Many often downplay the importance of getting enough sleep. Sleep has a way of revitalizing the body, preparing it to face a new day and any situation that lies ahead. Sleep becomes even more important when the body is dealing with chronic stress and suffering from adrenal fatigue. This is why experts are constantly encouraging you to get more sleep. In doing so, your body can have a better chance of getting or staying healthy. And when it comes to encouraging sleep, pink noise is said to be one of the safest and most effective methods. It allows your body to become better rested, making it easier for you to handle anything that comes your way when you wake up.
Pink noise refers to a type of noise that remains audible to humans just like white noise. Unlike white noise, however, this type of noise decreases in power per hertz as the frequency increases. Because of this, the lower frequencies found in pink noise tend to be relatively louder. These lower frequencies also tend to possess more power than the high frequencies.
Typically, the pattern of pink noise occurs in various natural systems. These include heartbeat rhythms, traffic flow, and quasar luminosity. It is also commonly found in nature. Some natural examples of pink noise include steady rainfall, lapping waves on a beach, and the rustling of leaves in the trees.
This noise can be incredibly soothing, and that is exactly what you need when you are stressed out and trying to relax enough to fall asleep.
Stress can have a big influence on your ability to get a good night’s sleep. If you are having trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep, stress and the cascade of hormones it causes may be to blame.
Typically, when stress occurs, the body responds by way of the NeuroEndoMetabolic (NEM) Stress Response. One of the systems involved in the NEM response system is known as the neuroaffect circuit, which involves the central nervous system, gastrointestinal system, and autonomic nervous system. All these systems depend on neurotransmitters to be able to balance your mood, emotions, and body. At the same time, these neurotransmitters are also involved in signaling the body to sleep and wake up.
When chronic stress occurs, however, the neurotransmitters in the body tends to suffer a significant imbalance. This makes it all the more difficult for the body to fall asleep or experience restful deep sleep.
Deep sleep is critical because this type of sleep has vital restorative properties. At this stage, both your breathing and heart rate slow down, and your muscles relax. During deep sleep too, the body has a chance to repair itself. For instance, your body can detoxify toxins that may have been overworking your organs.
Chronic stress also causes the adrenal glands to become overworked and unable to produce enough of the stress hormone, cortisol. This imbalance in cortisol triggers Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome (AFS).
It also causes a significant imbalance in the hormone melatonin in the body. Without normal melatonin levels, the body’s internal clock is disrupted, making it hard for you to sleep on time or stay asleep throughout the night.
Luckily, a pink noise can aid in this melatonin issue by encouraging the body to sleep better and longer. Recent studies suggest that pink noise can be utilized to enhance sleep quality. In fact, one study conducted by Northwestern University found that patients who were exposed to this type of noise experienced improved deep sleep. The noise exposure also led to better memory recall.
Based on these results, it is worth trying to fall asleep with some pink noise to help you sleep better when you are stressed. After all, your body needs proper rest to allow for adrenal recovery.
Aside from using pink noise, there are other ways to improve the quality of your sleep and allow your body to become more rested at night. This will go a long way in helping you recover from stress. It can also help prevent adrenal exhaustion in the future.
Just keep in mind though that certain remedies for sleep problems may involve the use of supplements and essential oils. While they are quite safe for a lot of people to take, it is possible for you to have an intolerance or allergy with some of their ingredients. Hence, it is always recommended that you first consult with your physician before trying out anything. They may ask you to undergo an allergy or intolerance test to properly check if any ingredient would do you more harm than good.
That said, here are some other ways to improve your sleep quality:
That night light on your bed stand is a possible distraction from restful sleep since it can encourage you to stay up and read. Instead of keeping any light on in the room, consider switching everything off right before you sleep. This way, you no longer feel the urge to stay awake. If you happen to be sharing the room with someone else, you can try putting on a sleep mask on so that light doesn’t keep you up.
Put all your gadgets away and turn off your television before bed. As it turns out, these devices emit blue light that can disrupt your ability to go to sleep. In fact, a study conducted by Harvard found that exposure to blue light resulted in a longer suppression of melatonin, affecting sleep ability significantly.
Instead of checking out social media, do some relaxation techniques instead. This might be in the form of stretching or restorative yoga. You can also treat yourself to a bubble bath or listen to guided meditations.
There are several essential oils that are known to have calming properties. These include jasmine, chamomile, lavender, bergamot, ylang-ylang, geranium, lemon, and neroli. Check out all their scents so you know which one best soothes you.
Melatonin supplements that come in the form of liquids, chewable tablets, and pills are good options. Other sleep formulas contain ingredients like doxylamine succinate and diphenhydramine, which are both sedating antihistamines. Taking these can help calm your thoughts, relax your body, and even promote longer sleeping times. However, you need to make sure that none of these supplement ingredients have a contraindication to any other health supplement or medication that you are currently taking.
As you can see, there are a number of effective ways to get deeper sleep. Try any of these tips along with pink noise and you should start experiencing more restful sleep in no time. Sleep is critical in building up your body’s ability to fight off any harmful symptoms of stress. As you sleep better every night, you will begin to notice that you are no longer tired all the time, and your overall mood and outlook will improve as well.
Studies have shown that exposure to pink noise can help improve deep sleep, which is necessary in helping the body repair itself. This is particularly important if you are dealing with adrenal fatigue and your body is already overworked.
