Wide awake with stress? Here's 6 tips to overcome it.

When you get a good night’s sleep, your dreaming brain is capable of working on solving problems.³ Then you may wake up with a fresh approach to the problem that’s been worrying you. 

How does stress affect sleep?

Stress affects sleep by making your body awake and alert. That's why people who are under constant stress or who respond abnormally to stress, tend to experience sleep problems.⁴

Stress may also limit the amount of time spent in deep sleep – which is the period of sleep most vital as that's when your body repairs and restores itself. The brain chemicals connected with deep sleep are the same ones that tell your body to stop the production of stress hormones.

Stress has been shown to decrease time spent in both light and deep sleep, and increase time spent in REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. REM is an important sleep stage for restoring mental function, a phase when the brain processes emotions and memories.

So, if you're not getting enough sleep at night, your body reacts by boosting its levels of stress hormones. This leads most people to feel even more stressed the following day and – you guessed it – they have even more trouble falling asleep that night. Even worse, stress hormones peak in the afternoon and early evening, just when you should be relaxing and preparing for sleep.⁵

Sleep is one of the best antidotes to stress

Most adults need between 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night. When you're tired, you become less patient and easily agitated, which can increase stress.⁶

Following a regular bedtime routine and doing what you can to ensure good quality rest will help calm and restore your body. It can also improve your mood, listening, eyesight, concentration and decision making.¹ 

There are a number of strategies that may help you manage stress so that it doesn't interfere with your sleep.

6 tips to reduce stress⁷

1. Work out what is stressing you out

It might be easier said than done, but if there's something big happening in your life that’s stressing you out, do what you can to help solve the problem or improve it. If that means taking time off to sort out an issue, going on a holiday to clear your mind or having a difficult conversation with someone, you may want to consider doing so because once it's resolved you're on your way to that elusive castle on a cloud.

2. Establish a bedtime routine

Whether it's breaking out the bath bombs and pouring a nice hot bath or fixing yourself a cup of herbal tea and snuggling in for a few chapters of a good book, winding down the right way may help calm your body into resting. It's also a good idea to switch off your electronic devices and make sure you've created an environment that's conducive to sleep – that includes considering the noise factor. Read more about the right level of noise for a good night's sleep here.

3. Learn to meditate

Mindfulness changes your thought processes and if there's something on your mind there's no better way to forget it than to switch your focus to something else. Give breathing exercises a go, or actively name the highlights of your day or things that you're thankful for. Think about something boring. There's a reason for the old stereotype of counting sheep to help you drift off to sleep.

4. Work it out

Exercise is a sensational stress-buster, but it's also vital for everyday health. 

Incorporate more exercise into your daily routine and you’ll soon see how beneficial it is when it comes to winding down for the day.

5. Eat a healthy diet

If you're pecking away at pizza late at night and cradling a stomach full of carbohydrates, chances are you'll be in for a long night. Try to eat your main meal well before bedtime and incorporate vegetables and healthy foods which are good for your overall health and well-being.

6. Try the free sleep assessment

Our free sleep assessment is quick and easy to complete and may help you find a solution to help you fall asleep faster or browse the shop for some inspiration.