Sleep is closely tied to overall health. Be it physical mental emotional, sleep plays a pivotal role in our wellbeing and holistic health.
"There's clear, unequivocal evidence that there's a strong relationship between psychological health and sleep," Dr. Wertheimer says. "They go hand in hand."
Anxiety and depression can interfere with the ability to fall asleep, as well as quality and duration. Conversely, lack of sleep can lead to higher levels of stress, frustration, depression and anxiety. These concerns elude sleep, and it becomes a vicious cycle.
“Sleep deprivation can also lower thinking and problem-solving skills, attention span, memory, patience, ability to connect with friends and family, and even physical health, Dr. Wertheimer noted.”
Stress impacts sleep. We are too worried, tense about work, deadlines, upcoming important engagements, and the mind goes into a tizzy. Consequently, our sleep is erratic, restless and fitful. The body and mind, both don’t get ample time to repair and rejuvenate. We wake up dull, lethargic and heavy headed with the impeding tasks inching closer to the deadline.
Stress has many negative connotations, but it is a response that has evolved in humans and animals to allow them to deal with important or dangerous situations.
In humans, stress can cause the autonomic nervous system (ANS) to release hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones raise the heart rate to circulate blood to vital organs and muscles more efficiently, preparing the body to take immediate action if necessary. This reaction is known as the fight-or-flight response, and it was vital for human survival during the earlier stages of evolution.
Chronic feelings of stress can cause the nervous system to maintain a heightened state of arousal for extended periods. Being in this state can severely impact physical and mental health in the long term. One effect of stress is that it can cause sleep deprivation. Frequently being in a heightened state of alertness can delay the onset of sleep and cause rapid, anxious thoughts to occur at night. Insufficient sleep can then cause further stress.
According to a National Sleep Foundation survey, 43 percent of people aged 13–64 have reported lying awake at night due to stress at least once in the past month. (https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322994)
Staying organized and planned can help reduce stress, the extended benefit being better sleep, better health, and fulfilling life.
Kommentare