Stress Management – How to Get a Better Night’s Sleep When You’re Stressed
Whether it’s an argument with a friend, a deadline at work or studying for an exam, stress affects everyone. But that’s not always a bad thing. In fact, short-term stress can be beneficial—it may help us slam on the brakes in time to avoid an accident.
But if you’re constantly feeling stressed, it’s a good idea to see your doctor.
1. Take a break
Taking breaks is important for stress management because it helps the body and mind reset, replenish, and manage daily stresses. A break is any activity that allows you to turn your focus away from stressful thoughts and emotions for a brief period of time. This can include a vacation, play-cation, or even just changing the scenery in your home or work environment.
It’s also a good idea to avoid activities that increase your stress levels, such as watching television or surfing the internet. These activities can cause a brief feeling of relaxation, but they can also lead to increased stress in the long run.
Acute stress is normal and usually goes away after a short period of time, such as when you resolve an argument or meet a deadline. Chronic stress, on the other hand, lasts for a long time or keeps coming back. It can be caused by many things, including job and money worries, relationship issues, and even illness.
Taking a break can help you avoid reaching burnout, or a mental breakdown. It can also make it easier to find solutions when you are stuck on a problem because your mind will be focused on something else for a while. However, if you are struggling to get stressed out or feel like your stress is out of control, consult with a health care professional for advice.
2. Get enough sleep
Stress is a natural reaction to life’s challenges, but it can become problematic when it starts to interfere with your sleep. Studies have shown that getting enough sleep is a vital part of maintaining good health and well-being, but many people don’t get the rest they need. The good news is that there are ways to help you get a better night’s sleep when you’re stressed.
When you’re feeling stressed, your brain triggers the body’s response to danger or threat—called the fight or flight response. This involves the nervous system releasing hormones that sharpen senses, quicken pulse and breathing, tense muscles, and shunt blood away from non-essential organs to those that need it most. This is a biological response that is necessary to protect us from physical harm. In modern society, we don’t often face the kind of threat that would require fighting or running away, but our bodies still react the same way to stressful situations like missing an appointment or an exam.
Occasional stress is a normal occurrence, but long-term stress can cause problems such as digestive disorders, headaches and fatigue. Chronic stress also causes problems with our sleep and can contribute to anxiety disorders such as panic attacks, and it has been linked to cardiovascular disease. Getting enough sleep when you’re stressed is one of the most important things that you can do to keep your stress levels in check.
3. Exercise
While it is a natural part of life, stress can negatively impact health and wellbeing. This can be caused by a number of factors, including relationships, finances, and work pressures.
A person’s response to these challenges and threats can be categorized as either positive or negative. The former is known as eustress, which is fun and exciting, while the latter is often referred to as distress and can be debilitating. In a nutshell, stress occurs when the body is confronted with an overwhelming challenge or threat that causes its systems to disrupt homeostasis. This is why it is important to avoid stressful situations and manage the ones that you can’t change.
Exercise can be a great way to relieve stress, but it is important to find the right type of exercise for you. For example, cardio exercises like running and cycling are great for the heart and lungs. You can also find stress relief through yoga, or even a simple walk in nature.
Research has shown that people who exercise regularly are better able to handle stress. In one study, researchers asked participants to fill out a stress questionnaire
4. Get a good night’s rest
While sleep may seem like a difficult thing to do when stressed, it’s actually essential for your physical and mental health. Getting a good night’s rest will help relieve your stress and give you the energy you need to take on challenges.
When you feel stressed, your body reacts by releasing hormones that make your brain more alert, cause your heart rate to increase, and make your muscles tense. This is called the fight or flight response and it’s meant to prepare your body for a dangerous situation. It can help you find the strength and speed to fight off or run away from a threat. But when this response is in place for too long, it can be damaging to your health.
There are many things that can contribute to feelings of stress, such as a lack of time or money, family problems, or an unhealthy diet. You may also experience symptoms such as a racing heartbeat, stomach or back pain, anxiety, or a general feeling of being overwhelmed. If you are experiencing these symptoms, it’s important to get help as soon as possible.
Everyone experiences different levels and types of stress, and it’s normal for some people to have a higher stress response than others. However, if your stress is causing you to have difficulty falling and staying asleep, it’s time to do something about it.
5. Have supportive people in your life
While stress is a natural response to life’s challenges, too much of it can lead to serious mental health issues and physical problems. It can also contribute to overeating, substance abuse, and lack of sleep. When you are stressed, it is important to have people around you who can support you and provide comfort. You can also find emotional and social support through activities such as volunteering or joining a club.
The first step in relieving stress is to figure out what is causing it. You may be able to change the situation, or you may have to learn to manage it. It’s a good idea to group the reasons for your stress into those that have a solution, those that will get better with time, and those you can’t do anything about. It’s best to focus on the first category of causes, and to let go of the other two.
Whether you are dealing with acute stress, which is short-term and goes away quickly, or chronic stress that seems never-ending, it’s important to have support from friends and family. It’s also important to avoid unhealthy behaviors, such as excessive alcohol or caffeine use, which can actually increase stress levels. Talking to your doctor is also a good way to get help and to make sure you are not suffering from a medical condition that could be contributing to your stress.
6. Get rid of the things that are adding to your stress
Stress is a normal part of life and it can actually be healthy if it’s managed properly. Everyone feels stressed differently, but it can manifest as tense muscles, headaches, fatigue and trouble sleeping. It’s important to get rid of the things that are adding to your stress so that you can feel calmer and more in control.
Stress can be caused by major upheavals and life changes such as divorce, job loss or bereavement, or it can be caused by a series of minor irritations such as ongoing arguments with a partner, feeling undervalued at work or a family feud. It can also be caused by a lack of social interaction, unhealthy eating habits or even a lack of exercise.
While short-term stress can be a healthy thing, chronic stress can lead to problems such as stomach ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome and heart disease. It can also affect your mood and make you less able to think clearly and enjoy life.
It may seem like there is nothing you can do about the bills, that there aren’t enough hours in the day or that your family and work responsibilities will never go away, but you have more control than you think. Start by looking at your habits and identifying what is causing you stress. Then separate them into things that will change with time, those you can do something about and those you cannot.
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Cascia Talbert is a Catholic mother of five special needs kids. In 2018 she published the book, "Taking Care of Your Family's Health and Well-Being, Saints to Turn to and the Catholic Faith," available anywhere books are sold. She is also a professional flutist and an Avon Independent Sales Representative. You can learn more about Cascia on the following websites, cjsfunandgames.com and avoncrystallake.com. She lives in the Chicago suburbs with her husband, children and Baby, the playful black kitty.
