What is the effect of stress on your sleep?

Getting enough sleep is not always easy. Have you ever been so exhausted that even sleeping was impossible? That is the effect that stress can have on your sleep. You definitely want to avoid such a vicious cycle at all costs. In this blog, we will tell you everything about the effect of stress on your sleep, and how you can prevent stress from keeping you awake.

pssstt... looking for more sleep tips? Check out our best sleep tips for a better night's rest!

What is healthy sleep and sleep duration?

Before we look at the effect of stress on your sleep, let's first take a critical look at your sleeping habits. On average, an adult falls asleep within 30 minutes. Whether you achieve this or not depends on various factors, of course. Think about light, food, your rest during the day, how many cups of coffee you've had, and so on! The list of things that influence your sleep is enormous.

 

If it sometimes takes you longer than 30 minutes to fall asleep, it doesn't necessarily mean that you have a sleep problem. We only really talk about sleep problems when you regularly get too little sleep. But what is too little? Good question! It is often said that an adult needs 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night.

Although this is generally true, it does not mean that it is the case for you. The number of hours of sleep you actually need is biologically determined. It may well be that you need an hour more or less of sleep. You can only find this out by keeping track of your sleep hours and testing when you feel the most rested. You can do this by filling out a sleep diary.

How stress worsens your sleep quality

Do you remember the example from the introduction? Being so tired that you can't even sleep? If you've ever experienced this, you probably know that it gives you an enormous feeling of being rushed. Why can't it just work out!? This worrying often causes you to experience even more stress. It's the beginning of a vicious cycle.

 

Why does stress have such a "stressful" effect on your sleep? Stress is not just a feeling. It is caused by a hormone in our body. Cortisol. Cortisol makes us feel anxious and rushed. Why? It doesn't sound like it has a positive effect, does it? But it does, at least it used to. The choice of the word "rushed" is certainly not coincidental...

 

A test, job interview, or important presentation. The stress we experience is usually no longer life-threatening. But the stress of our ancestors certainly was. A few thousand years ago, our ancestors were literally hunted by predators. The hormone cortisol ensures that more sugar temporarily enters our blood, giving us extra energy and leading to a faster fight or flight response.

 

This extra "shot" of sugar keeps you awake and alert, which is of course not conducive to your sleep.

The consequences of a poor night's sleep

Regularly sleeping poorly due to stress or other reasons can bring about quite a few unpleasant consequences. A distinction can be made between short-term and long-term effects.

Short-term effects of sleep deprivation

• Fatigue
• Lack of energy
• Irritable
• Reduced concentration ability
• Headache

Consequences of chronic sleep deprivation

• Memory and concentration problems
• Lack of energy
• Mood swings
• Impairment of speech ability
• Lower reaction speed
• Headache
• Reduced immune system
• High blood pressure
• Depression
• Skin aging
• Greater risk of cardiovascular diseases
• Increased risk of diabetes
  
  

If you often can't sleep due to stress, we especially want to protect you from developing a burnout. According to research, a lack of sleep leads to a huge increase in burnouts, especially when combined with being unable to sleep due to stress. With the following 5 tips, hopefully, you will be able to reduce your stress.

5 tips to reduce your stress

With these tips, you work on your stress level.

1. Ensure sufficient rest

We have said it before, but it remains important. Make sure you get enough rest throughout the day. This ensures that you can process stimuli in a healthy way and that your stress does not keep building up during the day. Taking a short walk, having a brief chat with colleagues at the coffee machine, or taking a moment for yourself does more for you than it may seem at first glance.

2. Try to maintain a steady rhythm

A good night's sleep reduces a lot of stress. And a good night's sleep starts with a regular rhythm. By going to bed and getting up at around the same time every day, you ensure that your body knows when it's bedtime. Your body will start producing the hormone melatonin just before you fall asleep, which helps you fall asleep faster. Additionally, structure almost always brings more calmness to your mind.

3. Watch your diet

What you eat has a significant impact on the development of stress in your body. Sugar and caffeine cause you to produce more cortisol. But your salt intake also affects your stress level. So try to follow a healthy and balanced diet. This way, you provide your body with the nutrients it needs to function normally.

4. Try a weighted blanket

A weighted blanket is the perfect tool to reduce your stress. A weighted blanket is a blanket that is intentionally weighted. This weighting ensures that deep pressure stimulation occurs. The extra weight of the blanket ensures that certain pressure points in your body are activated, which helps you relax.

 

When you lie under a weighted blanket, the production of the stress hormone cortisol decreases, and you ensure that you produce more of the sleep hormone melatonin. This also contributes to a better night's sleep.

 

Do you want to learn more about weighted blankets? Read what is a weighted blanket?

5. Do something easy

Stress often occurs with a busy job, deadlines, a difficult presentation; things that take up a lot of our brain capacity. Small tasks can have an almost therapeutic effect in this case. Do something around the house like cooking or cleaning. Completing tasks gives us the feeling that we have spent our day usefully, which reduces stress.

About Ella Health

Ella Health has been developing sustainable products for better physical well-being since 2018. Through our continuous product development, we offer our customers sitting and lying comfort at a competitive price. Do you want to enjoy a healthier posture? Take a look at our range.