Increased Stress May Be Linked to Sleep Problems

Sleep, one of the most crucial activities to ascertain our healthy being, has been related to stress in recent research. A poll unveiled by National Sleep Foundation (NSF) indicates that sleep deprivation has led to health ailments in American nationals. Among the problems faced by individuals due to sleepiness are stress, anger and even obesity. The poll highlights that stressed and busy individuals tend to get less sleep than their actual requirement.

Stress is our response to the daily life activities we engage in. Our endeavours that connect with us emotionally, physically and behaviourally give rise to stress. Stress could be positive helping us perform and remain energetic, whereas excess stress causes tension and anxiousness, leading to sleep problems.

Poll results underline the fact that sleep deprivation puts individuals at risk for injury, health problems and behavioural changes. Mood and attitude scores were retrieved from respondents, and were compared to study sleeping patterns. Individuals lacking in sleep implied by low mood and attitude scores were the ones with problems such as daytime sleepiness and insomnia.

Richard L. Gelula, Executive Director of NSF's summarised on the poll stating that quality and quantity of sleep has a vital role to play in our lives, summing it with ‘you are how you sleep’. Shorter the sleeping duration, greater will be the chances of anger, stress, pessimism, and fatigue. In this manner, there is a co-relation between sleeping pattern and positive feelings like satisfaction with life, energy level and sense of peace.

This is the first instance where mood, sleep deprivation and performance have been related to each other. Outcome of the poll indicated that 25 percent of the Americans are sleep deprived, therefore, do not have energy to remain alert and perform well. Moreover, 37 percent individuals are affected in their work life as they feel drowsy due to lack of sleep