When we face a situation we feel we cannot change, stress is often our natural reaction. It is the body’s way of rising to a challenge and preparing for it with focus, strength, stamina, and heightened alertness. However, there are times when chronic stress and anxiety keep you up at night or invoke the “fight or flight” response that doesn’t seem to go away, even when it’s time to relax or go to sleep.
Fortunately, some methods can help you during times of unwanted and excessive stress. If you get caught up in the unbearable cycle of anxiety and insomnia, you can start by changing up a few things in your lifestyle. Even something as simple as switching to a healthy diet or picking up daily exercise can have tremendous stress-relieving effects. Other ways, including listening to relaxing music, meditation, or learning some breathing techniques, can also be incredibly helpful.
If you often feel too stressed to sleep, below you will find some approaches that may help you relax and improve the quality of your sleep.
Listen to Relaxing Music
Music can play a big role in how you feel before bedtime. If you are stressed or anxious, a good relaxing song can help slow you down and put you into a peaceful mood. A lot of people like to listen to something before bedtime, but what type of music should you listen to?
Classical music is often considered to be very relaxing because it creates a sense of calmness and order. Soft instrumental music with no lyrics can also have a soothing effect on the mind and body. However, if you find that classical music keeps you awake at night because it stimulates your mind or elicits certain emotions, try listening to slower songs with soft melodies instead. The quality of sound might also make a big difference, so you can consider checking out the best-integrated amplifiers.
Try Breathing Exercises
When you feel stressed or anxious, your body’s physical response is to breathe shallowly and quickly. The problem is that this causes your blood pressure to rise, which can lead to a racing heart, dizziness, headaches, and even insomnia. Deep breathing is an excellent stress reliever because it calms down the nervous system and increases oxygen flow to the brain. It reduces your blood pressure and slows your heart rate.
Try to breathe slowly in and out for about five minutes before bedtime. As you inhale, breathe down into your belly and focus on your breath.
Learn to Meditate
Meditation is another excellent relaxation technique that helps to reduce stress and anxiety. There are many different forms of meditation, so it will be easy to find one that works for you. You can meditate at home using even something as simple as a dedicated YouTube channel as a guide to help you learn how to do it properly.
One of the most popular methods is mindfulness meditation, which simply involves becoming aware of your current state and focusing on your breathing. Sitting in a quiet place for about 20 minutes every day can help you be calmer and more relaxed, but you will also improve your sleep quality by reducing the number of stress hormones in your body. Mindfulness is not only an excellent tool for calming anxiety but also for improving concentration and focus during the day. Don’t get frustrated if you try to meditate and don’t see immediate results or simply can’t focus – it might take you some time to get used to.
Meditation will work even better if you combine it with breathing exercises.
Make the Bedroom Dark and Cozy
Sleeping in a room that is too bright might make it harder for you to fall or stay asleep. Light interferes with the release of melatonin, which is a hormone that makes you sleepy. To make your bedroom darker and more sleep-friendly, use blackout curtains or blinds around the windows and turn off the lights in the room.
Moreover, before you go to sleep, try to make sure that you open the window for at least ten minutes – it’s never good to sleep in a room that’s too hot. The optimal sleeping temperature in the bedroom for adults should be between 60 and 67° F.
You can also use some cozy bedding, such as soft sheets, silk pillows, and fuzzy blankets, to feel comfortable while lying in bed. Having everything arranged well in your bedroom will make it easier to relax and fall asleep faster at night.
Change Your Habits
Sometimes, when we are too stressed out or busy during the day, we tend to stay up later than usual by watching TV shows or surfing the Internet to keep our thoughts occupied. If that’s your case, too, then it might be best for you to make some changes to your daily schedule. This can mean turning off the TV earlier in the evening or cutting back on your time on social media sites and other entertainment websites.
Try reading a book in bed instead of watching TV or scrolling through your phone. If you still have trouble falling asleep, try to engage in some relaxing activity right before bedtime, like taking a warm shower, meditating, or listening to soothing music.
If you are a night owl and find it hard to get up early, try waking up at the same time every day, no matter how late you go to bed. It will help regulate your circadian rhythm and make it easier for you to fall asleep earlier.
Start Exercising Regularly
Regular exercise is a great way to relieve stress. It helps you sleep better, improves your mood and concentration, boosts your immune system, and keeps your weight in check. However, it’s essential that you pick the right type of exercise. For example, aerobic exercises, such as jogging or cycling, are excellent, but they can be too stimulating for some people, so they are better for a morning routine. You don’t have to do an intense workout or even get sweaty – just walking around the block, doing some yoga poses, or stretching exercises will do the trick.
Conclusion
All of these methods are simple stress relievers that will help you sleep better at night if anxiety is keeping you awake during the day. Stress is never conducive to a good night’s sleep, so the more relaxed you are, the easier it will be for you to drift off. Try to practice meditation or deep breathing techniques, make some changes to your lifestyle, turn on relaxing music, and before long, you won’t have to worry about stress keeping you awake at night. When your stress is gone, so will be your sleepless nights!
Seeking Help
If you are in a pattern of sleepless nights that are negatively affecting your health, your family, or your career, connect with the Alaska Sleep Clinic for a free consultation. Our sleep medicine specialists offer the help needed to get back on track with a quality, healthy night’s sleep.
