‘Free-Floating Anxiety’ Explains That General Sense of Restlessness and Dread

Do you often feel that things—whether in your personal life or in world affairs—aren’t going that well? Do the “Sunday scaries” hit you hard, even if you enjoy your job? Perhaps you feel nervous after a night out or overwhelmed by the stress of managing bills, laundry, taxes, and other responsibilities. If so, you might be experiencing “free-floating anxiety,” a term that describes an ongoing sense of dread, worry, or restlessness but not necessarily related to a specific event or trigger. How relatable is that?

Sigmund Freud coined the term, and statistically, it’s pretty common. It is, in fact, a symptom of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), affecting 6.8 million American adults. And rates are on the rise: over 40 percent of adults report feeling more anxious this year compared to previous years.

It’s important to note that individuals may experience free-floating anxiety without meeting all the criteria for GAD. Distinguishing between free-floating anxiety and a diagnosable anxiety condition can be tricky. Signs of generalized anxiety disorder include symptoms like excessive worry, sleep disturbances, fatigue, and ongoing irritability, which are similar to those associated with free-floating anxiety. And while the latter may not keep you from functioning, it is an experience many of us would prefer to avoid.

So where’s the line? How do we know when that dread or restlessness is just “adulting” versus a more serious mental health condition? Ahead, a therapist explains the different types of anxiety and shares tips on how to hopefully ease it.

The different kinds of anxiety

An “average” level of worry usually means thinking about a specific situation for a short period (like a max of two weeks), at a low intensity, and until the problem is resolved, according to Alejandra Galindo, LMFT, a licensed marriage and family therapist with Thriveworks in Houston who specializes in anxiety, trauma, and depression.

Galindo lists situations in which you may feel free-floating anxiety, such as the night before an important meeting, returning to work from vacation, or meeting your partner’s parents for the first time. You might feel that pang of unease leading up to a holiday with family or before a work task that tests your knowledge.

“This is very different from diagnosable anxiety conditions,” Galindo continues. She explains that these situations can lead to visceral anxiety, which may play out as physical symptoms: nausea, a faster heartbeat, sweating, dry mouth, and muscle tension. You may also struggle to get things done for days or even weeks (sorry, laundry bin) because the anxiety is so consuming.

“The important thing to look at is how long you are staying anxious for, how intense, and what your thought processes are—like telling yourself you’re a burden to others, fearing that people are going to judge you harshly, catastrophizing, etc.,” Galindo says. Those reactions indicate that you may have a more serious (yet still treatable and common) condition.

How to deal with free-floating anxiety

Free-floating anxiety may not feel like enough of a problem that you need professional help. At the same time, free-floating anxiety is a sucky feeling in and of itself, like an annoying ache that just won’t go away. Plus, it’s important to remember that you don’t need to have a full-blown condition to seek help. You can talk to a therapist for any reason.

Ongoing self-care is essential. “As with all emotions, it’s important to take care of our basic needs to help our body regulate emotions effectively,” Galindo says. “When managing ‘lowercase a’ anxiety, this is no different.” She shares several suggestions on what that can look like:

Get enough quality sleep

Sleep loss impacts us in various ways, including our mental health. A 2023 study published by the American Psychological Association found that sleep loss can undermine emotional functioning and increase the risk of anxiety symptoms. Adults should aim for at least seven hours of sleep a night, according to the Sleep Foundation. And that’s a solid seven hours on average—when there are no disruptions and you’re not running on a sleep deficit.

Stay hydrated

Consider prioritizing your water bottle or some sparkling water. The benefits can’t be ignored! Drinking water is associated with a lower prevalence of anxiety, according to one study in the World Journal of Psychiatry.

Get moving

Movement can look like stretching, deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and yoga. Relaxation techniques such as these can slow your heart rate and lessen the activity of stress hormones (aka cortisol), according to The Mayo Clinic.

“The longer you sit with stress, the more your body holds onto it,” Galindo adds.

Do some journaling

Galindo also mentions daily journaling, which you can even do on your phone. But, she adds, don’t just do a typical journal entry where you vent about things (although this may be helpful for some). “Write out your worries and then attempt to respond by writing solutions or affirmations, like you were responding to a friend,” she says.

On that note, a study in the journal JMIR Mental Health suggested that positive affect journaling—or writing about the positive aspects of yourself and your life—decreases mental distress, improves well-being, and enhances physical functioning.

When should I consider working with a therapist?

Seeing a mental health counselor may not be necessary, but Galindo shares some signs in which it could be, including:

• Your daily life and ability to focus are impaired.
• You isolate yourself from others.
• You don’t do things you normally enjoy.
• You have thoughts of self-harm or suicide (which can also include passive feelings of not wanting to be alive).
• You have a history of abuse, trauma, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which can heighten anxiety.

Open Path Collective and Psychology Today have provider databases to help you find the right therapist.

With all these recommendations, Galindo emphasizes the importance of tending to our needs when we feel a bit off. “A big part of adulting means that we have to show up for others, but we need to remember to show up for ourselves, too,” she says.

To some degree, worry and random bouts of nervousness are just a part of adulthood. Self-care can help us cope with free-floating anxiety, whether that means surviving the Sunday scaries or better handling ongoing hassles and setbacks. You should do whatever helps you manage this thing we call life.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or go to FindTreatment.gov for resources and treatment options. If you’re having thoughts of harming yourself or others, call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.