The Link Between Stress and Sleep

When we are stressed, we can find it difficult to sleep properly. And, when we don't sleep properly, it causes us more stress. This vicious circle affects millions of people around the world.

With our busy lifestyles, difficult jobs, complicated social relationships, money worries and now the COVID-19 pandemic, humans are suffering more stress today than ever before. According to a survey by the National Sleep Foundation, 43% of people aged between 13 and 64 years old have reported lying awake at night, because of feeling stressed, at least once in the past month.

Stress can have a negative impact of both the duration and the quality of sleep. This in turn leads to negative impacts on mental and physical health. In addition to finding that more than 35% of adults get less than seven hours of sleep a night, the CDC (Centres for Disease Control and Prevention) revealed that such adults have an increased risk of:

  • Kidney disease
  • Arthritis
  • Depression
  • Low energy levels
  • Stroke
  • Diabetes
  • Heart Disease
  • Obesity

Sleep facilitates a wide array of bodily processes from physical changes like muscle repair to mental tasks such as the ability to concentrate. A lack of good sleep can also lead to serious consequences if the affected person drives or operates machinery when they are tired and not focusing properly.

The stress response evolved in humans and other animals as a way to deal with dangerous situations. When stressed, the body's autonomic nervous system releases a cocktail of hormones including cortisol and adrenaline, which cause the heart to circulate blood to vital muscles and organs in a more efficient way, preparing us to take any necessary action immediately: this is colloquially known as the 'fight or flight' response.

Even when a problem isn't a threat to our immediate survival, the body still triggers this primal response to stressful situations like those mentioned at the beginning of this article. The response makes us feel more alert and awake, preventing us from enjoying the physical and mental benefits of good sleep.

There are many ways to help reduce the sleep-depriving impacts of stress, one of which is to invest in a quality bed and/or mattress. Here at Odd Size Beds, we supply an extensive collection of beds and mattresses designed to help. Please browse our range today and look forward to a life of better sleep. Sweet dreams!

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