subject: How Stress Affects Our Sleep [print this page] What happens to our bodies when we are stressed?
When we are stressed our bodies think we are in danger and will automatically go into the fight or flight reaction. When in the fight or flight reaction our body responds to the perceived danger by increasing the amount of adrenaline and cortisol in our bodies. Our body then automaticly does what it thinks it needs to do in order to protect us from the danger. Our heart rate increases and sends extra blood flow to our muscles, at the same time slowing down our digestion in an effort to protect us. At one point in our evolution this was a much needed protection response, now in modern society when triggered on a regular basis it can be very detrimental to our health.
Stress is the #1 cause of insomnia
When our bodies are stressed we tense up and blood flows at a quicker pace. It is this response that causes disruption in our sleep pattern.
We have all experienced the affects stress can have on our sleep on a regular basis. However with life becoming more and more stressful we are seeing a greater number of people affected by sleep disorders. Being able to achieve a healthy nights sleep is essential to our ability to cope with everything going on in our lives.
Managing and preventing stress in our daily lives is a key part to being able to achieve a healthy nights sleep. Deep breathing or meditation assists with the ability to cope with daily challenges and improve our life experience by reducing stress and increasing our peace.
Relaxation Exercise
Sleep is a vital to our bodies so that they can relax and rejuvenate. So what can we do about alleviating the amount of stress in our systems? When you feel that you are being overrun by the stressful situation around you the best thing to do is take a few minutes to let go of the stress and relax!
1Sit in a comfortable chair in a quiet place,
2Close your eyes and still your mind
3Take 5 deep breaths, slowing releasing the air from your lungs
4Relax you muscles and let go of all the tension in your body
5Open your eyes
This type of exercise is quick and easy and can virtually be done anywhere at any time. By managing our stress better we will be able to live a healthier live, be more effective at what we are trying to achieve and sleep better.
