You know how the story goes. You get into bed feeling stressed after a difficult day. You take ages to fall asleep. You have a restless night. Then you get up feeling exhausted, which leads to an even more stressful day.
The stress and bad sleep cycle is easy to get into and tricky to escape, but it’s important to break the pattern to make both your days and nights more manageable. We’re breaking down exactly how the stress-sleep cycle works, plus a few easy ways you can go to bed feeling calmer (from someone who has gone through it)...
How stress affects sleep (and vice versa)
Stress can make it harder to fall and stay asleep, while poor sleep can heighten your stress response the next day – creating a loop that’s difficult to break. It becomes even trickier when your brain starts to associate sleep with anxiety. The pattern sets in, and you find yourself dreading bedtime… so you stay up later and later.
The good news is that you can break the stress–sleep cycle. I’m saying that as someone who’s been there and managed to come out the other side. And the steps are actually simple to build into your routine – you don’t need a complete overhaul, just a few small, consistent changes.
How to break the stress-sleep cycle
1. Offload stress before you go to bed
If there’s something playing on your mind, keep it out of your bedroom. Before you even head to bed, offload your worries with a quick ‘mental download’ into a journal. Whether it’s the notes app on your phone or a notebook and pen, writing out your thoughts can help you process them more easily, and may even help to break the cycle of overthinking.
You should write down:
- Everything that’s on your mind right now. Don’t think about how it sounds, just get it out there. My notes app is filled with evening worries, but once I’ve got them down on ‘paper’, I no longer feel like I have to keep them in my brain.
- Your to-do list for the next day. It’s rare you can fix things in the evening, so create a little ‘action plan’ for tomorrow with a clear list of tasks. Personally, I like to do this before I log off work each day. That way, I don’t need to think about deadlines through the evening; I can do a quick recap in the morning instead.
2. Create a small wind-down ritual
We all have our own ways of calming down, whether that’s yoga, breathwork or (let’s be honest) Netflix. As a chronic night-time stresshead, it’s taken me years, but I’ve found an evening wind-down routine that helps me on those more challenging days…
- Dim the lights early on. There’s real science behind this. Light regulates your circadian rhythm, sending signals to your brain to say when it’s time to be awake or asleep. So, around one to two hours before bed, dim the lights to create a calmer, cosier environment – one that gently nudges your body towards sleep.
- Swap screen time for chill time. The two hours before bed is also the time to ditch doom-scrolling on your phone, as the blue light it emits is bad news for sleep – not to mention the constant input keeps your brain switched on. Try replacing it with something lower-stimulation instead, like reading or listening to a podcast.
- Tidy up (just a little). Maybe I’m the only one who finds tidying oddly relaxing – but it works. I don’t mean finally tackling your ‘chaos cupboard’ or scrubbing the shower. Just packing things away and creating a calm, tidy space that makes your bedroom feel more restful.
- Do something that gently distracts your mind and calms your nervous system. I’ve already mentioned reading and podcasts, but if they don’t work for you, try a simple breathing exercise. If nothing else, it gives your mind something steady to focus on instead of whatever’s stressing you. Try this: breathe in slowly through your nose for a count of four, then out through your mouth for a count of six, and repeat for a few minutes, keeping your breaths slow and steady. It’s simple, but it works – those longer exhales help signal to your body that it’s safe to relax.
3. Take a de-stressing supplement
There are many different types of sleep-supporting supplements, but if you struggle with night-time stress, you might want to consider supplements that include vitamin B6. It contributes to normal psychological function, which may help to set you up for a calmer night – ideal if your brain is constantly whirring with worries at 11.27pm. You’ll find a concentrated dose in our Sleep Wellness Gummies, along with a blend of chamomile, lemon balm and saffron – three ingredients traditionally used to support relaxation and sleep.
Take two Sleep Wellness Gummies around one hour before bed, and repeat each night. The best routines are consistent, so tie it to another ritual, like setting your alarm, so you don’t forget.
4. Can’t sleep? Get up
The worst thing you can do when you’re stressed in bed is just keep lying there, desperately trying to sleep. So, if you’ve spent 15-30 minutes trying to drift off with no success, get up, reset, and try again when you feel calmer.
Things to do while you’re up:
- Read something kind of boring. Seriously. No racy romance novels or fast-paced thrillers; just a middle of the road story that makes your eyes feel heavy. Oh, and try to keep it screen-free if you can.
- Switch a podcast on. TV can be tempting, but a podcast or audiobook will calm you quicker. Again, nothing too overstimulating. Choose something low-key that piques your interest just enough to distract your brain.
- Get back to writing. Mind still racing? Jot down a few more worries to park them for tomorrow. Use only pen and paper at this point – your phone makes Googling far too tempting.
The key for these ‘should be sleeping’ rituals is to stay calm and avoid anything that feels stimulating or stressful, then return to bed once your body and mind are ready to rest.
5. Don’t put pressure on tomorrow
We’ve all clock-watched when we can’t get to sleep. “Five hours until I have to be up… four hours… three hours…” But worrying about how you’ll feel in the morning is only going to make drifting off harder. So, try to keep clocks out of the bedroom if you can, and your phone out of arm’s reach. That way, you won’t be counting down the hours until your alarm goes off.
Plan ahead, too, where possible. When it’s already been a stressful day, lighten tomorrow’s load before you even reach bedtime. Streamline your to-do list, postpone anything that can be postponed, and let yourself off the hook. ‘Good enough’ really is good enough, and lowering the pressure of tomorrow may help you rest more easily tonight.
6. Dial stress down in the daytime
I’m not going to pretend that these tips will break the stress-sleep cycle tonight. There may still be restless nights ahead, and life will always present new challenges. That’s why, at Cannaray, we’ve made it our goal to help you – quite simply – live better, with daily rituals that support the hectic modern lives we’re all leading.
Our best-selling Calm CBD Gummies is one of my personal favourite supplements for doing exactly that. Each strawberry-flavoured gummy is packed with CBD, ashwagandha and terpenes – a trifecta that’s been carefully chosen to support your daily wellness routine. Chew two in the morning, or keep them handy for on-the-go calm. I like to keep a jar next to my toothbrush, so I never forget to take them.
So, if stress is disturbing your sleep or sleep is making you feel stressed, try these steps to break the cycle. And don’t forget to check out our complete range of sleep supplements for an extra helping hand.
