Stress and sleep are a double-edged sword, where both sides have the ability to hurt us emotionally and physically.
For example, if we’re feeling anxious about work issues or other stuff going on in our lives, getting a good night’s rest becomes much harder.
Likewise, if we aren’t getting enough sleep, then our ability to deal with stressful situations is subsequently weakened.
Do you see how that works?
Just look at these facts:
-In the United States, 65 percent of the people aren’t getting the proper amount of sleep due to stress-related issues.
-16 percent suffer from insomnia due to pressure from other areas of life.
As you can tell, this is a serious subject that many of us need to take a closer look at…before it’s too late!
It’s easy to take for granted the things that seem natural in our lives, I’ve done it myself.
My Personal Experience
I know firsthand the importance of getting enough sleep because I worked third shift for about 7 years.
Now I’ve always been a person who takes care of myself physically, for the most part, and haven’t really suffered from too many serious health issues.
But working on this schedule takes a toll on the body, as many others can attest.
For the first time in my life I started to have anxiety attacks along with other similar ailments, and much of it was due to the so-called “graveyard shift.”
Man was not meant to be nocturnal, and people on this schedule typically get less sleep than others.
Since I’ve returned to working somewhat normal hours, I haven’t experienced any anxiety attacks and my emotional and physical well-being is greatly improved:)
Stop The Cycle
We’ve all been there I’m sure, where you lie down in bed to go to sleep, and endless thoughts start running through your mind like a freight train out of control.
The reasons for this are pretty obvious, as life has become very fast-paced with increased responsibilities at work and at home.
But this nightly ritual is supposed to be our much needed break from stress.
It’s how we remain balanced, and additionally, this time is used to recharge the body’s “batteries” for the following day’s activities.
Sleeping well will help you to think more clearly and therefore manage whatever challenges are in front of you.
These are the facts. A lot of people don’t realize how something so simple could play such an important role towards stress relief, but we can’t ignore the truth.
If you find yourself feeling frantic and aggravated much of the time, take a closer look at your sleeping pattern.
Are you falling asleep shortly after you lie down? Do you wake up often during the night or find yourself tossing and turning repeatedly?
Fortunately, there are solid ways to control this damaging cycle that are simple and easy to implement.
Summary
Many programs and techniques are available which you can use to to find a balance between stress and sleep.
I will attempt to share the ones that work best on this site, so check back often:)
Sometimes the solution can be as simple as cutting off caffeine or alcohol consumption before going to bed, or not eating any large meals for several hours prior to sleeping.
Keep a journal close by and write down everything you did throughout the evening, what you ate and when, and any thoughts or feelings that may be affecting your sleep.
This should help you to pinpoint any important issues or patterns which need adjusting in a very short time.
Hope this information was helpful, feel free to share your comments below!
I’m glad you aren’t working the graveyard shift anymore. My father had to do it for over 25 years because he just couldn’t find any other place that would hire him. It was a difficult period and even today, 3 years after retirement he has problems falling asleep.
I’ve started implementing a nighttime ritual that should help me prepare for sleep. I have a couple of s actions that I do every night, in the same order so that my mind gets the idea that I want to sleep. My father is also doing this but those 25 years of bad sleep are very hard to overturn.
Thanks for sharing, Sydney! The graveyard shift has really taken a toll on me, and I’m really glad to be off it. Hopefully I can undo the harm of improper sleep in the years moving forward…
That’s a great idea to implement a steady nightly ritual to help you sleep better. Tell your dad to stick with it and I hope things get better for him, it might take some effort to retrain the body and mind but it’s so important to get that good rest every night!