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Tips to Stress Less and Sleep More

Posted by Marla Richards, MS, RD, LD on August 13, 2015
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Tips to Stress Less and Sleep More | Marla Richards, MS, RD, LD | Improving Health blog by CareATC, Inc.Living in this world isn’t always easy with deadlines, social events, and responsibilities to family and friends. Then there is healthy living, which we try to do with good nutrition, exercise, etc....but where does sleep come in?

For many of us, checking daily tasks off our list means having our ducks in a row. However, if your list takes you until the wee hours of the night to complete, and you have an early rise the following day, how accomplished are you really?

If this is the case, then there is no control, especially with your health. Sleep is a must, in all aspects of living! Without sleep, the body can’t function properly — even if we think it can.

So much takes place for the brain and the body when we’re sleeping, it’s incredible. If sleep is off, hormones are off, meaning metabolism can be off, which can lead to all sorts of trouble with proper energy intake and the way the body will store the fuel it’s provided.

Let’s talk hormones.

The body has many different hormones that both male and female produce at different times of the day. Two hormones that men and women have in common are Ghrelin and Leptin. These two hormones are not talked about often, but are two that exist and play a vital role in our lives.

These two hormones are known as our appetite hormones, which control our hunger levels. Little sleep has been proven to have an effect on Ghrelin and Leptin causing metabolic levels to decline.

Ghrelin is the hormone that enhances the appetite, thus increasing cravings, especially when it’s overproduced. Leptin is the hormone that signals to your brain you’ve reached satiety after eating.

With a low quantity and low quality of sleep, Ghrelin will increase and Leptin will decrease, thus leaving you with the feeling of excessive hunger.

The true solution is to reduce stress.

Any stress will lead to an increase in Cortisol, which is the stress hormone. Worry, anxiety, and fear all lead to an increase in this hormone, which may lead to unhealthy food cravings such as sugar.

Along with food cravings, stress decreases sleep quality thus preventing one from achieving restful sleep. Eliminating the stress of everyday life can help one gain the feeling of accomplishment and structure.

Having a to-do list a mile long can cause strain to your both mentally and physically. When your productivity leaves little time for rest in between, it may be hard to unwind during the evening hours.

Your body needs time to relax and prepare for good sleep. Having responsibilities and meeting deadlines is a part of life, but it’s important to focus on a few things each day.

Overwhelming yourself with multiple tasks that realistically can’t be completed in one full day will lead to exhaustion, ultimately increasing your stress level.  

Tips to Stress Less and Sleep More

Take some time the day before your work-week starts to sit down and plan out the most important things that need to be completed during the week to come.

Make a separate to-do list for each day that each have different tasks to accomplish for the week. This way, each day of the week will be devoted to a completely different list than the day before.

Make your to-do list realistic by allowing only a few major tasks to be completed for the day. Placing a time limit next to your tasks will help you get things completed in a timely manner and leave you with an overall feeling of achievement.

Allow some time every evening to relax your mind and body, preferably about 1 hour before you’re ready for bed. It’s important to unwind so that your natural sleep hormones won’t be affected.

Your body has a natural circadian rhythm, but the stress from your day will interfere with sleep throwing off your entire sleep cycle.

Try to get a minimum of 7 hours of sleep each night to achieve a healthy sleep pattern. Research has proven that below 7 hours may result in increased cravings.

So, reduce your stress to get more rest and you’ll have better days to come! 

Do you have any more tips to reduce stress? Let us know in the comments below!

Photo credit: pinguino k [CC BY 2.0]
Marla Richards, MS, RD, LD

About The Author

Marla Richards, MS, RD, LD

Marla has a longstanding passion in wellness and healthy living. After graduating from the University of Central Arkansas and completing the dietetic internship in 2011, she embarked on her professional career in wellness, working for an integrated health and wellness facility in Northwest Arkansas.

Post Topics Healthy Lifestyles