4 Ways To Help You Sleep When Stressed

With April being National Stress Awareness Month, stress is at the forefront of our minds. However, one key point that is often overlooked is the interlocking nature of our physical and mental health. We tend to view them as separate, but they are so connected that they have a cause-and-effect relationship with each other. For instance, poor mental health can cause physical health problems such as insomnia. Our Sleep Specialists at TEMPUR® UK list common stress indicators and explain how a good night’s sleep can help to manage stress.

How to Sleep While Stressed

Establishing good sleep habits can improve your sleep quality and leave you feeling more refreshed in the morning. If you find it difficult to sleep due to stress, incorporating these lifestyle practices can help you achieve a more restful night's sleep:.

• Maintaining a consistent sleep routine
• Avoiding electronics before bedtime
• Limiting the consumption of stimulants e.g. caffeine

To promote a consistent sleep schedule, aim to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends and while travelling. It's worth noting that electronic devices emit blue light that can disrupt sleep, so consider powering them down an hour before bed for optimal results. Additionally, avoid consuming caffeine and nicotine in the late afternoon and evening, as they can linger in your system and impede a restful night's sleep.

Effective Ways to Fall Asleep and Manage Stress

Getting enough sleep on a nightly basis can alleviate stress quite effectively. Adequate sleep is a crucial factor in managing stress levels and research suggests that adults should sleep between seven and nine hours each night. 

If you find yourself lying awake in bed for an extended period of time, there are a few things you can do to help yourself drift off.

• Exit the bedroom and read a book
• Play Sudoku or any similar puzzle
• Do a mental exercise e.g. the 4 7 8 breathing method

The Circle Method with The TEMPUR® Sleep Expert

Thomas Høegh Reisenhus, sleep specialist and sleep counsellor at TEMPUR® UK has shared the following mental exercise to help you drift off faster and one of those methods is counting sheep;, but have you ever considered counting sheep in a new way?

This exercise is the perfect tool to help you fall asleep and empty your mind of too many racing thoughts. It's called the "circle method," and it requires a bit of visualisation. Here's how it works:

• Close your eyes and imagine a big blackboard in front of you
• Write the number 100 in the centre of the board with a piece of chalk and draw a small circle around it
• Write the word “deeper” in big letters next to the circle you have just drawn
• Carefully erase the number 100 with a sponge, taking care not to touch the circle with the sponge
• Write the number 99 inside the circle and once again write “deeper” in the exact same spot as before, being careful not to write outside the letters already there
• From here, you simply repeat the process, so the next number in the circle will be 98, then 97, and so on, all the way down to zero (you will fall asleep long before getting to zero), and each time writing “deeper” in the same spot

This exercise requires all of your attention, which prohibits your mind from wandering. At the same time, it’s so boring that you will soon fall asleep. By counting down the numbers and writing "deeper" each time, you'll feel a sense of relaxation and calmness. As you become more and more relaxed, your mind will start to slow down, and you'll drift off into a peaceful sleep.

What Causes Stress?

Your body naturally produces cortisol throughout the day, with levels spiking when you wake up in the morning and decreasing as the day goes on. Cortisol is a stress hormone, so when your cortisol levels are elevated, you may feel hyper-alert during stressful situations. However, this can cause you to 'crash' once the stress subsides. Stress can take many forms but usually falls into one of these three categories:

• Acute Stress
• Episodic Acute Stress
• Chronic Stress

Acute stress is short-term stress which normally arises during short moments of panic; this is accompanied by elevated blood pressure and heart rate. An example of this could be realising that you missed a deadline for work. Episodic acute stress is seen as an accumulation of individual instances of acute stress. People who may feel overwhelmed by day-to-day stress may attempt to alleviate their frustrations through unhealthy behaviours like overeating or binge drinking. Finally, chronic stress can last for an extended period. This is typically caused from internalising painful experiences, which over time can wear down your mind.

How Does Stress Affect Physical Health?

While moderate amounts of acute stress pose minor risk to your health, chronic stress can have a major impact on the body and can manifest in many ways throughout different bodily systems such as, but not limited to, cardiovascular problems, digestive issues, weakened immune system, and even mental health disorders like depression and anxiety.

Sleep & Cardiovascular Health

When your body reacts to acute stress, your “fight or flight” system is engaged. This will cause your heart rate and blood pressure to spike. Cortisol and adrenaline will act as messengers to help regulate these functions. After the period of acute stress is over, these metabolic responses will subside. However, chronic stress causes constant elevation of heart rate and blood pressure, and this added pressure on the cardiovascular system can cause long-term health complications. Getting enough quality sleep can help regulate the body's natural rhythms thus benefiting cardiovascular health.

Sleep & Gastrointestinal Health

The gut is loaded with nerves and bacteria that communicate with the brain to regulate mood and promote overall wellness. Moments of stress can interfere with these, leading to pain, bloating, and other types of gastrointestinal discomfort. This can lead to a loss of appetite, which can have a negative impact on digestive health if it impacts what and when you eat. Also, stress can weaken the intestinal barriers that prevent harmful bacteria from entering the stomach and may cause painful spasms in the bowels.

Getting enough quality sleep helps to regulate the balance of gut bacteria, which is essential for good digestive health. Getting enough sleep can also help regulate appetite hormones and promote healthy eating habits, which can also benefit gastrointestinal health. Sleep deprivation has been linked to an increased risk of obesity, which is a risk factor for a range of digestive disorders.

So, if you're having trouble sleeping, give the circle method a try. It's a simple yet effective tool that can help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. With a bit of visualisation and repetition, you'll be counting sheep in a new way and enjoying a good night's rest in no time.

Also, don’t forget the importance of sleep-in managing stress which cannot be emphasised enough, as it significantly impacts our physical and mental well-being. Do you have any other stress-reducing techniques that you find effective? Feel free to share them with us.