No one can deny that stress has become an integral part of our lives and that we feel its weight crouches on our shoulders for many, even for any reason. We allow stress to affect every aspect of our lives, from professional requirements to private life, to road traffic congestion can be stressful, which in turn has serious consequences for our health.
Impacts of psychological stress, whether emotional, physical or behavioral, even if it's about our experiences with everyday life, the exposure to a lot of stressors may lead to our feeling of tension and anxiety can certainly cause deprivation of sleep.
Dr Ershad Ibrahim, from the London Centre for sleep disorders in Dubai, said: “stress causes excessive cortisol activity, which results in excessive alertness, and raises the alert of the sympathetic nervous system (also called hyperventilation), which inhibits habitual sleep initiation, for example by limiting the production of the hormone melatonin.” So it's no surprise that we can't sleep when we're under stress!
Sleep difficulties associated with stress include insomnia (difficulty falling asleep and/or continuing to sleep/ wake up too early). This is usually associated with poor sleep quality and symptoms of fatigue and lethargy during the day. Sleep is one of the most important rituals in our daily lives that maintains our physical and mental health and allows us to face challenges effectively.
“If stress is not dealt with, in the long run it will cause chronic sleep disturbance leading to anxiety, depression and dysfunction of our immune system,”says Dr. Irshad Ibrahim.
How do you know you have stress?
There are so many common symptoms and signs that although we notice them we fail to realize that they are only psychological stressors. Depression, sleep problems, anxiety, stress, poor concentration and lethargy are some of the many signs we have to deal with.When such situations are neglected for too long and not treated our health can be subjected to exhaustion, and our well-being is affected. Moreover, stress and sleep deprivation are so closely related that it is difficult to determine whether it was stress that caused your sleep deprivation or the opposite. But whatever the reasons for both, a good behavioral and sleep program should be planned to ensure a healthy routine and life.
If you lack sleep due to stress, you should monitor the following things:
Overwork: most of us have been directed to be addicted to work and often take it with us beyond the confines of our workplaces. This may be through actual tasks brought home to work on during the night, attending formal invitations even after a busy day's work, or even thinking about the pace of the next day's work while trying to go to sleep. If you find yourself constantly trying to solve problems at the end of the day, and that thoughts do not leave your mind at peace, this can lead to a sleep interruption in the middle of the night as you move between sleep phases.
Caffeine: people who are exposed to stress tend to consume large amounts of caffeine to get a boost of energy that helps them last through the day. However, caffeine actually increases stress levels and greatly affects the amount and quality of sleep you get. Don't let the several cups of coffee become a habit to help you keep going through the stressful work day.
A very busy life routine: we are all human beings and we must work only as much as our physical and mental abilities allow. A schedule that overstays your stamina must be caused by psychological stress and stress and consumes the amount of time you actually have to devote to sleep. Don't force yourself to stay up late to meet deadlines and don't wake up too early in pursuit of productivity. Lack of sleep actually affects your ability to work with all your energies.
Anxiety: we are used to thinking about the worst consequences when having difficulty performing our tasks. No doubt we all want to provide the best results at work, but it is also important to understand that our ability to performance stress-related and anxiety. The more anxious you feel when thinking about work deadlines, the more it interferes with your sleep and thus affects performance expectations.
Prevention and treatment of stress causes
- Do not let anxiety and stress enter the bedroom.
- Do not watch TV, make calls or surf the internet before your sleep schedule.
- Do not overeat heavy meals or drink plenty of water during the day،
- Eat dinner at least 3 hours before sleep.
- Set a regular sleep and wake schedule and do not deviate from it no matter how urgent the work is.
- Exercise regularly but not around bedtime.
- Avoid taking a nap during the day to ensure a good night's sleep lasting 7-8 hours.
- March relaxation techniques such as yoga or meditation before going to sleep.
- And finally if none of the above works, do not hesitate to visit sleep specialists. There is no harm in seeking help to maintain a healthy balance in your work life in order to keep away from mental stress and sleep deprivation.
Waking up frequently during the night and not being able to sleep are worrying symptoms that can be addressed by controlling stress. Control it now before stress begins to take control of your daily routine.