Do you daydream about getting a good night’s sleep? Do you wake up in the morning feeling tired? And is getting through the day a feat all on its own? You are not alone. Many people struggle with sleep issues, some for up to a third of the time they could have spent sleeping. And the cause, for many people, is stress. Stress and sleep have a close connection. And the more you stress, the more your bid for a good night’s rest becomes a nightmare experience.
Besides stress affecting your ability to fall asleep or sleep throughout the night, many people still feel stressed even after waking up. To many, a morning cup of coffee has become a necessity, not an indulgence. Caffeine can cause a chemical reaction in the body that gets your day started. But while it may pick you up in the morning, it does not solve the problem and can have other unwanted side effects that ultimately worsen your fatigue. When stress and sleep issues affect your ability to function, it's time to do something about it.
Too little sleep can affect both the body and mental function. Examples of health issues linked to chronic sleep deprivation include:
Many of these health issues relating to sleep are also worsened by a stress-related condition known as adrenal fatigue. And up to 70 million Americans suffer from a chronic sleep disorder1.
While insomnia, or an inability to fall asleep, is the most well-known chronic sleep disorder, it is far from the only one around. There are ninety sleep disorders thus far identified. And most of these stress and sleep deprivation issues have certain symptoms in common:
So, what is the connection between stress and sleep? How does stress cause sleep issues, and can we do something about it?
Stress is a major reason people develop problems with sleeping. We tend to have more stress now than our grandparents had. We may stress about our work environment, family life, or financial situation. Today, our work environments have drastically changed. Our family life situations are often more isolated, and we have both parents working. And with the cost of living ever increasing, people’s financial situations have changed from the time of our grandparents. We may earn substantially more on the one hand, especially when we have two-income families, but our expenses are substantially higher. You can start to see how stress and sleep issues could become a problem.
We also have to contend with internal and physical stressors that our grandparents probably never experienced. The common pesticides used on the foods we eat and the processed foods most Americans consume can cause internal stress on our bodies. Chemical exposure from household cleaning products and toxins in our air and water also cause stress on our bodies. In addition, we have to deal with a constant bombardment of electromagnetic frequencies from sources all around us, including the electricity in our homes, cell phones, and computers.
These stressors influence both our mental and physical functionality. We get ill for no apparent reason, and stress and sleep issues are also repercussions of this constant bombardment.
Before looking at how stress and sleep issues occur, we must understand how and why of a good night’s rest. This starts in the brain and involves our Neuroaffect Circuit.
In normal, healthy individuals, your NeuroEndoMetabolic (NEM) stress response acts on your Neuroaffect Circuit, which starts in the brain and then spreads throughout other body systems, producing more hormones that induce relaxation and sleep. This is important for proper circadian rhythm action to take place. The circadian rhythm refers to a person’s sleep/wake cycle. This cycle takes place over twenty-four hours.
Cortisol, produced in the adrenals, is one of the most important stress hormones. Your body’s lowest cortisol levels usually occur around midnight. From there, the levels will slowly pick up and present highest in the morning when you wake up. At the same time, as your cortisol levels increase, you will experience a reduction in the hormones that induce relaxation and sleep.2
The predominant hormones at play during your sleep cycle, besides cortisol, include:
Persistent stress can result in a persistent call for increased cortisol production, which comes at a price in the long run. Increased cortisol production during stressful periods requires certain body processes that are unnecessary for immediate survival to either slow down or stop, like digestion or reproductive systems. These processes are important for your overall health.
One of the effects of increased cortisol levels is a decrease in the production of other hormones. This includes the brain hormones that affect your sleep. In effect, you may have a hormone imbalance regarding your melatonin, leptin, ghrelin, and growth hormone levels.
This imbalance affects your sleeping patterns and ability to fall asleep. It may also affect your mental health to a certain extent. You may find yourself unable to sleep properly and experiencing cognitive decline to a certain extent. You may suffer from brain fog, for example, and see an increase in your anxiety levels. Many people develop anxiety and even depression. They may also experience feelings of irritability, mood swings, headaches, find it difficult to concentrate, or suffer from low libido.
Many of these symptoms are shared with adrenal fatigue, resulting from the constant demand for higher cortisol production in the adrenal glands. Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome (AFS) is the non-Addison's form of adrenal dysfunction, where the body's stress response cannot keep up with life's chronic stressors.
Conventional medicine would probably address anxiety and sleep issues through medications. Certain medications could help manage your feelings of anxiety. Other medications may help you go to sleep. Yet these medications do not help you manage the root cause of the hormone imbalance - the increased cortisol production and corresponding adrenal fatigue.
Fortunately, you can do much to help your body deal with stress and its effect on your sleep cycle naturally. The best way to deal with these issues is from a holistic perspective that considers your physical and mental health.
If stress and sleep issues become a problem, you first need to address your stressors. Unfortunately, most of us cannot just give up our jobs or distance ourselves from our families. Instead, learn coping mechanisms that help you deal with the situation. Plan and practice different strategies to lower stress, say no to additional tasks, and set boundaries.
A healthy diet may encourage better sleeping patterns. This means eating fresh, organic fruits and vegetables, lean meat, and fish. You should also cut out processed and fast foods and limit your alcohol consumption. If you smoke, cut down on that or, better yet, stop. The Adrenal Fatigue Diet is healthy for those with adrenal fatigue and related health issues.
Going to bed and getting up simultaneously daily will encourage healthy sleeping habits. You should strive for eight hours of sleep a night. Sleeping and waking simultaneously help train your body to sleep at bedtime. If you lie awake for more than 30 minutes, get up and do something boring so your body doesn't associate bed with wakefulness.
Develop a set of calming tasks you do every night before bed to signal to your body it is time to sleep. Consider stretching or yoga, reading a relaxing book, bathing, or making tea. You could also consider a warm milk drink before bedtime, as certain ingredients in milk promote sleep.5 Also, make sure your bedroom is calm and inviting. Make sure that your space is dark.
Electronic devices like your television set or computer emit blue light. This blue light interferes with your body’s natural circadian rhythm and thus influences your ability to sleep.7 Furthermore, all electrical devices give off electromagnetic frequencies (EMFs). EMFs affect our nervous, endocrine, and immune systems8. One of the ways they affect us is by influencing stress levels and sleep quality.
While we cannot avoid all EMFs, we can do much about limiting our exposure to them. Consider turning off electrical appliances, including your cell phones, laptops, and other devices, in the evening. Also, do not keep these devices in the bedroom at night.
Certain relaxation techniques have a calming effect on your mind and body. You could learn how to do breathing exercises or yoga, for example. Meditation is also very effective.
Talking to people may help you reduce stress. So, do not cut yourself off from your family and friends. Engage socially. You could also consider taking up a new hobby where you will meet new people. Or do some voluntary work. This will get you out and about. You could even make new friends who share your new interests with you.
Exercise is a great way to deal with stress. This is due to the hormone responses your body goes through when it takes part in physical activities.6 However, strenuous exercise requires cortisol and could add stress to an already stressed body. Gentle exercise is better. If you are suffering from adrenal fatigue, talk to your healthcare provider before you start training.
The best physical activities to increase your heart rate and produce a light sweat without putting too much strain on your body include brisk walking and cycling. You could also take up swimming, an exercise that gives you a full-body workout. You could also try tai chi, Pilates, or yoga.
The poet John Donne wrote that ‘no man is an island’. That statement is 100% true. You cannot do everything by yourself. Instead of trying to be a superman or superwoman, delegate some of your responsibilities if possible. This includes both your work life and home life. If you feel the work piling up, ask colleagues for help. When at home, ask your other family members to pitch in. Even a small three-year-old can be coached to help pick up their toys before bedtime.
You could also consider making use of the services provided by a therapist. These professionals may help you break down your stressors and deal with each while providing coping mechanisms.
Some supplements may help bring your body back to a state of balance. Supplements are also a good way to promote adrenal health, as adrenal function is impacted by stress. Your adrenals are also the main producer of stress hormones like cortisol.
When considering supplements, ensure the different ingredients supply the necessary support your body needs. Two examples are the supplements Adrenal Sleep.
Adrenal Sleep contains:
Adrenal Stay Asleep contains a combination of nutrients that include magnesium, passionflower, GABA, 5-HTP, melatonin, taurine, chromium, vitamin B-6, and niacin. Together, these ingredients help you to maintain a deep, lasting sleep.
Please note that certain supplements, or ingredients in supplements, may interact with certain medications. They may also not be suitable for people with existing health conditions. Always talk to your healthcare provider before you start using supplements.
Stress and sleep problems could create long-lasting problems for your mental and physical health. High cortisol, associated with stress, reduces other needed sleep hormones. Yet by making changes to reduce stress and train your body to sleep at the appropriate times, you could soon find yourself getting the eight hours of sleep you need. Supplements like Adrenal Sleep and Adrenal Stay Asleep could help speed your journey to a better night’s rest.
If you need additional guidance in the right tools for sleep, Dr. Lam's Adrenal Fatigue Recovery Program offers crucial insights with its proprietary supplements focused on adrenal support, a comprehensive eBook on adrenal health, video training, tailored nutritional and exercise plans, sleep optimization strategies, and access to personalized consultations, all aimed at enhancing stress management and improving sleep quality.
gently promote adrenal health and quality sleep
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Pacheco, Danielle, and Danielle Pacheco. "Does Warm Milk Help You Sleep?" Sleep Foundation, 9 Jan. 2024, sleepfoundation.org/nutrition/does-warm-milk-help-you-sleep.
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Alshoaibi, Yara, et al. "The Effect of Screen Use on Sleep Quality Among Adolescents in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia." Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, vol. 12, no. 7, 2023, pp. 1379-1388, doi:10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_159_23.
Cerro, Estefanía Díaz-Del, et al. "Improvement of Several Stress Response and Sleep Quality Hormones in Men and Women After Sleeping in a Bed That Protects Against Electromagnetic Fields." Environmental Health, vol. 21, no. 1, 22 July 2022, doi:10.1186/s12940-022-00882-8.
Yes, stress and sleep deprivation do affect adrenal fatigue. They influence cortisol production in the adrenal glands and could cause further health issues to arise. This could have a debilitating effect on your overall health and well-being.
