When we think about stress, we often define it as a negative emotion experienced by our body due to facing a challenge with the environmental and internal stressors around and within us. Therefore, it is not wrong to define stress as an emotional reaction that is caused at a time of extreme brain activity. However, there is a significant difference between stress, eustress, and distress that helps us to identify our difficulties and find accurate solutions for them.

Stress is an emotional reaction produced by the body that occurs in an ongoing short period whereas distress is prolonged in nature and hence, can cause several problems in the daily functioning of an individual. Eustress, on the other hand, is a positive form of stress which usually motivates an individual to perform better in their chosen field. Therefore, from the above discussion, we can conclude that distress is extremely harmful to any individual as it leads to sleep disorders which, in turn, can lead to mental health disorders.

What are the kinds of stress a human goes through?

Mental stress faced by an individual can be a product of external as well as internal factors. External stressors may include environmental triggers like traffic and loud noise, social stressors such as a dispute between colleagues and arguments with peers, work stress such as a deadline with extreme workload etc.

On the other hand, internal stressors include stressors that are intrinsic such as issues related to personal struggles like identity, sexuality, and any other emotion with is intrinsically linked to the self of the individual experiencing the stressor. This stress over time can lead to distress, which is nothing but a prolonged version of stress with more severity associated with it. Often, this distress leads to problems associated with sleep. This negatively harms the physical as well as the mental status of the person dealing with the stress and in turn, creates turmoil in their daily functioning.

Stress due to work

Work stress is a common phenomenon experienced by almost every person who is involved in some work experience at a certain point in their lives. However, it can differentiate and vary between the intensity being experienced by that individual based on their coping skills. In either case, work stress frequently has its negative side effects on the physical body of the individual experiencing it.

These side-effects may include muscle aches, chest pain, body exhaustion, high blood pressure, digestive problems, and most importantly, problems related to sleep. While we can visit a physician for all the other complications stress brings about, sleep doctors are yet to be a thing for the common man. Therefore, what is of utmost importance is fixing the sleep routine to get a minimum requirement of rest for the body for it to function effectively.

Effects of stress on Sleep

The main reason why sleep gets affected due to distress is because of the inability of the body to receive physical and mental rest from the negative thought processes. This negative prolonged thought process often leads the brain to a high level of overthinking which ultimately leads to self-sabotage. Therefore, the constant need to over-analyze the distressed situation leads the individual to unconsciously disrupt their sleeping pattern thus disrupting the relaxation process of the body to culminate and generate energy for a new day. A result of this reveals itself in the form of fatigue, extreme anxiety, and overthinking that ultimately has no positive effect on the mental or the physical health of the body.

Sleep disorders due to stress

In cases when distress goes beyond expectations and prolongs for weeks, if not months, the person has extreme chances of developing and culminating several sleep disorders. As the name suggests, sleep disorders are mental health disorders that are related to sleep that develop over time due to an inefficient sleeping cycle and relaxation procedures. These disorders may include insomnia, which is the inability to fall asleep due to many environmental factors.

Sleep apnea is another disorder which signifies itself as having extreme daytime sleepiness while simultaneously developing issues in the upper airway during sleep which may lead to choking and heavy snoring. Basic movements produced by the body while being in a state of sleep such as sleepwalking and talking in sleep, restless leg syndrome which is the continuous movement of legs while being asleep. Narcolepsy is a disorder which will make you feel sleepy randomly with an extreme force during the day hence, leading to extreme fatigue.

How to sleep properly during high stress times?

It is safe to establish that having a regular and proper sleep schedule even during times of distress is not only important but necessary for the body to achieve its full potential during working hours. There are several steps that one can take to receive a full night's sleep even during times of distress. These may include having a disciplined and regular sleep schedule hence conditioning the body to feel tired at a particular time, disconnecting from electronic devices and media that may otherwise distract the mind for longer durations and establishing a set routine before sleep, practicing mindful meditation, and breathing exercises for relaxation of the physical body, avoiding certain foods like caffeine and alcohol that encourage heat burn in the body and exercising to keep the physical body in check while simultaneously maintaining its blood pressure and blood sugar levels.

However, a new-age way of dealing with the intersection between work stress and sleep has lately been in the talks that are being produced by an emerging enterprise known as Livpure Sleep. This vastly growing company has its roots set in the need of enhancing the mental health of individuals all around India dealing with sleep problems by providing them with a vast variety of sleep products that help to enhance their sleep quality and hence, reduce the distress being faced by them. These innovative sleep and wellness products use the latest technology available for producing mattresses which improve the sleeping experience of the individual by providing peace and calm to their minds. In addition, this magnificent company also protects the environment and stands up for its important causes by manufacturing eco-friendly products for consumers and their loved ones.

Conclusion

To sum up, everything that has been said so far, we can conclude that there is indeed a need for acknowledging and accepting the issues generated due to distress so that we can collectively work together as a community to find better and more effective alternatives for the same, hence leading to a healthier lifestyle.