The vast majority of us worry about how to get a good night’s sleep when we’re stressed – which makes us more anxious and thus affects our sleep. So how can we de-stress and get a better night’s sleep?
If you are uncomfortable in bed, upgrading to the best mattress for your sleeping style or finding a new pillow will help. But if it’s your brain that can’t settle down, that requires a different approach.
Stress is one of the most common factors for poor sleep, with one factor being study (Opens in a new tab) By the American Psychological Association, it was revealed that nearly half of adults (43 percent) believe stress has kept them up at night in the past month, while also reporting that this stress means they have less quality sleep due to stress.
Stress can affect us both mentally and physically, so it is important to recognize when we feel stressed and give our bodies enough time to relax before bed. We look at how stress affects our bodies and sleep patterns and ways we can try to reduce the effects of stress on our sleep, and ultimately our entire lives.
How can stress affect sleep?
Do you have racing thoughts while trying to fall asleep or trying to fall asleep after a stressful day? When we feel stressed, whether it is related to work, our love life, or long-term problems, it releases a hormone called cortisol, which if it continues will affect our sleep cycle.
Stress makes our brains more connected, puts our nervous system on edge, and even affects our gut. While stress can also have an effect on our breathing – making us more alert and giving us more problems when we fall asleep, constricting our airways and making us more susceptible to a sleep disorder called sleep apnea.
These effects of chronic stress may, over a certain period of time, make us find it more difficult to fall asleep, and when we eventually fall asleep we find it more difficult to achieve a kind of restorative sleep – leading to other sleep disorders such as insomnia.
Why does stress affect sleep?
“Sleep is essential to our physical and mental health, improving all aspects of our mind, body, and spirit. When we achieve consistent and good quality sleep, we have the physical and mental capacity to deal with daily challenges,” explains the sleep expert. Dr. Nerina Ramlakhan.
“While short-term stress can be stimulating and healthy, long-term stress increases the activity of our nervous system, triggers racing thoughts and can make it difficult for us to fall asleep.”
In order to fall asleep, and stay asleep for the recommended 7-9 hours per night, we must be in a relaxed state. When money, work, or emotional concerns race through our minds, it sends a signal to the brain that we need to be alert and ready for danger, not ready to relax or rest.
The pineal gland is the part of our brain that is associated with giving the rest of the body the green light to sleep – it produces the hormone melatonin that we all need to sleep. Stress weakens this gland, which means that it is difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep. So, how can we eliminate this stress before bed?
Five techniques to calm down before bed
If you find yourself getting too stressed out before bed, here are five techniques that can calm the mind and help you prepare for a good night’s sleep.
Change your thoughts
Dr. Ramelkan recommends trying to distract yourself from your thoughts and emotions. She explains, “Turning your thoughts away from the whirlwind going on in your head will calm your mind. Although easier said than done, you can try some breathing exercises and notice the things you can see, touch, hear, and feel.”
Create a sleep sanctuary
It also recommends creating a good sleeping environment. “Making sure your bedroom is dark, cool, and tech-free all helps create a sleep sanctuary. Small sleep tweaks, like this one, will increase the natural release of the hormone melatonin, making us more tired and wanting to go to sleep.”
Reduce screen time
He says cutting screen time is also vital to lower stress levels Amy Korn Reeves (Opens in a new tab)a sleep coach at BetterUp.
“Make sure you get about 30 minutes of screen-free time before bedtime. The circadian rhythm is the internal clock that regulates our sleep patterns. Exposure to bright light stimulates the ‘awake’ portion of this circadian rhythm, allowing us to feel more alert in morning and fall asleep easily at night.”
Get some light
She also suggests getting 30 minutes to two hours of light in the morning, depending on how bright the light is. This can be achieved either by daylight or by using a light therapy box.
write it out
Many people who suffer from anxiety and stress also use journaling – it’s a way to get rid of all “stressful activities” before bed. “Write everything that’s on your mind, without judging. It can include everything from ‘Today I had a frustrating meeting’ to ‘Remember to buy milk tomorrow.’ When you write it down, your mind can give up information and stop solving problems,” explains Korn. Reeves.
Meditate or try a breathing exercise
Meditation also helps induce sleep – as it slows down your mind and helps you focus on the present – during a period study (Opens in a new tab) by the National Institute of Mental Health in 2019 showed that mindfulness meditation helps induce sleep.
Breathing work is similar to meditation – and it uses your breath to calm the nervous system – to release stress and allow you to relax. If you are new to both, there are thousands of free videos on YouTube and other video sharing platforms. Apps like Calm and Headspace also have specific sleep meditations, even those focused on stress, that guide you through resetting and calming your mind before bed.
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