Poor sleep can be a warning sign that we are stressed. While stress is a normal part of life, too much stress in our life can impact on our sleep. Poor sleep can also exacerbate the unhealthy side effects of stress.
Here are just 5 ways that stress affects our sleep:
1. Over Production of Hormones
When we are stressed, our body over produces cortisol. This hormone is normally vital for our survival, it keeps us on our toes for a flight or fight response. It also shuts down unnecessary functions that are not required when we need to fight or flee a threat. The 'unnecessary' functions are things like digestion, reproduction and sleep.
And if your body doesn’t get enough sleep, the hypothalamus/pituitary/adrenal axis does not shut down and it keeps secreting chemicals, mainly this cortisol. Over production of cortisol can also have further long term health effects.
2. Physical Interruptions
If we are stressed, our breathing can be affected. Shallow breath or even snoring can limit the quality of sleep we have. Stress can also impact on our gut health as the gut and brain are closely connected. An unhealthy gut system can lead to heartburn or reflux which may also interrupt a healthy night’s sleep. Not being able to shut off, you may also find yourself dreaming about work and wake up feeling exhausted or unrested.
3. Anxiety
There's a reason for the saying that problems can 'keep us awake at night'. Anxiety is associated with anticipatory stress. This is where you find yourself fretting about a future event, or the unknown. Our mind can easily play scenarios or worries over and over again. Hence the popularity of Guatemalan 'worry dolls', whereby you give your worries to the doll to hang on to until morning, so that you can sleep through the night.
4. Overthinking
Similar to anxiety, an overproduction of cortisol and adrenaline can contribute an over active brain. We know it's not wise to think things through right before we go to sleep but our creativity starts to work in overdrive as we relax. Writing things down can provide some relief but our brain will still want to work things through.
5. Fear of Missing Out
The Australian Psychology Society recognise that the fear of missing out is becoming a common phenomenon. This is strongly associated with the constant connectivity of the internet and social media. In a recent study, they found that one in two teens and one in four adults experience stress from the fear of missing out. Additionally, the hunt for endorsement and social likes that fuel our dopamine can influence us to stay connected to social media longer than we should.
How to reduce the stressors in the bedroom
- Treat your bed as a sleeping sanctuary. Ban TV, laptops, I-pads, mobile phones and any other electronic devices from your sleeping area. Park them in another room.
- Set an alarm to wind down. Set a nightly alarm on your phone to remind you to stop working, social surfing or watching television. Start your wind down routine to allow you ample time to unwind for sleep time. Don’t try to start this process the moment your head hits the pillow.
- Avoid brightly lit digital clocks. These usually also emit low level sound that you don’t need and create some light in the room. If you need a time piece, a small travel clock that only lights up if you press a button is the best option.