It’s no longer a secret that stress and sleep are intrinsically linked. In fact, as well as affecting our day-to-day well-being, stress has harmful repercussions on our sleep. By inducing a state of hyperarousal, it inhibits the secretion of the hormone involved in triggering sleep. Above all, it considerably impairs sleep quality. We also know that several disturbed nights are themselves a source of additional stress and anxiety. The result is a vicious circle that is often difficult to break without a change in lifestyle.

In this article, we take a closer look at the links between stress and sleep, and how you can overcome this situation and get a better night’s sleep.

Stress: what impact on the sleep mechanism?

Stressful situations during the day have physiological and psychological effects that can affect the sleep mechanism during the night. In fact, by sounding an emotional alarm in the brain, stress generates immediate physiological reactions. The result is a racing nervous system and cerebral hyperactivity.

STRESS: THE PRIMARY CAUSE OF INSOMNIA
Researchers at Nagoya University have conducted studies to discover the link between stress and sleep. They found that when the body is exposed to stress, certain neurons in the brain become particularly active. This disrupts the cicardial rhythm, creating insomnia and sleep disorders.

Indeed, stress puts the body in a state of excessive wakefulness. This leads to major difficulties in falling asleep, sometimes followed by ruminations and poor sleep quality. If this situation persists over time, stress can lead to severe insomnia, which gradually develops into chronic insomnia. So, the more stressed you are, the worse your sleep will inevitably become.

STRESS AND SLEEP: A HORMONE STORY
Stress leads to the secretion of cortisol. In the short term, this stress hormone is very useful. It makes you better able to cope with stressful situations. However, cortisol secretion becomes problematic when stress becomes chronic. In fact, cortisol clashes with melatonin, the sleep hormone. Cortisol wakes you up during the day, while melatonin helps you rest at night. But when stress is chronic, cortisol levels remain high in the evening, inhibiting melatonin levels. This prevents you from getting a good night’s sleep.

STRESS AND SLEEP: A VICIOUS CIRCLE
In general, stress-related sleep disorders are characterized by:

difficulty falling asleep
unwanted waking at night
or waking up early

In short, you won’t sleep well. And that’s the trap! The sine qua non of fighting stress is getting enough sleep. In terms of both quality and quantity.

Stress leads to poor sleep quality. Conversely, poor sleep accentuates stress. You’re caught in a vicious circle that tends to perpetuate itself.

Stress and sleep: deleterious effects on the body

Sleep deprivation linked to stress and anxiety is not without risk to physical and mental health. The consequences of poor sleep are numerous.

IMPACT ON QUALITY OF LIFE
Over time, chronic sleep deprivation can affect your quality of life. This disorder will diminish your well-being and disrupt your day-to-day functioning. More often than not, not sleeping enough or well enough leads to fatigue. And when fatigue accumulates, the body lacks energy. Stress and poor-quality sleep are also at the root of mood disorders. Mood swings, irritability and emotional fragility are just some of the consequences of a lack of rest.

As a result, the stressed-out insomniac can fall into a nervous breakdown. Not only because of poor quality of life, but also because of brain dysfunction. Indeed, a lack of sleep weakens the functioning of a part of the brain that regulates the activity of the amygdala. Located at the heart of the brain, this structure regulates our emotions. When it’s weakened, we can’t control our emotions.

IMPACT OF STRESS AND SLEEP ON PSYCHOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS
Numerous studies have shown that lack of quality sleep irreversibly damages the brain. It causes a drop in concentration, diminished sensory perception, lack of attention and impaired memory.

As a result, sleep-deprived people find it hard to face the day. In fact, drowsiness, lack of alertness and slowed reflexes are often the cause of accidents of all kinds: at home, on the road, in the workplace.

IMPACT OF STRESS AND SLEEP ON PHYSICAL HEALTH
Like stress, poor quality sleep disrupts the metabolism. In fact, these disorders reduce the body’s defenses. As a result, the body is more vulnerable to infection and disease. Not getting a good night’s sleep over a long period of time exposes you to health problems such as :

cardiovascular disease
high blood pressure
weight gain or obesity
type 2 diabetes
digestive diseases

Fortunately, it is entirely possible to prevent these health problems by starting to take care of yourself.

Stress and sleep: tips for better sleep

First and foremost, it’s important to know that radically eliminating stress is an impossible mission, and a pointless one at that. In fact, stress is a natural and sometimes necessary biological reaction. Because yes, good stress can do us good and help us move forward. But too much stress can affect our sleep. And sleep disorders can be detrimental to our health. That’s when it’s time to take the bull by the horns. In order to combat the vicious circle linked to stress and sleep.

Here are a few clinically validated tips and non-medicinal strategies to help you sleep better, even in times of stress.

TAKE CARE OF YOUR SLEEP/WAKE RHYTHM
To make it easier to fall asleep and overcome stress, it’s advisable to go to bed at regular times. So try as far as possible to fall asleep at a fixed time, even at weekends. The same applies to waking up. By going to bed and getting up at the same time, your body adopts the same sleep-wake rhythm.

STRESS AND SLEEP: ESTABLISH A BEDTIME RITUAL
Adopting a bedtime ritual helps you fall asleep. It’s a way of sending the brain a signal to relax and calm down.

Everyone has their own bedtime ritual. In fact, it should be chosen according to your lifestyle. For example, it can be :

drinking herbal tea
brushing your teeth
putting on pyjamas
reading a book
etc.

It’s also important to create an ideal sleeping environment. For this reason, it’s best to sleep in a quiet, cool room, without noise or light.

OVERCOME STRESS AND POOR-QUALITY SLEEP THROUGH SPORT
Daily exercise is an excellent way to improve sleep-wake rhythm. Not only does sport help to overcome stress and restore your mood, it also helps you to fall asleep. We therefore recommend that you take part in a sporting activity every day, preferably during the day. In fact, it’s not advisable to do sport in the evening. Remember to stop at least 3 hours before going to bed, so that your heart can return to its normal frequency. That way, you’ll sleep more soundly.

RELAXATION
To overcome stress and sleep disorders, take the time to relax during the day. This prepares you for a good night’s sleep. There are several techniques to choose from:

yoga and meditation
mindful breathing
sophrology
etc.

Relaxing for 10 to 30 minutes before going to bed will help you release the stress of the day. It’s also a great way to reduce your nervous level. As a result, you’ll be calmer and more likely to go to bed light.

STRESS AND SLEEP: CHOOSE EVENINGS THAT ARE CONDUCIVE TO RELAXATION
Do you enjoy listening to music or doing manual work? Whatever your passion, it’s sure to help you combat stress. By doing something you enjoy, it’s easy to forget the stressful situations of the day. What’s more, it stimulates your reward system. Which, ultimately, generates positive feelings.

However, your activity must be conducive to relaxation. So avoid screens like the computer or smartphone. Continuous exposure to these elements only activates stress and sleep-related disorders. Use media sources only occasionally, and only with the intention of gathering the information you need.

TAME BOTH POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE EMOTIONS
It’s perfectly natural to feel unpleasant emotions such as anxiety, sadness or anger. However, try not to think about your worries when you go to bed. Instead, try to think of something happy you’ve experienced during the day. You’re sure to find one, no matter how small. By thinking about something other than your worries, you’ll easily fall into Morpheus’ arms.

STRESS AND SLEEP: COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY
Cognitive behavioral therapy is a non-medicinal approach to treating insomnia. It is a psychotherapy method designed to change false beliefs about sleep.

To do this, it uses cognitive strategies, including stimulus control, to reassociate bedroom and bed with sleep. With this technique, you program your cycle to a fixed sleep-wake schedule. It also helps you control negative thoughts and unrealistic expectations about sleep. The idea is not to dramatize occasional insomnia.

COMBATING STRESS AND SLEEP DISORDERS THROUGH SOCIAL CONTACT
Maintaining a good social relationship helps reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. In fact, having someone to share your worries with is good for your mental health. Just receiving support from those around you can ease your mind. Similarly, according to a study carried out at the University of Pennsylvania, talking to others about stress is beneficial from a social point of view. It’s said to strengthen bonds between individuals. So don’t hesitate to share your worries with those around you. You’ll feel less alone.

STRESS AND SLEEP: A BALANCED AND VARIED DIET
Diet has a role to play in stress and sleep quality. To sleep peacefully at night, eat a healthy, balanced diet. For this reason, opt for a light, non-frugal meal. Fruits and vegetables, dairy products, fish or lean meat, rice or pasta – that’s what you should put on your plate. Likewise, avoid fried foods and cooked fats, which are hard to digest and can affect your sleep. In addition, avoid all stimulants that stimulate the secretion of adrenalin, a hormone that affects stress and sleep.

As we know today, stress and sleep don’t mix. And problems related to both are bad for our physical and mental health. When you are exposed to stress-related insomnia, you need to act quickly to avoid falling into the stress/insomnia vicious circle. For our part, we believe that the above-mentioned solutions are effective in treating both stress and insomnia. But if you know of any other tips, don’t hesitate to share them in the comments section.