Insomnia due to stress is one of the main health problems faced by many people in their day to day life. It is a type of sleep disturbance that has a direct impact on both the wear and tear of the body and the risk of low immune system that result in other illnesses.
In this article we will see both advice on how to combat stress insomnia and the typical symptoms of this disorder.
Table of Contents
Insomnia due to stress: how does it appear?
At the time of going to sleep and falling asleep, our perception of the possible dangers or problems that lie in wait for us is very important. If there is something that makes us think we are in a vulnerable situation, the nervous system will tend to stay alert, as this makes it more likely that we will seek a solution immediately.
Unfortunately, in Western societies the problems usually do not have to do with exploring the environment in search of nearby resources or safe places to turn to, but they have to do with more abstract purposes and with many intermediate steps. For example, pass an exam next week, or reconcile with a person who lives far away.
So, at the time of going to bed is not always practical to feel that concern, and the only thing you can do is try to sleep . It is in these cases that the less malleable face of this mechanism of adaptation to the environment appears: insomnia due to stress.
- Maybe you’re interested: “Supplements to reduce stress”
Symptom
The main symptoms of insomnia due to stress are the appearance of intrusive thoughts and mental images that arise in our consciousness again and again, the difficulties to find a posture in which we feel comfortable, the impossibility of disengaging our focus from a topic concrete , and in extreme cases, tremors due to causes other than temperature.
In other cases, insomnia due to stress not only manifests when trying to sleep, but makes us wake up in the middle of the night without feeling especially sleepy and unwilling to stay in bed.
Of course, these signs should not be related to an illness or the fact of having gone to sleep at odd hours, since these are factors that have a clear impact on how we sleep in the short term.
What to do to get back to sleep?
These are several tips you can follow to start having quality sleep and, in general, to feel better .
1. Give yourself a margin
It is important to assess one’s health and not make it appear that lack of sleep is something circumstantial or a simple source of discomfort. Failing to face the problem makes it easier for it to get worse and get bigger day after day.
So, momentarily breaks with those responsibilities that are not clearly urgent and devotes a single day to re-enter the dynamics of sleeping well. This means losing several things on the first day, but in return we create the right situations to give our best during the coming weeks. Once the stress insomnia does not exist, we will be much more efficient dedicating ourselves to our tasks and we will lose less time.
2. Avoid using screens at nightfall
During the hours before going to sleep, try to avoid exposing yourself to strong lights and screens. In this way, your nervous system will not remain activated as it would happen in the hours of more natural light .
3. Try stress supplement
There are several supplements that can improve mood relax our body and mind read more about these supplements for stress.
4. Do sport during the morning
Sport is a good way to discharge some of the stress, and in that sense it is good to use it as a resource. However, avoid at all costs practice it a few hours before dinner, or after. Otherwise, your body will still be very active when you try to fall asleep.
5. Do not take stimulants
No matter what happens, avoid taking any substance that significantly activates your nervous system, such as coffee or energy drinks.
6. Practice relaxation exercises
By resorting to these simple exercises from time to time, you will help your stress levels do not rise too much. In them, you will work especially with your focus and breathing patterns. The latter will serve to oxygenate you better with less effort , so that you will be giving reasons for your nervous system not to stay alert.
- Maybe you’re interested: ” 6 easy relaxation techniques to combat stress “
7. Make sure your bed is comfortable
It seems obvious, but many times we worsen sleep problems by pretending to fall asleep in a bed that is not prepared properly, or in a place that is not even designed to sleep on it.
So, make sure that the place is big enough to stretch well in it, that the sheets are adapted to the temperature it makes, and that there are no objects that limit your mobility , keeping in mind that while you sleep you will change your posture many times.
