Does your anxiety prevent you from sleeping? We know certain factors such as stress can affect our sleep patterns at night. Check out our 5 tips below on how to reduce your anxiety to sleep better at night.
Reduce Phone Time Before Bed
Do you check your emails and messages at night? Being on your phone and on social media can overstimulate your mind. Therefore, listen to soft music or read a book at night instead to help you rest.
Limit Caffeine & Alcohol At Night
Limit the amount of caffeine and alcohol you consume at night. Caffeine & alcohol will not only keep you awake but can also make you use the bathroom frequently. Caffeine and alcohol are on the list of known bladder irritants. According to Brigham & Women’s Hospital, “A bladder irritant is any food, drink, or medication that causes the bladder to be irritated. Irritation can cause frequency (needing to urinate more often than normal), urgency (the sense of needing to urinate), bladder spasms, and even bladder pain.”
If you struggle with bladder control or Nocturia, you may find yourself getting up 3-4x a night, maybe more, to use the bathroom. Check out the list here from the Mayo Clinic of other bladder irritants plus helpful tips to improve bladder control. Make sure to check out our clinically proven, all-natural supplement Rejoice® for bladder control. Best used in conjunction with Kegels & other 1st line therapy treatment.
Swap Your Rx Medication
If you are taking any Rx medications, go over the possible side effects with your Primary Health Care Provider (HCP). The Rx medication you may have can cause a lack of sleep. Ask your HCP to change your Rx medication or swap to an OTC product.
Stop Smoking.
If you a smoker, quit. Not only does smoking cause health problems, but it can also affect your sleep cycle. According to NCBI, “Sleep disturbance may be more prevalent among smokers due to the stimulant effects of nicotine, nightly withdrawal, an increased prevalence of sleep-disordered breathing relative to nonsmokers, and/or an association with psychological disturbance.”
Some smokers may develop a chronic cough which can cause stress incontinence or loss of bladder control. Coughing can put pressure on the abdomen which can put pressure on the bladder resulting in loss of urine. Stop smoking to see a significant improvement in your health & quality of life.
Is Your Anxiety Causing An Upset Stomach? Possibly.
From the Anxiety & Depression Association of American “When you are anxious, some of the hormones and chemicals released by your body enter your digestive tract, where they interfere with digestion. They have a negative effect on your gut flora (microorganisms that live in the digestive tract and aid digestion) and decrease antibody production. The resulting chemical imbalance can cause a number of gastrointestinal conditions.”
Take a few moments before bed to breathe slowly & quietly. Some things are out of our control. Use how you are feeling to help create a plan for the next day. Sometimes acknowledging the problem can help us to feel relief.
Note From ND Labs
We all are in a time of high stress & anxiety. However, we can all learn to find a better way of managing our stress. Don’t let stress affect your health and quality of life. Sometimes, it is the simple things that can help improve our routines. Go outside, be more active, walk around the block, paint, read, meditate.
