Stress and sleep are interconnected. When you are (very) stressed, it can affect your sleep and vice versa. So, when you don't sleep well, this can, in turn, increase your stress levels. If this continues to reinforce itself (for days in a row), you enter a vicious cycle where these two factors continuously worsen each other.

Stress and sleep

Stress has a direct impact on our sleep and the ability to sleep well and deeply. When you are stressed, your body produces hormones. One of these hormones is cortisol, which keeps us alert (sometimes very useful). But when there is too much cortisol in your body for too long, it disrupts deep sleep.

Sleep and stress

Sleep, or rather the lack thereof, affects your stress. When you don't get enough or good sleep, your brain doesn't function optimally, and you likely have more difficulty coping with stressful situations. You might recognize that you are more irritable when you haven't slept well. Or perhaps you notice that you are more anxious and less resilient to things that happen during the day. This, in turn, reinforces the stress cycle.

Breaking the vicious cycle

Fortunately, you can take action yourself to break this cycle:

• Meditation: a few minutes of meditation per day can already help you to become more balanced and reduce your stress levels. Breathing techniques can also calm your nervous system.
• Calming sleep environment: ensure you create a good sleep environment with as little light and as few stimuli as possible. A place where you can truly relax and where you only go to sleep. Make sure you don't lie in bed with your phone or watch TV. This trains your body to sleep in your bedroom.
• Schedule time for rest: plan some moments in your day where you take a little time to breathe, to rest. For example, you can do the aforementioned meditation or breathing exercises. But even a short walk or 1 minute of exercise can have a positive effect.
• Movement: daily movement is very important for your health and also to regulate your stress levels. Be aware that you shouldn't engage in intense exercise before bed; it's better to plan this in the morning or afternoon. Yoga can also work very well to reduce feelings of stress.

So, break your own patterns and ensure a good night's sleep and as little stress as possible during the day. You will greatly help yourself by working on your own health!