Your stress level definitely impacts your quality of sleep.

A study reported in the Journal of Behavioral Medicine studied 12 drug-dependent women evaluated various treatments designed to aid dependants with stress management while they withdrew from sleep medications. All 12 dependants studied successfully withdrew from sleep medications. According to the study, all subjects showed improvements independent of the treatment:

They were able to fall asleep earlier;

They spent more time in Stage 3 sleep and slow-wave sleep;

They experienced reduced daytime stress (of some types).

Subjects in the stress management treatment program also showed less anger and depression.

Stress management in general

Factors affecting stress management in general include:

Attitude: the amount of stress you feel is influence by whether you see a situation as stressful or non-stressful.

Physical well-being: surgery, injury or illness cause stress in most people. Physical stress can lead to emotional stress, and emotional stress often appears as physical pain. Other factors such as a poor diet, lack of exercise, lack of a support system, and inattention to relaxation, affect the immune system, placing you at greater risk for infections. Because of the way the brain processes information, physical stress decreases the body’s ability to handle emotional stress.

You can reduce your stress and aid your general health by:

Getting some fun in your life

Mapping some strategies for stopping negative thoughts

Taking a break now and then

Spending quality time with friends and family

Set up a regular exercise program and follow it (clear it with your doctor first). Make it a part of your routine.

Find someone to exercise with – helps keep you on track. Walking briskly outdoors for 20 minutes is enough.

Resolve to eat better – increase fruit and vegetables in your diet.

Eat healthy, nutrient-rich foods on a regular basis.

Make use of your support system. If you don’t have one, plan to set one up, making friends by being a friend.

Make time to pursue your hobbies and personal interests.

Practicing yoga and meditation regularly.