If you suffer from insomnia of any kind, the chances are you don't need to be told that there's a significant connection between sleep problems like insomnia and stress. In fact, as cases of insomnia and related sleep problems increase, more and more people find themselves caught between the pressures and responsibilities of daily life and their desire for a good night's sleep.
The good news is that insomnia and stress don't have to go hand in hand. There are a variety of productive ways that you can reduce stress and increase your chances of getting a good night's sleep at the same time.
If you have already taken the basic steps necessary for a good night's sleep (the 5 steps to better sleep outlined in my previous article and published here), the chances are you're suffering from stress-induced insomnia, and it's time for you to take action. That's because anxiety of any kind has quantifiable physiological effects such as increasing your blood pressure, your heart rate and your body temperature ? which in turn disrupt your body's natural propensity for sleep and disturb your body's nightly sleep functions. In other words, anxiety doesn't just reduce the amount of sleep you are able to get - it damages the quality of the sleep that you do enjoy.
Fortunately, you can reduce stress and improve your sleep fairly simply by undertaking some form of regular relaxation exercise. Depending upon your preference and your degree of stress, there are several different ways to improve your sleep quality through relaxation.
For some people all it takes to reduce stress is a warm bath and some sleep-promoting aromatherapy. Using calming aromatherapy candles or adding soothing essential oils to your bath are the perfect way to diffuse anxiety and induce the sleep you need after a long day.
If you find yourself suffering from more severe stress and insomnia, you may also want to try a guided relaxation or meditation exercise to promote a good night's sleep. This can be as simple as spending fifteen to thirty minutes sitting comfortably in silence, or as involved as using a specially prepared CD or DVD for a more structured meditation that guides you gently towards sleep. Taking an afternoon yoga class or learning some deep breathing exercises are also excellent natural sleep remedies.
The best approach to including any sleep enhancing relaxation exercise (from sleep-inducing aromatherapy to guided meditation) is to try one approach for at least two weeks and see how you get on. Because your body responds best to routine ? especially when it comes to sleep ? this will give your sleep cycle a chance to properly adjust. If, after a couple of weeks you find that your chosen approach is having little effect, don't despair. Simply try another approach until you find a method that works best for you.
It won't take long for you to discover a relaxation exercise that suits your needs and the chances are you'll both reduce stress and be enjoying a long, restful night's sleep sooner, rather than later.
Copyright ? 2005 Donald Saunders
Attention Ezine Editors / Website Owners
Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety in your ezine or on your website so long as you leave all links intact, do not modify the content and include the resource box shown below. You may of course use your own affiliate link in the resource box.
For details of our affiliate program, please visit our website.
Donald Saunders is the author of a number of health related publications including: "Help Me To Sleep - A Guide To Natural Sleep Remedies", "Jet Lag - An Alternative Approach", "Shift Work Insomnia" and "The Art of Meditation - A Guide To Meditation, Breathing and Relaxation Techniques"
For further details please visit http://help-me-to-sleep.com
Work related tensions, personal issues and abnormal lifestyles are the... Read More
Every day we are faced with a situation where our... Read More
If you live in the early part of the twenty-first... Read More
My grandmother, a feisty and athletic woman in her younger... Read More
Punch a pillowScream into a pillowTurn on your favorite music... Read More
Most people find it easy to identify the sources of... Read More
This is a tool to measure the amount of stress... Read More
Meditation seems to have arrived in the mainstream of late,... Read More
For those who are suffering from stress, just about the... Read More
According to the Australian Council of Trade Unions' (A.C.T.U.) 1997... Read More
As Montaigne said, "he who fears he will suffer, already... Read More
When Army leaders fail to control battlefield stress, they lose... Read More
Matthew 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour... Read More
There are two types of anxiety:*Situational *Existential.Most of us experience... Read More
Success in recovery, or rather, staying in recovery, is dependent... Read More
Why do we resist change? As the saying goes, the... Read More
Aromatherapy is very therapeutic when it comes to healing emotional... Read More
This summer, get away, without going away. Take a mini... Read More
Statistics tell us that more people have migraine headaches on... Read More
Think back a few years to the nine coal miners... Read More
Why is it that some people become totally stressed when... Read More
Stress management is a hot topic; stress-related illness and suffering... Read More
"Adopting the right attitude can convert a negative stress into... Read More
Is your in-tray or inbox full? I don't normally check... Read More
With almost 50% of workers complaining that their jobs are... Read More
disinfecting cleaning services Winnetka ..Life is funny.Throughout the day, there are plenty of humorous... Read More
Do you get frustrated with your spouse, your kids, your... Read More
Are you a "worry wart?" Is that term familiar to... Read More
Case #1- Elizabeth, a 40 year old homemaker was always... Read More
Several studies, including one of medical students around exam time,... Read More
Everyone needs successful stress management techniques. Easy to learn and... Read More
"The great lesson from the true mystics, from the Zen... Read More
Q: "My career, though very very stressful, is one that... Read More
Self-Care Strategies:Substantial breakfast daily Regular sleeping habits (minimum of 7... Read More
Part 1: Recognize the importance of family stress managementJoe and... Read More
Why Stress Management programmes don't work?It seems that every week... Read More
Most people find it easy to identify the sources of... Read More
My first real job (schedule, time clock, paycheck, boss) was... Read More
Everyone knows that stress isn't good - that it can... Read More
Q. So many times in my life, I seem to... Read More
When September rolls around, does it generally hit you like... Read More
Life can offer us many challenges having to do with... Read More
It's no secret that we women, by virtue of our... Read More
Genuine enthusiasm...real feeling of accomplishment...sense of satisfaction and fun. Welcome... Read More
File this one under the category of "watch your language."The... Read More
Living in our world today can be very stressful. While... Read More
When I pay attention, I clearly see the arresting ways... Read More
We wonder how many of you might recognise this scenario?... Read More
What do you think of when you see that word?... Read More
Workers across America will tell you that stresslevels are increasing.... Read More
Stress Management |