The Link Between Stress and Sleep

Stress and sleep explained

Stress and anxiety often lead to insomnia and other sleep problems¹. However, it’s a bit of a vicious cycle, as a lack of quality sleep can cause stress.

Despite this, there are benefits to this reciprocal relationship, as when you improve one – you can often improve the other.

Why does stress impact sleep?

Stress and sleep have an unhealthy relationship because stress can cause the autonomic nervous system (ANS) to release hormones². This includes adrenaline and the stress hormone cortisol. This can have a number of impacts on the body that make it difficult to drift off, including:

Raised heart rate
More blood circulated to vital organs and muscles
The ‘fight or flight’ response, which prepares the body to take immediate action if necessary
Heightened state of arousal
Continued alertness
Rapid, anxious thoughts

Feeling stressed every now and again is perfectly normal. However, chronic feelings of stress will lead to sleep deprivation, which can have many negative consequences on both physical and mental health.

Why is sleep good for stress?

So, does sleep help stress? Truthfully, yes, it does – though it can be easier said than done to get the necessary amount on a regular basis.

Most adults need between 6 to 9 hours a night³, every night. Reminder: this should be quality sleep. This is where (ideally) you wake up no more than once in the night and fall asleep within 30 minutes⁴.

Sleep is a powerful stress diffuser for a number of reasons:

A regular routine calms the body
Strengthens immune system
Improves concentration
Sharpens judgement
Regulates mood
Makes you a better problem solver
Improves decision making⁵

When we don’t get enough sleep, we impair a necessary human function that allows us to recharge and our bodies to rest. Sleep is also vital for things like memory consolidation and muscle repair⁶.

How to sleep when stressed and anxious

While more of us need to make sleep a priority, for some, drifting off at night simply isn’t that easy. So, how can you lower stress levels before bed, to improve both the quality and duration of sleep?

Exercise

Regular exercise is a powerful tool when it comes to improving both physical and mental health, as well as general wellbeing. Those who exercise, on average, tend to sleep for longer.

However, it’s important you don’t carry out any high-intensity exercise just before bed, as you’ll stimulate your nervous system and heart rate too much⁷. Give your body at least an hour to wind down.

Stick to a schedule

Try going to bed and waking up at the same time every day (even on weekends)⁸. Set an alarm to regulate your sleep schedule and circadian rhythm, helping to form healthy patterns.

A routine, or ‘bedtime’ isn’t just for children, but can be beneficial for adults who aren’t getting enough sleep at night.

Meditate

Practicing mindfulness and meditation before bed can be a stress reliever and will help to relax your body. In fact, meditation has a number of health benefits, not just for mental wellbeing. However, studies show it can improve stress-related outcomes in diverse adults, including depression and anxiety⁹.

Try meditating 10-30 minutes before bed, rather than looking at a screen.

Seek support

It can be hard to deal with the problem if you don’t know what you’re up against. Try and pinpoint the source of stress so you can manage it accordingly. You can then seek the necessary support from friends and family (or professionals) if needed.

Even if the source of stress isn’t obvious, such as bereavement, it may well be there, and impacting your sleep. Try and locate the source, looking at all aspects of your life.

Make necessary lifestyle changes

If you can’t identify the source of stress, maybe zoom out and look at the bigger picture. There are many different elements that could be causing a lack of sleep and therefore contributing to (or causing) stress.

Making changes to your habits and lifestyle can make a huge difference. This includes:

Reducing alcohol intake
Avoiding caffeine after 3pm
Eating a healthy diet
Creating a healthy sleep environment
Avoiding working too late, or working in bed
Switching off electrics an hour before bed

Know when to get up

Lying there trying to force your body to fall asleep, while a number of anxious thoughts go around your head, will not solve the problem. Reading a book, meditating, or listening to some calming music can be a better option when it comes to drifting off. Give one of those a try if you can’t fall asleep after 30 minutes.

It’s easier said than done, but try not to over-focus on going to sleep. You may only make yourself even more stressed, making the situation worse.

Improve your sleep environment

Where you sleep plays an important role too, so it might be time to make some improvements:

Declutter and tidy your room
Block out all light
Block out as much noise as possible
Ensure the temperature is right (18.3 degrees Celsius is optimal!¹⁰)
Make sure your bed is comfortable
Wash all bedding regularly
Replace old, worn out bedding or a lumpy mattress

Tired of being tired?

Stress and sleep are closely intertwined, as a lack of sleep can increase stress levels, while stress can have a negative impact on sleep. But, you can break the cycle.

It’s time to start making a good night’s sleep, and indeed your overall well being, a priority. Remember – you’re not alone, reach out to those close to you if needed.