FYI: Stress Does NOT Cause Insomnia...And 4 Things You Can Do To Sleep Better

I found that hard to believe too. Sleep clinic studies show that stress, the kind we experience on a daily basis, does not cause insomnia. So what gives? It’s actually worry that causes lack of sleep. Here’s a quick explanation and 4 things you can do to sleep better.

The difference between stress and worry is that stress is a physiological response and worry is cognitive. Stress is your body’s response to an external event. Think of a deadline at work, having a busy schedule, your kids bickering, getting a flat tire, those are day-to-day stressors. There are times when a stress response is a good thing, a lifesaver in fact. We sense danger or a threat, our body has a physiological response (increased heart rate, etc.), the stressor goes away, and our body returns to its resting state. Our bodies are resilient and made to deal with stress.

Worry is dwelling on negative thoughts or things that could go wrong. It’s repetitive and obsessive. If worrying becomes chronic and goes untreated, it can cause a stress response and become anxiety (the combination of stress & worry).

Years ago, I had a client that couldn’t sleep. During our first session we spent a few minutes getting to know each other. They went on to tell me that they couldn’t figure out why they couldn’t fall asleep. They had a good bedtime routine. No electronics before bed, dark room, proper temperature, they even prepared for the next day so they wouldn’t think about it at bedtime. They were stumped. And quite frankly, so was I. We were at the last 5 minutes of the appointment and I had no idea how to help. So, I got curious. I circled back to something they mentioned early in our meeting. They were an ultra distance runner. I asked them how they felt at the starting line. They were nervous and a little anxious. I asked how they dealt with those feelings. They said, they trusted that all their preparation leading up to the race, the months of workouts and eating properly, had made them ready. I asked, “So how is that any different than your preparation leading up to bedtime?” They got a HUGE grin, and said they had no idea how I connected running and bedtime, but that it made sense. We went on to make a SMART goal around their bedtime mindset (they actually began practicing evening meditation) and eventually they were able to fall asleep much faster.

Adding mindfulness to this client’s routine and reframing their thoughts at bedtime helped them to sleep better right away. They also had other practices already in place that helped:

• Regular exercise

• Plant based eating

• Boundaries around working hours

• Writing down list of to-do’s for the next day

• Turning off electronics 30 minutes before bed

It seems simple when you have a good bedtime routine and healthful habits already in place. The challenge comes when you have already fallen into the cycle of not getting enough sleep, choosing comfort (crappy) food & caffeine, skipping your workouts because you’re exhausted, your stress response is heightened from all of the above, and you begin to worry and/or get anxious at bedtime and then you don’t sleep. See the cycle?

My client already had other practices in place that helped prevent the above-mentioned cycle. Here are 4 easy things, you can do (in addition to what my client did) to improve your sleep:

1. Have a cup of warm herbal tea

2. Do a body scan

3. Use essential oils such as lavender or this blend

4. Practice gratitude

None of these are quick fixes. It takes practice, experimentation, and self-compassion to get into a consistent sleep routine. If you are in this sleep/worry cycle and aren’t sure what to do, email me to schedule a gift session.