Sleep and stress work hand in hand and treating one of them will improve the other one automatically. Stress is a very common part of everyone’s life and you can’t avoid it. One of the most common harmful effects of stress is sleep disturbances. It is very normal to experience occasional stress and sleep disturbances. Both stress and sleep can affect each other. If you are experiencing stress on a regular basis, it hampers your sleep. Similarly, if you are facing issues with sleeping well, it may leave you stressed. Considering these points, it is very important to manage stress and get quality sleep to live a healthy and quality life.
If we talk about coping with sleep and stress, there are several methods to do that. But before discussing those methods, you should know the reasons behind stress and disturbed sleep. It is very important to know what is causing stress or affecting your sleep. Because this will help you choose the right treatment method for your issues.
- underlying health conditions
- issues in your personal or professional life
- financial problems
- separation from a loved one or death of a loved one
- sudden changes in your life
- unhealthy lifestyle habits
These are some of the most common causes of stress and sleep disturbances. Management of these will help you cope with sleep and stress. In this article, you will find different methods to cope with sleep and stress which include:
- lifestyle methods
- relaxation methods
- medications
Understanding different lifestyle and relaxation methods for coping with sleep and stress
Make a good sleep routine to release stress and sleep well. Try to sleep and wake up at the same time daily even on weekends.
Avoid consuming alcohol and caffeine in the evening for better sleep. Because caffeine makes your brain active and takes 4-5 hours to absorb in the body. Due to this, it will be a bit difficult for you to sleep. Talking about alcohol, people often think alcohol helps in getting good sleep. It is not true because alcohol consumption may change your way of handling stress and disturb your sleep.
Take a warm shower before going to bed. It comes with two benefits – one is that it reduces stress and makes you feel better. Moreover, it also lowers your body temperature which helps you in falling asleep easily.
Avoid using electronic gadgets like smartphones, laptops, computers, and TV at bedtime. Because these devices emit blue light which interferes with your circadian rhythm. Disturbed circadian rhythm alters your sleep cycle. So, you should not use any electronic gadgets at bedtime.
Make your bedroom environment comfortable and sleep-promoting. Keep the room dark, quiet, and comfortable bedding.
Practice regular exercise, yoga, or do physical activity and aerobics. Because it releases endorphin hormone which helps in relieving stress and makes you feel better. But don’t do heavy workouts at night because it will exhaust you and cause difficulty falling asleep.
Practice relaxation activities like meditation, mindfulness, deep breathing, and tai chi. These activities will distract your mind from negative thoughts, relieve stress, and make you feel better.
Besides these, try to do things you like or spend time with your family, friends, and loved ones. This will relax your mind and help in getting better sleep at night.
Different medications for coping with sleep and stress
Along with lifestyle changes and relaxation methods, some medications also help in managing stress and getting better sleep. There are so many medicines that people use to manage stress and get better sleep. In general, lifestyle methods and relaxation methods work great for sleep and stress. But in extreme situations, medicines are used to manage stress and get better sleep. The type and dose of medicine depend on your age, health status, personal choice, and severity of the issue.
Antidepressants: These are a class of medicines that help in relieving anxiety and get better sleep. Because stress and anxiety are one of the most common reasons for disturbed sleep. So, treating stress and anxiety will prevent you from depression and help in get better sleep. For example, Trazodone, Amitriptyline, etc.
Benzodiazepines: Benzodiazepines are the medicines that doctors prescribe for anxiety. These are also known as anti-anxiety medications. Along with that, these medicines are also effective in treating insomnia and many other sleep disorders. These medicines are CNS depressants which slow down the activity of the CNS and reduce anxiety. Moreover, these medicines relax your nerves, make you drowsy, and help in fall asleep. For example, Xanax, Diazepam, Clonazepam, and Lorazepam are the most commonly used anti-anxiety medications. All these medications are effective in treating insomnia and other sleep disturbances as well.
Non-benzodiazepines (Sleep aids): These are prescription medicines that work great for insomnia and other sleep disorders. They belong to the hypnotic class of medicines which has sedative properties. So, these medicines induce sedation and drowsiness which make you less alert and sleepy. Although the action mechanism of these medicines is the same as benzodiazepines. But these medicines are safer than benzodiazepines as they have fewer side effects. Examples of this class are zolpidem and zopiclone, so also known as z-drugs.
Final Thoughts
Stress and sleep issues have become very common these days. Every third person around you is either experiencing stress or having sleep issues. Occasional stress and sleep disturbances are quite understandable. But if you are experiencing them frequently then, you need to do something about them. Positive lifestyle changes and relaxation methods are very effective in treating both stress and sleep issues. Along with them buy anti-anxiety medications and sleep medications to treat stress and sleep issues. You can buy these medications from Diazepamshoponline which is an online pharmacy. So, Buy anti-anxiety medications and sleep medications to cope with sleep and stress and live a quality life.
