Wellness
And what it’s possible for you to do for relief.
Frequently being in a heightened state of alertness candelay the onset of sleep.
The stressful chatter in your mind is also really tough to ignore as the day winds down, saysDr.
Michael Wusik, a licensed clinical psychologist.
It’s easy to snooze these thoughts during the day when we have loads of distraction.
Butit is a lot harderwhen we aretrying to sleep.
It always feels good when these moments go smoothly.
But if you hit a snag, dont be surprised if you think about it late into the night.
During this block of time, youll turn off any distractions TV, phone, laptop, etc.
pull out a pen and paper, andwrite down everything thats on your mind.
Journalabout these awkward conversations as well as whatever else is weighing heavy on your mind.
Wusik says negative labeling of everyday mishapsincreases your stress response, which in turn cantake a toll on sleep.
It can work wonders when it comes to relieving this micro-stressor before it ruins your sleep.
Its tough, but the best cure is tosay noto more things.
Do less stuff and have more time to sit and stare between activities, he says.
Running Late
With over-scheduling comes another micro-stressor: perpetuallyrunning lateto an event or appointment.
Cue a flood of stress that can throw off your entire day.
If you tend to run late, Dimitriu suggests being stricter with your time, particularly in the mornings.
It may also help to set alarms throughout the day to remind you of upcoming events.
But stress management educatorCarlee Myerssays leaving them to loom over your head is 100 times worse.
Disorganization
Disorganizationcan also catch up with you.
If you have a messy apartment or lack a routine, youre more prone to feeling stressed.
Think about how you might have trouble finding something, like your keys.
The best way to combat this micro-stressor?
By being more purposeful throughout the day.
For the micro-stresses you could avoid, make a run at adjust your routine.
For example, you could try putting your keys in the same spot every time you get home.
Small Arguments
Minor disagreements andargumentscan keep you up, too.
Typically, these arguments might not be thought of as upsetting enough to impact sleep, licensed psychotherapistDr.
Faith Perez McGowantells Bustle.
If you find yourself ruminating, get out of bed.
You cant cure stress, especially not in the middle of the night.
But you’re able to certainly make minor changes to better cope with it.
Studies referenced:
Du, J.
The relationship between stress and negative emotion: The Mediating role of rumination.
The relationship between procrastination, perceived stress, saliva alpha-amylase level and parenting styles.
Psychology Research and Behavior Management.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6619418/
Krystal, A. D., Prather, A.
A., & Ashbrook, L. H. (2019).
Faith Perez McGowan, licensed psychotherapist
This article was originally published onSep.
