. The references and studies used in this video, as always, are added in the description below. Thanks for watching and see you in the next one.