Research has clearly proved the connection between stress, anxiety, and insomnia. When you sense the symptoms of stress like rapid breathing, accelerated heart beat, sweating, and your body going into the high alert mode, know that they are triggered by a cocktail of hormones released by the brain. As long as the cortisol and adrenaline are coursing through your body, calming down enough to fall asleep is hard. Insomniacs typically report that they lie awake because their mind continues to replay stressful situations, over and over, making it impossible to relax and let sleep take over. 

Lack of Sleep Fuels Anxiety and Stress

Restful and adequate sleep is critical for your physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing. The inability to sleep fuels anxiety and irritability leading to a dangerous cycle that can be hard to break. If your first instinct is to pop an over-the-counter anti-anxiety pill or sedative, that’s never advisable since these solutions can become addictive over time. Instead, try natural methods that will calm your mind and enable you to fall and stay asleep for the required eight hours. Check out some of these options that will help counter the effects of stress hormones:

Bedtime Candy

Treat yourself to a sweet treat to help your brain shed the stress. Some great options include sleep gummies and chocolate. Sleep gummies contain melatonin, a hormone that regulates your circadian or night and day cycles. Melatonin counteracts the effects of cortisol and adrenaline by signaling the brain that it’s time to sleep. Chocolate contains not just melatonin, but also tryptophan that stimulates the production of melatonin and serotonin, also known as a happy hormone that alleviates stress. Eat a sweet treat and you’re sure to fall asleep quickly.

Breads and Fruits

Complex carbohydrates like whole wheat bread, oatmeal, and brown rice are known to produce happy chemicals like serotonin. Add bread and rice to your evening meal to alleviate stress and anxiety. In place of heavy desserts, you might want to switch to fresh fruit. For instance, apples, strawberries, bananas, kiwifruit, and citrus fruits are also known to promote better mental health and stability while easing symptoms of depression. Ancient people were well aware of the benefits of breads and fruits. For this reason, traditionally, the Jewish bring a Shiva basket filled with these foods as a gift for a family mourning the loss of a loved one. Eating them helps soothe the pain and stress.

Deep Breathing Techniques

Adopt deep breathing techniques to help calm your mind before bedtime. Choose a quiet room and turn off the lights. Settle down in a comfortable position, either laying back, sitting cross-legged, or reclining. Place your hand on your belly and draw in a deep breath until you feel it rising. Hold it for a few seconds and exhale slowly to empty your lungs of air. Hold for a few seconds before drawing in another deep breath. Focus only on counting the seconds and let go of all disturbing thoughts. At the same time, feel every section of your body relaxing. Start with each toe in turn moving on to the heels, ankles, calves, knees, and so on. This technique is the easiest way to lower the cortisol in your body.

Prepare Your Room for a Night of Restful Sleep

Make it a point to use your bedroom only for sleeping. Move to the living room for working, watching TV, or any other activities. Maintaining the right temperature at around 60 to 68 degrees can also help you fall asleep. Shut down all electronic devices at least an hour before you head for bed, and keep them out of the bedroom to avoid the effects of the blue light they emit. Eat dinner at least three hours before bedtime, so the food is digested. 

Try these natural techniques to counter the effects of the stress hormones in your body so that your mind calms down sufficiently enough to fall asleep.