When we talk about stress, we come to associate it with something extremely negative when in reality, it is a simple physical and emotional reaction that is quite natural and, as long as the right amount is produced, it can be helpful. Of course, if we see it from a more excessive point of view, this can have serious consequences such as physical and mental deterioration and even, it is a fact that the stress impacts sleep.
Stress can be defined as that physical reaction capable of activating an alert state in the human body to prepare it for some risky situation or that deserves to act quickly. In this way, it can vary and present as acute or chronic stress.
When we talk about acute stress, it is described as one that occurs in the short term and is experienced occasionally. This type of stress can occur in such risky situations, activating the body and mind to adapt to the danger and, later, solve it.
Now, when we talk about chronic stress, we talk about a constant condition which, in the long run, becomes harmful. This is able to keep the body and mind in a constant state of alert and from here, health problems can arise.
This condition contributes to a myriad of health problems such as: digestive problems, headaches, induced asthma attacks, mood disorders causing depression and anxiety, plus it can also make it difficult to sleep and increase your risk of disorders .
PHow Stress Impacts Sleep
As we mentioned before, stress is an important process for the body because it is a survival mechanism in dangerous situations, but, when this is maintained for a prolonged process, it can negatively affect the body and trigger health problems at different levels. .
Problems can be seen at the level of hormonal functioning since, when the body is exposed to a threat, it increases the production of hormones that address stress such as adrenaline, norepinephrine and cortisol; Thus, they are capable of triggering other physical changes and allow the body to remain in a fight or flight position. In this way, during chronic stress, these hormones are activated unnecessarily.
On the other hand, problems are also seen at the muscular level, tensing all these during the stress process. Here, if the reaction is not reduced, chronic muscle tension can lead to painful back and headache conditions.
Also, one of the most severe impacts can be seen at the respiratory level. Here, stress can make breathing shorter and faster, while for people with a history of respiratory conditions such as asthma or lung disease it can be worse.
The impact on blood pressure is also significant because stress-activated hormones cause certain blood vessels to dilate and cause blood pressure to rise. Notably, ongoing stress can lead to inflammation and increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Traumatic stress is also a type of chronic stress that can occur when a person is exposed to a traumatic event. While many people can cope with the effects of some trauma over time, sometimes the body's response to stress can drag on and begin to interfere with other parts of a person's life.
Relationship of Sleep and Stress
Although we have already mentioned what stress is and its repercussions on a physical and mental level, it is also important to note that stress has a fairly close relationship with sleep and they have a two-way relationship.
Stress is one of the main causes of loss of sleep and little rest. But the reverse also happens, and that is, lack of sleep can generate a lot of stress. While the link between sleep and stress goes much further, research can show that there are several effects of stress on sleep.
And, stress is responsible for making the task of falling asleep more difficult and, therefore, people who suffer from chronic stress are the most likely to suffer from insomnia, a common sleep disorder that, in the majority of the cases, it is developed by a case of prolonged stress.
Here the structure of the dream can be altered. Although this is still under investigation, those who study it say that stress can reduce "slow wave sleep", which is extremely important for maintaining physical and mental health.
In addition to being the main cause of insomnia, stress is also capable of interrupting sleep. The individual who is capable of suffering it will not only wake up during the hour of rest, they can also suffer nightmares or even sleep paralysis.
Even, in some cases, sleep bruxism is also present, which is a disorder that involves clenching and grinding the teeth at night. At this point, chronic stress and muscle tension can increase your risk for it.
How can you reduce stress and rest better?
It is normal that many days are filled with work or personal problems, but you have to learn to balance them, in addition to dedicating a good few hours to sleep and rest.
It may seem irrelevant, but with this pathology that affects sleep and rest, we must take into account anything that makes us feel comfortable, even physically, especially when it comes to sleeping and resting.
Therefore, it is necessary to consider the use of appropriate clothing at bedtime, such as the pijamas of men since, it is an ideal garment to begin that path towards the development of an enhancement therapy.
Of course, developing a plan to deal with stress is a fundamental step to prevent sleep from being interrupted, and undoubtedly a comfortable piece of clothing such as a good pajamas, which is characterized by improving sleep or maintaining comfort, will be the best company when you start working on yourself.
Comfortable clothing should be considered in a disciplined manner. And it is that, the pijamas they can come in endless cuts, colors, fabrics, and more. So there is to choose from.
Anxiety and Sleep
Serious sleep disorders, including insomnia, have long been recognized as a common symptom of anxiety disorders. People who suffer from this and are normally plagued with worries often reflect on these in bed and anxiety can also be the cause of problems falling asleep.
For this reason, it is important to emphasize that, although it is important to develop a more organized routine to avoid feeling stress or anxiety at all costs, to this is added the fact that sleep schedules must also be respected. Thus complying with a relaxation routine and opting for the use of pajamas comfortable enough and, as mentioned above, be disciplined to ensure comfort at bedtime.