Whether you have been asked to stay home, or expected to continue working, during the Coronavirus pandemic, you have likely felt stress and may have had problems sleeping. You may have been able to take a break from normal stressors only to find new ones.
Stress and sleep are directly connected.
According to the American Psychological Association, sleep and stress form a cycle that when you think of one, you must think of the other. You cannot get good sleep if you are stressed, but you need good sleep to help reduce stress.
They also report on the Stress in America Survey results. It was found that adults who get fewer than 8 hours of sleep claim to experience negative consequences. For instance, 45% felt more irritable, 40% felt overwhelmed, and 50% were less patient and yelled at a family member.
It makes sense that sleep and stress are connected. Sleep is when the brain and body rest and recharge so that when you encounter stressors, you are physically and mentally prepared.
So your first goal is to reduce stress so you can sleep better. This should, in turn, help you fight stress more effectively.
Below are tips to help you start reducing stress in your life today.
Talk About It
Your thoughts can be stressful and can become repetitive. If your thoughts are negative, and they circle through your mind over and over, you will feel more stress.
A great way to rid your mind of negative thinking is to talk to someone, like an individual counselor, who can teach you how to manage your thoughts. You can learn how to recognize negative thought patterns and reverse them immediately.
Exercise
When you hear the word "exercise," you may start to feel stressed. That is because most people associate exercise with hardcore workouts. The truth is that even simple exercises can have a positive impact on your sleep.
Start slow, with just 30 minutes of walking at a comfortable pace. Or, if you enjoy swimming, start with a few laps, not the number you could do in high school. The key to reducing stress through exercise is to find something you enjoy and ease into the activity.
Do not push yourself to the point that causes physical pain because pain leads to feeling stressed.
Targeted Techniques
Johns Hopkins Medicine suggests there are techniques you can do, targeting specific areas of the body that increase with stress. For example, stress often makes your muscles tighten, and your breaths become shorter.
Deep breathing can be done as you are trying to fall asleep. It helps you focus on your breaths rather than the worrying thoughts that cause stress and prevent you from sleeping. With each inhale, think of a positive, compliment yourself or tell yourself you are calm. When you exhale, do the same.
Progressive muscle relaxation is another technique that helps you focus on tensing and, more importantly, un-tensing your muscles. This makes you more aware of how your body feels tense and relaxed and shows you that you can relax at any time.
Both methods can help you improve your sleep-stress connection.
Create Routines
When you feel like your life is filled with chaos, like you have no control, you feel stressed. At night you may lie awake trying to sort through a myriad of thoughts. You think about everything you must do the next day, prioritizing, only to continue worrying. It is almost impossible to fall asleep.
Start implementing routines throughout your day. The structure can bring peace. Start your day off the same way each morning. End your day the same way. Some researchers call this hygiene.
Hygiene refers to the activities we do to help get us going in the morning and fall asleep at night. Hygiene habits help our bodies and minds prepare for action or prepare for rest.
Sleep hygiene habits are meant to notify your body it is time to start relaxing. Brushing your teeth, listening to calming music, bathing, sipping herbal tea, reading a book, deep breathing, and meditation are a few examples.
More Tips to Reduce Stress and Sleep Better
There have been numerous research studies that verify specific actions that lead to lowered stress and improved sleep. Some of these include avoiding caffeine close to bedtime, not eating a large meal right before bed, and turning off all electronics an hour before you want to fall asleep.
Scrolling through social media posts can be stressful, and let’s face it; it is hard to quit scrolling, especially when someone you know has just posted something interesting. Before you know it, what you intend to be a few minutes has turned into hours that could have been spent sleeping.
Avoid alcohol, nicotine, and do what you can to reduce how much you smoke or quit altogether.
These are a few things to avoid. Here are a few things to implement: guided imagery and autogenic training.
Autogenic training teaches the mind to focus on physical sensations that can help you sleep better. For instance, warmth in some areas of the body can help you feel more relaxed.
Other tips include journaling, using aromatherapy or essential oils, and creating a relaxing environment with sleep supportive lighting and temperature.
You want your bed to be a comfortable place, one you look forward to each night. You do not want to sleep in a bed that is also your office, your dinner table, and your entertainment zone. Keep your bedroom ready for sleep only.
In conclusion, when you begin taking steps to reduce the stress you feel, you will notice your sleep becomes more productive. Meaning, you can get eight or more restful, restorative hours of sleep, allowing your mind and body to heal, recharge, and strengthen you both physically and mentally.
So, start today by making an appointment with a professional therapist. Start implementing routines, go for a short walk, and start practicing stress-reducing techniques so you can start enjoying better sleep.