Insomnia Due to Stress: What Are Its Symptoms and How to Combat it

Insomnia due to stress is one of the main health problems that many people face in their daily lives. It is a type of sleep disturbance that has a direct impact on both the wear and tear on the body and the risk of making mistakes and being exposed to risk during day-to-day life, and this situation, in turn, can increase stress, which which makes the situation worse.

In this article we will see both tips on how to combat insomnia due to stress and the typical symptoms of this disorder.

Insomnia due to stress: how does it appear?

At the time of going to sleep and falling asleep, our perception of the possible dangers or problems that threaten us it’s very important. If there is something that makes us think that we are in a vulnerable situation, the nervous system will tend to remain in a state of alert, as this makes it more likely that we will seek a solution immediately.

Unfortunately, in Western societies the problems usually do not have to do with exploring the environment in search of nearby resources or safe places to turn to, but rather have to do with more abstract goals and many intermediate steps. For example, passing an exam next week, or reconciling with a person who lives far away.

So, at the moment of going to bed it is not always practical to feel this restlessness, and The only thing you can do is try to fall asleep It is in these cases when the less bad side of this mechanism of adaptation to the environment appears: insomnia due to stress.

Symptoms

The main symptoms of stress insomnia are the appearance of intrusive thoughts and mental images that arise in our consciousness over and over again, difficulties in finding a position in which we feel comfortable, the impossibility of disengaging our focus of attention from a specific topic and in extreme cases, tremors due to causes other than temperature.

In other cases, stress insomnia not only manifests itself when trying to fall asleep, but also makes us wake up in the middle of the night without feeling particularly sleepy and without wanting to stay in bed.

Of course, these signs should not be related to an illness or the fact that we went to sleep at the wrong time, since these are factors that have a clear impact on how we sleep in the short term.

What to do to fall asleep again?

These are several tips you can follow to start getting quality sleep and, in general, to feel better

1. Give yourself a margin

It is important to value one’s own health and not pretend that lack of sleep is something circumstantial or a simple source of discomfort. Not facing the problem makes it easier for it to get worse and bigger day after day.

So, momentarily break away from those responsibilities that are not clearly urgent and dedicate a day alone to re-enter the dynamic of sleeping well. This means missing several things on the first day, but in exchange We create situations conducive to giving the most of ourselves during the weeks to come. Once insomnia due to stress does not exist, we will be much more efficient dedicating ourselves to our tasks and we will waste less time.

2. Avoid using screens after dark

In the hours before going to sleep, try to avoid exposure to bright lights and screens. In this way, your nervous system It will not remain activated as it would during the hours of more natural light

3. Do sports in the morning

Sport is a good way to relieve some of the stress, and in that sense it is good to use it as a resource. However, avoid at all costs practicing it a few hours before dinner, or after. If not, your body will still be very activated when you try to fall asleep.

4. Don’t take stimulants

Whatever happens, avoid taking any substance that significantly activates your nervous system, like coffee

5. Practice relaxation exercises

By resorting to these simple exercises from time to time, you will help ensure that your stress levels do not rise too much. In them, you will work especially with your focus of attention and breathing patterns. The latter It will help you oxygenate yourself better with less effort so you will be giving reasons for your nervous system not to remain on alert.

6. Make sure your bed is comfortable

It seems obvious, but many times we make sleeping problems worse by trying to fall asleep in a bed that is not prepared properly, or in a place that is not even designed for sleeping in.

So, make sure the place is big enough to stretch out well, that the sheets adapt to the temperature, and that there are no objects that limit your mobility taking into account that while you sleep you will change your posture many times.