A Guide to Corsitol & Sleep
TEMPUR® Sleep Expert reveals links between sleep & stress ahead of National Stress Awareness Month this April, and provides tips on keeping cortisol in check.
According to Mental Health UK, 91% of UK adults experienced high or extreme levels of stress last year, with 59% of Brits quoting ‘poor sleep’ as the top driver of stress outside of work.
Ahead of National Stress Awareness Month this April, Thomas Høegh Reisenhus, TEMPUR® sleep specialist & sleep counsellor shares his guide to cortisol and sleep, revealing how the stress hormone impacts us both mentally and physically, and providing tips on reducing cortisol levels with the aim of improving the quality and quantity of our sleep.
“As humans, rest is crucial,” says Thomas. “Our survival depends on our ability to sleep and affecting us both physically and mentally, prolonged stress can seriously impact our sleep.
“Too much stress is linked to all sorts of physical health problems, including heart disease, issues with our immune systems and increased cortisol levels. Cortisol – often dubbed the “stress hormone” – plays a vital role in how our body wakes, rests and restores itself. When cortisol spirals out of sync, quality sleep is usually the first casualty.
“It’s important to note that the occasional poor night’s sleep is nothing to worry about, but if you’re finding that stress is regularly impacting your ability to sleep, it’s time to take action. Whilst it’s impossible to remove all stressors, by making some straightforward lifestyle tweaks and incorporating stress reducing habits into our everyday, we can give ourselves the best chance of sleeping well.”
Read on for Thomas’s stress-busting sleep tips.
Daily habits to minimise stress
Stress is a normal (and inevitable) part of life. Work-related worries – workload, issues with colleagues, pressures such as negotiating a pay rise or promotion – or stresses in our personal lives – financial struggles, moving house, having a baby, caring for loved ones, or juggling family and work life – are often cited as the most stressful of life events.
When we are well nourished and have slept well, we tend to interpret life differently; we may perceive things as challenging or exciting rather than stressful or worrying. Implementing healthy habits, prioritising self-care, and taking time to unwind are all essential ways to minimise stress.
Cortisol is highly sensitive to what and when we eat. Good nutrition, staying hydrated, eating balanced, regular meals (every 3-4 hours) and avoiding ultra-processed snacks will help prevent cortisol surges.
Some form of daily exercise, spending time in nature, boosting social connections, rest, downtime, and breathing or meditation exercises can all help us manage stress levels.
Controlling stress
When you’re feeling stressed, it’s important to remind yourself that you can only control the ‘controllables’.
We tend to spend a lot of time, energy, and headspace on things beyond our control, so instead, when stress rears up, ask yourself if there is anything you can do about it. If yes, break it down into small, actionable steps and tackle it head on. If not, it may be a matter of accepting a difficult truth or reaching out for help. Give yourself the time and space to feel and understand your emotional response to then better direct your attention to something that is within your sphere of influence.
When it comes to sleep, for example, we cannot force ourselves to fall asleep – it is simply beyond our control. But we can cultivate the ability to relax well for quality rest time. Remember that rest is almost as good as sleep, so if you find yourself tossing and turning or wired by thoughts, accept it and know that these should pass eventually. Take a moment to lie or sit still and to work through your thoughts and compartmentalise them.
If you’re still struggling to sleep after 20 minutes, it may be beneficial to get up and move rooms. Don’t reach for the phone or another blue light device and instead, keep lighting gentle whilst you try reading, listening to a soothing podcast, or meditating to help you feel sleepy before heading back to bed.
Stress prevention
Don’t wait for stress to pop up. Proactively build moments of downtime into your week to give your mind (and body) a chance to reset and recharge. Try blocking out an hour in your diary, perhaps on a quieter Friday, to step back and reflect or do something restorative.
Use the time blocked out to make appointments for activities that don’t easily happen on their own, or things that require an investment of time. Schedule a slot to take a yoga or meditation class, enjoy some pampering, or book in to see a physio if you have a niggling ache, for example.
Piggy-back existing habits with something calming; for example, you can practice mindfulness whilst you wait for your cup of tea to brew. A micro-break of two minutes to focus on the present moment is enough to give your nervous system a moment to reset.
Creating relaxing moments during the day will mean you’re ready to relax when your head hits the pillow.
Wake up & wind down rituals
Good habits are key to both managing our circadian rhythms and navigating the ubiquitous nature of stress – we need grounding practices to become as engrained in our daily lives as brushing our teeth.
Morning stress-busting rituals:
- Upon waking, rather than reaching for the phone and scrolling, write down three things you are grateful for or your intentions for the day ahead. This will help promote feelings of gratitude and calm.
- Get outside and enjoy the morning light. Exposure to natural light within an hour of waking helps regulate cortisol’s natural rhythm.
- Take a mindful shower. Don’t use it as time to overthink, but as a chance to enjoy the experience – how does the hot water feel on your scalp? What does the soap smell like?
- Instead of drinking your coffee whilst scrolling or looking through your inbox, sit quietly and enjoy the smell, the steam and the moment of peace.
Evening stress-busting rituals:
- Create a moment for a two-minute mind dump – write down your flow of thoughts, then cross off things that aren’t important, aren’t your responsibility or you can’t control. Acknowledge what you need to do but accept that they can wait until tomorrow.
- Put screens away in favour of enjoying a new book, or an old favourite.
- Engage with your partner, housemate or a loved one. Discuss your day – the highlights, any worries or wants. Positive social interaction releases oxytocin, which directly counteracts cortisol.
The best sleep environment
The right sleep environment can make a huge difference to our mindset and our sleep quality. Light exposure, noise, temperature, and clutter can all trigger mini stress responses that keep cortisol higher than it should be.
Keep your room well-ventilated, prevent any chinks of lights with black-out blinds or on eye mask, and wear ear plugs to prevent disturbances from outside sounds or people still shuffling about the house.
Remember that colour can play a key role to help soothe our minds in readiness for sleep. Choose muted, neutral tones in your bedroom, such as soothing blues, greys, and greens. Essential oils such as lavender, chamomile, and sandalwood are all known to be calming scents, so try sprinkling a few drops on your pillow.
We spend up to a third of our lives asleep, so investing in a quality mattress can really make all the difference to sleep quality. A good mattress will gently support your entire body, while keeping your spine in a neutral position, helping your body stay in deep, restorative sleep for longer and keeping cortisol levels at their lowest.
For more information on TEMPUR, visit www.tempur.co.uk
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