Can’t Sleep Due to Stress? Here’s How to Break the Cycle

Ever found yourself staring at the ceiling at 3 a.m., wondering if you should become a professional sheep-counter? You're not alone. Stress and sleep have a complicated relationship – it's like they're stuck in a never-ending argument where nobody wins. Just when you're ready to get some rest, your brain decides it's the perfect time to replay that embarrassing moment from five years ago. But don't worry, it turns out stress isn't just the villain in your sleepless nights – it might actually be trying to help you (though it's not doing a great job at it).

Our internal "fight or flight" response dates back to our ancient ancestors, when short-term stress—like facing a predator or an enemy—helped them survive. Back then, activating the sympathetic nervous system and releasing hormones like cortisol, adrenaline, and noradrenaline meant reacting quickly to danger.

Fast-forward to modern life, and we’re dealing with an entirely different set of stressors: looming deadlines, household responsibilities, financial pressures, relationship issues, illness—or even the dramatic finale of Married at First Sight. These stressors constantly activate that same hormonal feedback loop. Over time, this cascade of stress hormones wears us down, disrupting sleep, mood, blood pressure, energy, metabolism, and brain function.

The result? We end up feeling anxious, exhausted, and struggling to get a good night's sleep. Chronic stress doesn’t just ruin rest—it can lead to more serious health issues like cardiovascular disease, metabolic dysfunction, and depression.

Stress Impacts Sleep

Let’s look at this as simply as possible (bear with us as we break down the science).

Our stress response is governed by a mechanism called the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis (HPA Axis). This system controls the release of glucocorticoid hormones, mainly cortisol.

Cortisol typically follows a natural rhythm, rising in the morning to help keep us alert and gradually declining in the evening as we prepare for rest. However, when this cycle is disrupted—often due to prolonged stress—cortisol levels remain elevated. This makes it harder for the body to "switch off" and can interfere with sleep onset and quality.

Cortisol increases levels of glutamate, a stimulating chemical in the brain. This keeps us alert and prevents us from entering the deeper, more restorative stages of sleep, contributing to that feeling of restlessness.

Nature’s Stress Support

Fortunately, nature has provided us with the tools to increase our body’s ability to cope with stress, bring our body back to balance while we are under stress to reduce the long term damaging effect. Here are some ingredients that may help if cortisol is elevated:

1. 1. Withania (Ashwagandha somnifera)

   One of the most well-known adaptogenic herbs, Ashwagandha has been shown in studies to reduce cortisol levels and improve sleep quality in stressed individuals.

   2. Zinc Citrate

   Zinc plays an important role in regulating the adrenal glands, which are responsible for cortisol production. Maintaining adequate zinc levels helps ensure cortisol levels aren’t excessively elevated in response to stress.

   3. Magnesium Glycinate

   Research shows that magnesium can significantly decrease cortisol levels, especially in the first half of the night, helping to promote deeper sleep.

Other stress busting techniques

We don’t want to overwhelm you with another thing to add to your ‘to-do’ list but did you know that deep breathing has been shown as an instant way to lower stress hormones?

1. Box breathing

Box breathing is a simple but effective method to instantly calm the nervous system and reduce stress. Here’s how to do it:

• Inhale: Breathe in slowly through your nose for a count of 4.
• Hold: Hold your breath for a count of 4.
• Exhale: Breathe out slowly through your mouth for a count of 4.
• Pause: Pause and hold your breath for another count of 4.

Repeat the cycle for several minutes, or until you feel more relaxed.

2. Listening to music

You know the feeling - you hear a track that you just love, you close your eyes and you get transported to your happy place. Listening to music lowers stress by reducing cortisol levels, promoting relaxation, improving mood, providing distraction, altering brain activity, and facilitating emotional expression.

3. Journalling your thoughts

Journaling before bed helps lower cortisol by allowing you to process and release the day's stressors, leading to reduced anxiety and clearer mental focus, which can lower cortisol levels and improve sleep quality.