Here Is How You Can Manage Stress Through Better Sleep

Mudit Dandwate, Co-Founder, Dozee says that in search of that elusive deep sleep and a calm mind, when we have a difficult decision to make, we are often advised to ‘sleep on it’. The wisdom of that single piece of advice dawns upon us only in times when sleep evades us. Sleep, according to the 17th-century dramatist and writer Thomas Dekker, is the golden chain that ties our health and bodies together. A research report published in February 2020 concluded that India is the least active country among 18 others including the United States, United Kingdom, Japan and Singapore. We are also the second most sleep-deprived country (after Japan) with an average sleep of seven hours one minute recorded, with Ireland recording the highest average at seven hours 57 minutes.

In the current time, when our minds are plagued by multiple challenges – loss of pay, lack of work, lack of space for oneself, being stuck indoors – stress is an immediate fallout of the situation. Sleepless nights spent worrying about the issues at hand lead to high stress and anxiety, subsequently impacting our productivity in any form of work - be it professional or personal.

Lack of sleep leads to a continuation of stress into all of our waking time. The sleep-stress relationship is a unique one and has a deep impact on several physiological aspects of the human body. In fact, they are in a Catch 22 relationship – one follows from the other, and hence breaking that chain is just as important.

In a healthy human body, the cortisol levels should ideally fall by evening hours as the body’s natural preparation for a good night’s sleep. However, high levels of cortisol (a hormone released due to stress) interferes with the release of melatonin – the hormone that regulates the sleep cycle in the human body. Lack of a good night’s sleep results in a mind that is not well-rested and hence easily prone to stress. Thus comes about the Catch 22 situation.

Sleep is a powerful stress reducer that restores the body strength and also induces calm, sharpens the mind, its judgement and decision-making, improves concentration and regulates mood. Lack of sleep can make one extremely irritable and snappy, and in times when the entire family is stuck indoors with only each other for company, an angry family member is quite a liability.

Having a good night’s sleep is easier than done. It can be extremely difficult to come by in times of such unprecedented stress. And yet, there are a few things we can do to inch closer towards it, one day and one night at a time.

Yog Nidra

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A post shared by Aislinn Coleman (@yogawithaislinn) onMar 25, 2020 at 10:27am PDT

Yog Nidra is a state between wakefulness and sleep. In this state of tremendous potential, we are able to establish contact with our Subconscious and Unconscious mind spontaneously, and relaxation is one of the major benefits of Yog Nidra. Yog Nidra, in its modern adaptation, was developed by Swami Satyananda Saraswati of the Bihar School of Yoga. This practice, which is under eight stages and it is a guided format that you can find out online.

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Simple breathing exercises

One wouldn’t imagine having to be taught to breathe well. And yet, that’s what we need. In our pacey lives, one is barely conscious of our actions, much less breathing. Breathing consciously is the only trick to breathing well. Making sure, you breathe with the stomach, and not just the chest; inhaling through the nose and not through the mouth; taking breaks between the breaths, these are all simple ways of making sure you breathe right. Practicing the right technique kicks in a series of changes in our system that reduce muscle tension, slowing the heart rate, bringing down the blood pressure, normalizing metabolism thus aiding overall relaxation.

A very popular form of breathing technique followed is the 4-7-8 method. In this, one is advised to settle in a comfortable seating position. You may keep your eyes closed or open, depending on your own comfort. The first step is to inhale for four seconds, hold the breath for seven seconds and gradually exhale for 8 seconds. Just repeat this several times until you feel deep relaxation seep into your body.

Routine before sleep

Setting a routine before going to sleep is very helpful since it helps the mind gradually itself into winding down and slip into deep slumber once you lie on your bed.

a. Eating a light dinner is very important

b. Avoid any form of screen time – mobile, television, laptop, iPad – since an hour before bedtime

c. A bath (warm or cold) before bedtime helps cool down your body

d. Listen to calming music so that it allows our mind to relax

e. Soothing ambient lighting for the bedroom rather than the glaring tube light is always conducive to enjoying a good night’s sleep

And in case you are coming off a night of bad sleep, here are some common mistakes to avoid:

• Do not sleep the next day, go about your normal routine. Our body thrives best in regularity; any changes in the routine confuses it and reduce its effectiveness. And this can also result in continued lack of sleep for the subsequent night as well.
• Do not go to bed any earlier than otherwise, push your internal body clock till the normal bedtime
• If lack of sleep at night is a problem, resist the urge to nap during the day.

Having shared the above, if none of them work please consult a doctor immediately. There may be a deeper problem than we anticipate. If you are stressed on stress issues, sleep on it!