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IN THIS STORY:
>Stress
and Your Immune System
>Stress
and Digestion
>Stress
and Mood
>Stress
and Sleep
>Stress
and Fertility
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| What
Stress Is Doing To Your Body |
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By Jennifer Pirtle
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Stress
and Sleep
Many people suffer from some form of sleep disturbance—and interrupted sleep is often the cause of our energy ebbs.
Serotonin and melatonin, the hormones that regulate the body's natural 24-hour sleep cycle, often are among the first chemical messengers to fail during times of stress. If they aren't at optimum levels, sleep can be interrupted.
“When stress interferes with your body clock, you'll find it hard to fall asleep, will wake frequently during the night, may have vivid dreams, and won't feel rested in the morning,” says Nancy Rosenberg, author of Outwitting Stress: A Practical Guide to Conquering Stress Before You Crack (The Lyons Press, 2003).
Cortisol also can interrupt sleep.
“It causes a heightened state of alertness and arousal,” says Rosenberg, “If high levels of cortisol are present in the bloodstream at night, getting restful sleep becomes almost impossible.”
A study at the Sleep Research and Treatment Center at Pennsylvania State University’s College of Medicine in Hershey, Pa., found chronic insomniacs had much higher levels of cortisol than their well-rested counterparts.
How to beat it
•Remove sources of stress. Taking work home or discussing work issues during the evening can trigger a stress response that will make sleep difficult.
•Start writing. Take five minutes at the end of the working day to jot down any thoughts, concerns, or action items for the next day. Then forget about them.
•Get some exercise every day, but not after 6 p.m. The temporary boost in your metabolism that comes after working out can make it hard to sleep.
•Make your bedroom a restful place, and only use the bed for sleeping and sex. Avoid watching television, working, or eating in bed.
•Understand your energy levels. Experts say most of us are more alert in the early morning and least in the afternoon. So do your detail-oriented tasks and important meetings when you arrive at work and save the more mundane ones for later when fatigue levels are at their highest.
Stress
and Fertility
Though a direct cause-and-effect link between stress and fertility levels has not been established, what is known is super stressed-out women experience changes in hormone levels that may lead to irregular ovulation. Stress also may cause fallopian tube spasms, according to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine in Birmingham, Ala.
Even without an ironclad connection between the two, it's still worth keeping your stress levels in check if you're planning to get pregnant, since stress-induced hormones can have a negative impact on overall health. Moreover, for women who already are battling fertility problems, the stress related to unsuccessful in vitro fertilization treatments—and the accompanying financial pressures—often can set up a self-perpetuating vicious circle.
“Alleviating depression and other psychological distress in infertile women seems to make it easier for them to become pregnant,” says fertility pioneer Alice Domar, Ph.D., author of Conquering Infertility: Dr. Alice Domar's Mind-Body Guide to Enhancing Fertility and Coping with Infertility (Viking Adult, 2002).
How to beat it
•Cultivate calm with activities that trigger the relaxation response such as meditation, yoga, and progressive muscle relaxation, which involves tensing then relaxation of each body part. Crashing out in front of the television isn’t just as good. While it might give you a break, it doesn’t engender the same mind-body response.
•Practice deep breathing for a few minutes every day. Sit quietly in a comfortable, cross-legged position with your spine upright. Let your inhalations expand your belly, and sigh loudly as you exhale.
•Live in the moment. Forget about the past or the future, and try not to dwell on hurts or worries that might never happen or already have taken place. Learn to appreciate the here and now and simple pleasures such as the breeze on your face as you walk down the street or the smell of your favorite meal cooking in the kitchen.
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