Posted by Finding time for relaxation cannot be easy when you’re feeling stressed. However, stress is unhealthy and can negatively affect your body and mind. Stress also increases the risk of various mental illnesses, including anxiety.
Getting enough sleep has been linked with lower stress and anxiety levels, improved memory and performance at school or work, and lowered blood pressure. It also helps you cope with stress better by putting things in perspective.
1. Sleep Helps Reduce Cortisol Levels
Cortisol is a hormone that is produced when you feel stressed. It is a stress hormone that is important for your body to function properly.
While short-term cortisol production is normal, chronically high cortisol is associated with anxiety and depression, weight gain and high blood pressure, and a weakened immune system which are dangerous to your health.
Getting enough sleep can help regulate your cortisol levels and reduce stress. It helps your body and mind recover from the effects of stress and better manage mood and energy levels.
Studies have found that a full night’s sleep can help lower cortisol levels. Reduced cortisol levels also have been linked with increased memory and better attention. There is also a strong connection between lower cortisol levels and weight loss.
2. Help Manage Depression & Bipolar Disorder
People with high levels of anxiety are more likely to develop depression and vice versa. Research suggests that getting good sleep can help reduce symptoms of both.
Sleep helps regulate the release of certain chemicals in the brain that impact mood, including serotonin and norepinephrine. Getting enough sleep helps regulate serotonin levels, which regulate mood, stress, and cravings.
Getting enough sleep has been shown to help increase serotonin levels, improve mood energy and reduce stress and anxiety. And according to a study, people with bipolar disorder who get more sleep experience less severe mood swings. Long-term sleep deprivation may increase the risk of depression.
3. Help Manage Irritability & Aggression
Irritability and aggression are common symptoms of depression and anxiety. Getting enough sleep can help to manage these symptoms, which can also lead to insomnia.
You’re more likely irritable, aggressive, and angry when you’re not sleeping enough. You’re also more likely to make impulsive decisions that you might regret. Sleep can help you regulate your mood by acting as an anti-depressant.
Sleep is associated with lower levels of anger and aggression. Slow wave delta sleep is stress relieving, relaxes and heals the body and mind, and can help you better regulate your emotions, which can help you deal with stressful situations without getting angry or aggressive.
4. Help Build Confidence
Confidence is important in all aspects of life, whether in the workplace or at home. Confidence is an important part of feeling relaxed and stress-free. Sleep can help with memory formation and regulating emotions, which are important aspects of building confidence.
When you’re well-rested, you feel more in control, less anxious, and better about yourself. Getting enough sleep has been linked with improved self-esteem, self-efficacy, and feelings of self-worth. Therefore, getting enough sleep will help you feel more confident about yourself and your abilities.
Moreover, improved sleep quality and reduced insomnia are linked with higher confidence. Therefore, if you’re having trouble sleeping, you might also have trouble feeling confident. It is because being sleep-deprived can also lead to “self-oriented” anxiety.
5. Improved Cognitive Functioning
Sleep is also important for your brain and its ability to function properly. Getting enough sleep can help with mental flexibility, problem-solving, and creativity. It can also help with attention and focus, which can be helpful in school or at work.
Sleep also helps keep your mind focused and relaxed, meaning you’ll be better able to think through problems, come up with solutions and solve problems when you’re well-rested. Studies have shown that sleep helps clear toxins and waste products from your brain.
It also helps your brain build new proteins and pathways, meaning you’ll be better able to learn new information and remember what you’ve learned.
Conclusion
Healthy sleep habits are an important part of staying healthy and handling stress. Getting enough sleep each night has been linked with lower stress and anxiety levels, improved cognitive abilities, and reduced inflammation in the body. When you’re well-rested, you’ll manage stress better and have more energy.