Stress is a hot button topic for many of us these days. When my coaching clients, family, or friends, talk about how stressed they’re feeling, one of the first questions I ask is whether they’re getting enough sleep. April is National Stress Awareness month, and it’s a good time to assess your stress levels and your sleep habits as well.

The correlation between lack of sleep and stress has been well documented in numerous studies, so, if you’re feeling stressed-out, I pose the question to you – are you getting your eight hours?

Never-Ending Day

Many of us feel that there just aren’t enough hours in the day, so we start extending our workday later and later into the evening – often burning the midnight oil – and ultimately burning ourselves out in the process. It’s vital that we put our own well being at the top of our to-do lists – especially when it comes to stress-reduction and sleep.

As a recovering workaholic, I know all-too-well the temptation to just keep working – no matter how late into the wee hours – in order to pack as much into each day as possible. I had my own wake-up call when I hit the proverbial wall from exhaustion a few years back. Sleep has been a top priority for me, ever since.

Harmful Effects

Dr. Anda Baharav, a sleep expert who works with Stanford’s Center for Sleep Medicine and Research, studies the effects of sleep deprivation and the resulting stress on the body. She explains that stress left unchecked can be harmful. “While we all need a little stress to adapt, respond, and cope with environmental threats, damage can occur when a stress response is prolonged or uncontrollable,” Baharav says. “Sleep deprivation is a big contributor to this type of chronic stress.”

Turn off the Day

Researchers have found that getting seven-and-a-half to eight hours of sleep a night is critical to keeping potentially damaging stress hormones such as cortisol and epinephrine (adrenaline) at bay. In order to make the most of those sleeping hours, Dr. Baharav recommends making a conscious effort to ‘unplug’, let go of the day, and focus on relaxing as you head to bed. She offers the following tips for unwinding and getting a good night’s sleep:

• Make a list and check it off – Doing this during the day can give you a sense of accomplishment and closure to help you get to sleep.
• Slow down on the caffeine – Caffeine can exacerbate an already stressful schedule. Opt for decaffeinated coffee or herbal teas from noon on to help insure a high quality of sleep.
• Establish a regular bedtime routine – Pick an ideal time to turn in and do your best to stick to it. Try a calming activity like reading a book, meditating, or taking a bath before going to sleep.

Many of us are doing a lot of multi-tasking in our careers, and in our lives in general these days, so we’re bound to feel stress. Getting the proper shut-eye, however, can go a long way in counteracting the negative effects of our daily stressors. So here’s to an abundance of good night’s sleeps ahead for you, and sweet dreams!