How to Deal With Stress-Related Insomnia

One of the biggest causes of insomnia is stress. In fact, one of the biggest causes of most of the health issues we see in the world today is stress. Stress leads to all sorts of health issues, most notably leading to cardiovascular disease and heart attacks. The big problem with stress-related sleep issues is that it can cause a vicious circle that perpetuates itself through being tired and groggy. When we’re tired, we feel more stressed and are less able to tackle the things we have on our daily to-do lists. We might start falling behind at work, forgetting important dates, or slacking with housework, and when we do these things it leads to more stress. More stress = more sleeplessness = more stress. It’s enough to cause nightmares!

So, what can you do to break the cycle and deal with stress-related insomnia? Well, before I dive in and share some solutions with you, let’s have a look at the causes and impacts that stress-related insomnia can have.

What causes stress-related insomnia?

Firstly, to define what insomnia is, it is anything from either an inability to get to sleep or an inability to stay asleep. Those who have a tendency towards feelings of anxiety are more likely to experience insomnia, but it is reported to affect between 10%-30% of adults in their lifetime. And as to what causes insomnia - the answer to this is anything. Everyone reacts differently to situations in life and what might be incredibly stressful for some, might just be a minor inconvenience for others. There are different sorts of stress that can affect us, from acute stress which is generally related to a specific event or experience and is usually fleeting in its duration, to chronic stress which can come from the internalization of abuse or trauma. It is this chronic stress that causes the most long-term health effects and is what will become the new normal for those who are affected by it.

Both sorts of stress can cause insomnia, but whereas acute stress will usually go away once the event or experience is over, chronic stress will usually only be relieved through deep introspective work and emotional mastery. There are some things you can do, though, to help ease yourself into sleep and start on your journey to healing from insomnia, so I wanted to share some with you today in the hopes that they will help you.

How can you begin to ease insomnia?
Tip #1
Write down everything that’s on your mind before bed. This is such an easy way to help relieve some of the stresses you’re feeling and will leave you more able to relax, knowing that everything you need to get done is noted down and ready to do tomorrow. Often, what can keep us up at night is worrying about forgetting things, so make sure to keep a notebook and pen by your bed so you can write down all those niggly things that are encouraging your mind to stay active.

Tip #2
Listen to calming, relaxing music or sounds. As you know if you’ve been in my world for a while, I have a whole YouTube channel filled with beautiful, ambient videos that are proven to help with relaxation and sleep. From rain, storms and snow to water, tropical rainforests and spa sounds, if you struggle with sleep then I know that these sounds will help you as you wind down from the day. Sometimes, without any noise at all it can be easy for our minds to wander, in particular if you’re going through a stressful or anxious time, so listen to what your body and mind need at the time and allow yourself to be gently whisked away to a calming place for a while before bed so that your mind has something else to focus on.

Tip #3
Have a proper night-time routine. It’s no good jumping into bed when you’re still wired from the day because you either won’t be able to get to sleep at all, or it will take you a long time to wind down. Having a relaxing evening routine is guaranteed to help you get a better night’s sleep and I have some great recommendations for you to help.

• Start your night-time routine an hour or so before bed so that you give your mind and body the chance to understand that the day is coming to a close
• Take a bath - this is one of the most relaxing things you can do to help wind down and I have some beautiful bath and spa products available here that you can add to make it a more luxurious and cozy experience - adding in a few drops of the lavender oil is an incredible thing to do to help you drift off into a peaceful sleep
• Have a cup of night-time tea
• Write down in your notebook everything you need to get done the next day and also spend some time writing down 2-3 things you’re grateful for
• Use a hot water bottle when it’s cold. There’s nothing better than getting into a warm bed, especially when it’s chilly outside, and it really helps to cozify the experience

The more you do your night-time routine, the quicker your mind will begin to realize that it’s the sign it needs to wind down and prepare for sleep.

Tip #4
Use sleep aids. Not necessarily medicine or pills, but tools that are created to help ease you into a sleepful state. I have lots of wonderful products designed to help with just that, from my bluetooth sleeping headphones and memory foam sleep mask, to this amazing massage device that helps to release fatigue and stress for your most incredible sleep to date.

Tip #5
Reduce your intake before bed, in particular any food or drink containing caffeine or high levels of sugar. Both of these things help to give the body energy, which is definitely not what you want before going to sleep, so try to eliminate these from your diet at least a couple of hours before you start your night-time routine.

Stressful situations happen to all of us and it’s normal for our sleep to be affected now and then, but if you find that you’re suffering badly from insomnia and it’s starting to affect your ability to function properly then it can also be worth speaking to your GP about it. Whilst being prescribed medicine is definitely not always the answer, some might find it helpful. However, I would highly recommend looking inwards as well to see if you’re able to start the healing journey of recovering from a mindset that may lean towards stress. We can often get caught up in a certain way of thinking, so taking a look inwards and tackling from the inside out is one of the best ways to help with sleep issues and stress overall.