Manage stress, feel calmer
Reducing your stress can help you to sleep better, and better sleep improves how you manage the stresses of work and life. Try meditation, breathing exercises or stretching. Phone a friend. Go for screen-free walk. Find what helps you shift from hyper-alert to rested and ready.
Are you constantly on edge? Restless? Thumping heart? Overtired but find it hard to fall asleep? Or stay asleep?
Constant or prolonged stress can lead to something called ‘hyperarousal’. Our arousal system is part of the autonomic nervous system that helps control alertness and bodily functions.
Hyperarousal is a key reason why people experience insomnia.
Hyperarousal and sleep
Moira Jung, psychologist and CEO of the Sleephealth Foundation, tells us that people with hyperarousal often don’t feel sleepy at all in the evening (or after night shift). They take a long time to switch off.
Hyperarousal can also cause night waking and difficulty returning to sleep. Early in the night, accumulated sleep debt may help you fall asleep, but as that debt reduces, hyperarousal can re-emerge - you wake and struggle to get back to sleep.
Tips for lowering stress levels
Try winding down by:
- practising relaxation techniques, stretching, yoga or meditation
- moving your body
- making time for your hobbies
- ensuring days off are restful (as much as you can)
- phoning a friend
- unplugging or reducing screen time
- reaching out for support (we are here for you)
A definition of sleep debt
This is when you sleep fewer hours than your body needs. If your body needs 8 hours of sleep per night but only gets 6, you have accumulated 2 hours of sleep debt.
Jess’ story: winding back to better sleep
Jess, an RN/RM working in a small remote town, felt on edge and unable to wind down. She had been a midwife for 4 years, and her job was very demanding. She often worked overtime, and the health service she worked at was always short-staffed.
“I have anxiety, and I wake up so many times during sleep. It’s like I’m ‘tired and wired’ all the time. I want to sleep, but my brain feels so alert!”
Jess knew she couldn’t control her work environment, but she could take steps to manage her stress levels. She loved being in nature, jogging, and yoga and started doing these activities routinely. They became a mandatory part of her life, not a luxury when she had time. Over time, this helped her feel calmer during the day and, subsequently, during sleep.
References
- Hyperarousal and sleep reactivity in insomnia: current insights, by D.A. Kalmbach, 2018, Nat Sci Sleep