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October 19, 2022


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Stress insomnia: useful tips and advice to combat it

The night is the time dedicated to rest, necessary to relax and recover energy after work and daily commitments. Sometimes, however, it can happen that you can not sleep well and still wake up tired and exhausted. If your sleep is disturbed or you suffer from insomnia, you may want to review your lifestyle. Among the most common causes of insomnia, in fact, there are tension and stress. Stress insomnia is quite widespread among young people, but also among older adults and, if it becomes chronic, it can cause physical and mental fatigue, affecting the health of the organism and the psycho-physical balance. 

If you suffer from stress insomnia and are wondering how to improve the quality of your rest, here are some useful tips and tips to defeat insomnia and go back to sleep peacefully.

What is stress and how it can manifest itself

Before we discover all the possible remedies for insomnia, let’s first clarify what stress is and what are the most common causes and symptoms. Typically the term “stress” is used to define a condition of particular tension, anxiety and concern, which can be caused by different factors, internal or external. The result, in any case, is a deep state of malaise that can manifest itself with the appearance of physical, physiological and/or emotional symptoms. 

Depending on the duration you can talk about acute stress, chronic or intermittent stress. Acute stress is a situation in which the stimulus has a limited duration or occurs only once; chronic stress, however, when the feeling of discomfort lasts over time, causing physical or emotional problems and hindering the normal conduct of daily activities. Finally, we talk about intermittent stress when the activation of stress is always latent and occurs at regular intervals, even if with a limited duration.

What are the symptoms of stress?

As we have seen, stress symptoms can be of various kinds. In general we can distinguish symptoms: 

  • physical, such as headaches, back pain, muscle tension, stomach pain, tachycardia, excessive sweating, agitation, fatigue, dizziness, loss of appetite, insomnia, disturbed or fragmented sleep; 
  • emotional, such as anxiety, tension and nervousness, anger, frequent crying or a constant sense of agitation; 
  • cognitive, such as distraction, problems of concentration and attention, constant concern or confusion; 
  • behavioral, such as compulsive feeding or difficulty performing certain tasks, for example in the workplace. 
insonnia da stress

The remedies for stress insomnia

Stress insomnia is a problem that affects many people nowadays and that involves difficulties in falling asleep, but also restless rest, frequent awakenings at night and poor quality of sleep. It can be a temporary condition, perhaps linked to particularly stressful events or situations, or chronic, and therefore prolonged in time, causing important repercussions on the quality of life and on the performance of daily activities. 

Different activities of the body are regulated by cortisol, the so-called “stress hormone”, produced by the adrenal glands. In conditions of high stress, the natural ability to regulate cortisol can be impaired and thus cause impairment in the immune, cardiovascular and central nervous systems and difficulty in falling asleep or maintaining sleep at night.

To counteract insomnia stress and facilitate the achievement of a state of psycho-physical well-being you can take small steps and follow some good rules before falling asleep. Here are some remedies for stress insomnia: 

  • practice relaxation techniques, such as yoga, meditation or zen breathing techniques that can help to relax and regain balance, removing worries and stress; 
  • avoid placing television and high-tech devices such as computers, smartphones and tablets in rooms and using them before bedtime because the blue light emitted by the screens can inhibit the production of melatonin and thus promote insomnia; 
  • follow a healthy and balanced diet, avoiding heavy, fried and fatty foods, especially in the evening hours, but also exciting drinks such as coffee, tea and alcohol. Green light, however, to foods rich in omega-three such as fish, but also nuts and bananas, rich in potassium and magnesium; 
  • listen to relaxing music, which can help to regain balance and improve the quality of sleep. The sounds of nature or so-called “white noises” are best suited for this purpose because they instill feelings of calm and well-being; 
  • try to go to sleep and wake up at the same time, to restore the natural cycle of sleep and facilitate rest; 
  • exercise regularly, but avoiding excessive activity in the evening because exercise helps to stimulate the body and can therefore interfere with the ability to fall asleep; 
  • create an environment suitable for rest, which is quiet and peaceful. The choice of mattress and bed system is also essential to ensure a rest that is as healthy and comfortable as possible. Choose a quality mattress that is not too rigid, or on the contrary too soft, that is breathable, anatomical and that offers adequate support to the spine. 

Insomnia from stress: natural remedies

Insomnia from stress can also be countered with some natural remedies that can help promote relaxation and restore the balance of the body. Herbal infusions with calming and relaxing properties can be a valuable help to sleep better. To prepare the body for rest, before going to sleep you can drink a valerian herbal tea, known for its relaxing and relaxing effect, but also based on hawthorn, lemon balm, passionflower, chamomile or lime. 

Melatonin supplements can also help to improve the quality of sleep, preparing the body for rest and thus reducing the time needed to fall asleep. Melatonin is a hormone produced naturally by our body and is responsible for the regulation of the circadian rhythm, that is, the alternation of sleep-wakefulness. Several factors, including stress, worry, or an unregulated lifestyle, can hinder synthesis and cause sleep disturbances. Taking a supplement can therefore help to solve the problem and restore the correct sleep cycle. 

tisana insonnia

If even natural remedies do not have any effect and insomnia from stress lasts over time, it is better to contact an expert or seek the advice of a doctor to avoid possible negative effects on psycho-physical health and prevent compromised health conditions. 

If you need more information about mattresses and articles that are most suitable for your rest, do not hesitate to contact us or contact one of our stores! Our staff is always available to recommend the best products to ensure a healthy and comfortable rest.