6 Reasons How Sleep Helps To Manage Stress

Sleep deprivation can become serious if not given its due attention. People should be aware of their sleep patterns as it is one of the powerful ways to connect to self for a good mental health. In a world where we depend on many people and gadgets, one point is valid till death: a person can help oneself more efficiently than others helping them in any circumstances. However, we are not counting here scenarios where one would need medical attention by experts. With a fast pacing world, the amount of stress also increases with super speed. Mental well-being is very crucial to staying composed to handle day-to-day activities. Let's look at six reasons how sleep helps to manage stress levels.

What do the facts say about mental health?

According to reports, nearly 48% adults and 68% teenagers reported that bad sleep affected their mental health.

How can we manage stress?

Making our lives stress-free in the first place is our responsibility.

So, one has to de-stress by self without external factors and cope with living a stress-free life. If we follow a few self-help techniques daily, we can cope with stress and know how to deal with sudden stressful situations. Experiencing a little bit of pressure in a day-to-day routine is natural, but getting hooked on it requires attention. It is okay to have eustress; that is the feeling when you are happy about a task and simultaneously feeling anxious about it.

How does our body react to stress?

We feel sad, tired, irritable, anxious, depressed, and frustrated when stressed. We may tend to lose interest in things we do, reducing our capacity to do work. Your body also reacts to stress in one or more ways; you may suffer from indigestion, sweating, high heart rate, palpation, restlessness, nausea, and headache.

Few reasons how sleep helps to relieve stress:

Here we are stating six reasons how sleep keeps us calm and relieves stress that work very well for us.

1. Shut the outer world:

From the start of the day, we start conversations with family, friends, and colleagues. Besides, the world is not concise to the people we meet physically; we are connected to numerous people through social media. The mind is continuously occupied with the news and messages of various people, though it is the right way to stay connected to the world. Before the sleep routine, shut off all your gadgets. Staying away from devices helps our minds gradually switch from the outer world. The brain takes time to disconnect as the thoughts are in the subconscious mind for a longer time. Self-talk helps to connect to the inner voice and helps to have a peaceful sleep.

2. Bath prior to sleep:

Maintaining good hygiene is a must to keep oneself fresh and healthy. Bathing helps to reduce physical pain and refreshes the mind too. A warm bath at night helps to induce sleep quickly. Sleep comes naturally without effort when the body and mind are relaxed. Also, wearing loose-fitted clothes makes the body relax, so always choose nightwear that is comfortable for the skin according to the weather. 

3. Sleep Positively:

Positive thoughts tremendously affect our life and how we perceive things. Positive affirmations benefit us to stay motivated toward our goals in life and make us think constructively, leaving behind all the criticism, negativity, and weakness. Positive affirmations impact the subconscious mind and assist us in staying away from stress, which further helps us to sleep happily without any worries.  

4. Active physical life:

For good mental health, one has to focus on better physical health which includes a peaceful sleep. Physical fitness keeps the body and mind balanced by aiding in bringing the contentment a person is searching for. Regular physical activity helps reduce anxiety levels to a great extent. When we are fit inside, we can manage things in a better way, thus naturally reducing stress levels. Low anxiety levels and a good sleep also helps to keep emotions in control.

5. Setting a sleep routine to feel relaxed:

A good night's sleep and mental well-being are interconnected and interdependent. Sleep is an essential relaxing routine that helps to rejuvenate our mind and body; it helps the body relax and makes the reason think with a fresh perspective. Adequate sleep prepares our minds to channel our activities in a better way. It is very important to set a sleep pattern to give proper rest to the body.

A comfortable bed and pillow must experience the most comfortable sleep. Slide into a slumber where your mind breaks from the outer world and pauses to be calm; sleep on your back and relax your body to the fullest.

6. Engaging in a creative work:

Creativity is a boon to live; every person has one or the other creative aspect. Leading a happy life while engaging in creative work helps a person stay distracted from the stress and gives plenty of time to re-analyze all the situation elements. Eric Hoffer quoted brilliantly, "Creativity is the ability to introduce order into the randomness of nature." Creative work can be anything of your choice that gives you peace and serenity in the heart. You can paint, draw, read, or doodle to calm your senses. Engaging in creative work before your bed time is a wonderful way to relieve anxiety and induce sound sleep. 

Final word:

Professor Colin Espie, Sleep Medicine at the University of Oxford, shared five principles for good sleep health

• Value Sleep 
• Prioritize Sleep 
• Personalize Sleep 
• Trust Sleep 
• Protect Sleep 

Sleeping can be a happy feeling for some and a huge task for others due to stress. It is very important to identify the sources of stress in your life. Knowing the root cause can help constructively manage your stress levels. Look for stress busters that work out best for you, and adopt them to relieve stress and live a happy life.

PS. All the techniques mentioned here are easy to start with for a peaceful, sound sleep and take only a little time to be stress-free. Using these self-help ideas, one can de-stress without assistance. These all tasks may seem cumbersome at the start, but once you start practicing them, you will make this little effort for good sleep. If any self-help techniques are not giving you the desired result and you feel overwhelmed by the situation, then seeking advice from a mental health expert is the best option. The blog post is for advisory purposes only; please consult doctors if you are unwell or seek the help of sleep therapists.