How Stress and Anxiety Interfere With Sleep?

A lot of people experience stress and anxiety on a daily basis. And most say it interferes at least moderately with their lives one way or another. Some people have trouble eating, others have trouble with sleep. And not being able to eat or sleep properly just makes people even more stressed, which brings them to an endless circle of stress they can't escape. Stress doesn't have to be present all the time, and it shouldn't be. Luckily, there are certain ways you can lower the pressure of stress. We will discuss how stress and anxiety interfere with sleep and what you can do to prevent that.

Insomnia

Insomnia is when a person has difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, even when they have the chance to do so. People with insomnia can feel dissatisfied with their sleep and usually experience the following symptoms:

·         fatigue

·         low energy

·         difficulty concentrating

·         mood disturbances

·         decreased performance at work or at school.

Acute insomnia is brief and often happens because of life circumstances. For example, when you can't fall asleep the night before an exam, or after receiving stressful or bad news. Many people have experienced this type of sleep disruption, and it tends to get resolved without any treatment. But there are people who have chronic insomnia and that is when stress and anxiety interfere with sleep a lot and when you can't do much about it. But you have to act quickly, especially if you notice stress in your children.

Children can have stress, too. So, if you start to notice it, you have to act quickly but efficiently

When do people experience stress interfering with sleep?

Usually, stress and anxiety interfere with sleep when some big changes are made in life. So, if you are moving, changing your job, whether to a new company or you’re just getting promoted, it's possible that this will happen to you. But there are ways you can prevent the interference of stress. Let's say if you are moving, you want to hire professionals even if your move is a local one because this will make your move much easier and you won't be as stressed out as you would be if you were to move alone. And you really don't need the stress when you are relocating. Especially if you have a family. Moving is a complex process and being stressed out and tired won't do you good.

Daily things that interfere with sleep

Certain things have a big impact on how we sleep and we don't even notice it. If you are someone who uses their phone, computer or watches TV before bed, you need to change your habits. Believe it or not, these devices have a huge impact on your sleep. Even though those screens tire your eyes and make you feel tired, they fill your brain with a lot of information which your brain needs to process. That's exactly why sometimes you have dreams about something you saw online or on TV. And sometimes, this makes you unable to sleep. Try to replace this habit with a book, a face mask, a shower, etc. 

Replace screens with a good book before bed

Another thing that interferes with sleep beside stress is sugar. High sugar intake isn't good for your body nor your mind. Try to lower it. It's also really important to exercise regularly, but not too close to your bedtime. You should also use your room just for sleeping and relaxing. And make sure your bedroom is cool, dark, and quiet - a perfect scenario for good sleep. It is really hard for teenagers to use their room just for relaxing as they do everything in their room - study, read, hang out with friends, etc. Moving sometimes makes it even worse, so you have to settle in quickly after moving. And nowadays more and more teenagers have huge problems with stress and anxiety. They are young and confused and adults should help them cope with the stress as much as possible. And if they are unable to do so, therapy is always an option.

Is going to a therapist a good idea?

A night or two of insomnia may not be much of a problem for most people. But if insomnia persists for days and has an impact on the way you feel during the day, you should think about speaking to your doctor. He will advise you on what medicine you should take and whether or not you should go see a therapist. But most doctors will turn to sleep aids for short-term insomnia. Have in mind that therapy is expensive and that a lot of stress comes from money issues. This is good to have in mind if you are preparing to move. Moving is also very expensive, so try to prevent money problems by calculating your budget in advance if possible.

Consult your doctor on what the best solution for your problem is

Conclusion

Stress and anxiety interfere with sleep and if you don't try to get rid of stress, you will end up in a circle of constant stress. And this is either treated with medicine or therapy, depending on the condition. Acute insomnia turns into chronic insomnia very quickly, so it's important to start acting as soon as you notice that something isn't the way it should be. This is extremely important to do if you notice stress in children - both toddlers and teenagers. They are young and they don't have as much life experience as you do, so it's important to do everything you can to help them cope with stress. And if you believe you are unable to do so, the option of paying for therapy exists. Yes, it is expensive but dealing with stress constantly is much worse than paying a bigger amount of money for treatment.