How To Sleep When You're Stressed Out

Learn how to sleep better when you’re stressed out! These 10 tips have helped me to reduce anxiety, relieve stress, and have more energy. Because when you are feeling stressed out, getting better sleep is a MUST.

I notice that when I am under a lot of stress, I have a hard time getting to sleep and staying asleep. It wrecks my nutrition, makes me feel exhausted, and it makes me feel even more stressed the next day.

It’s a catch-22 that no one wants! You can’t get to sleep because you’re stressed, and because you can’t sleep, you feel even more stressed.

I had enough of this so I started testing out a bunch of things to make my sleep better, and now I can get a good night’s rest with no problem!

How To Sleep Better When You’re Stressed

I’ve tried everything to sleep better. Bluelight blocking glasses, hypnosis, and more. But these top 10 tips are the things that REALLY made a difference!

1. Get Physical

Tiring out my body physically can make such a big difference in my sleep.

I’ve noticed that even gentler activities like walking or doing yoga during the day helps.

This daily activity helps to signal to your body the difference between awake time and sleep time.

2. Relax Your Mind

You’ve probably heard this one, but it is SO important! Anything that revs up your nervous system may keep you up at night.

So don’t watch those true crime and action movies at night!

Watch something that is funny or feel-good to help you relax.

Maybe read instead, knit, or color to help your mind relax.

Turn the lights down low. I like to use a salt lamp at night instead of a bright glaring lamp.

3. Relaxing Bath

A nighttime bath is a great way to wind down in the evening.

Light a few candles, grab a book, and relax in the water.

It’s a wonderfully calming ritual to stick to when you need to disconnect.

Use your favorite bath salts and some relaxing essential oils to crank up the relaxation factor.

I love lavender, cedarwood, or a blue tansy blend essential oils. Please make sure you use high-quality oils that don’t have any weird additives before putting them in the bath!

4. Magnesium

This mineral is a powerful way to relax.

I have taken this supplement in capsules, a powdered drink mix, in a bath, or using magnesium oil.

I like to take Magnesium Glycinate or Citrate capsules every day to ensure I don’t forget it.

Some people prefer a drink mix like this one. It’s tasty and a great way to stay hydrated!

Other options like Magnesium bath flakes or Magnesium oil can be a good way to get self-care in, while also relaxing after a long day.

Side note: the Magnesium oil can get a tad itchy for sensitive skin, so I like to start small and put it on the bottom of my feet.

5. CBD Oil

I am pretty sensitive to any kind of sleep aid. They make me feel really groggy and tired the next day.

So I was really hesitant to try CBD!

It turns out that it works really well for me. It helps me to physically and mentally relax. Though I’ve heard it can work differently on everyone.

I like to use this CBD oil and take 4-6 drops under the tongue at night.

6. Unplug

And I mean this literally! I like to unplug anything in my bedroom that has a light.

It helps signal to my brain that it is time to sleep.

I don’t turn off my phone though (I’ll share why in a moment), but anything like a surge protector or laptop that has a light on when it’s not in use gets unplugged or put in another room.

I also really dislike having my laptop in my bedroom at night. I feel like it’s taunting me! Am I the only one?

7. Blackout Curtains

Getting blackout curtains is one of my TOP sleep tips for stress. In addition to lights on electronics, I like to have total darkness from my windows.

These have made the biggest difference in my sleep.

I can nap at any time during the day, sleep late, or go to bed early.

My blackout curtains have been the best investment! I used to never be able to nap or sleep in, but once I put up my blackout curtains that all changed.

8. Make Your Bed A Sanctuary

Keep it clean and uncluttered so it is something you can look forward to at the end of the day.

Treat yourself with really soft sheets and fuzzy blankets to make your bed super cozy. I love using those soft velour blankets. Anything scratchy or stiff is not allowed on my bed!

Some people even like to use a body pillow or a C-shaped pregnancy pillow for extra coziness. (I’m tempted!)

9. Listen To Calming Guided Meditations

I like to put the sleep timer on my phone so that it turns off automatically after a certain amount of time. (If you have an iPhone, you can find out how to do this here.)

Then I select a meditation, relaxing music, or a relaxing audiobook (usually a feel-good, fiction book that I’ve read or listened to before). Some audiobook apps have a sleep timer already built-in.

Here are some of my favorite meditations to listen to.

If you don’t have trouble getting to sleep, try this putting your phone on airplane mode instead. It’s great to disconnect.

If you do have trouble getting to sleep, you can try my meditation trick or using a white noise machine or app.

10. Have A Late Night Snack

This is one of my sleep tips for stress that you probably haven’t heard before. Most nutrition advice says not to eat after dinner.

But hear me out! If you are under a lot of stress or struggle with getting hangry or having balanced blood sugar, you may want to experiment with this.

I make sure to have a balanced snack in the evening before bed because it ensures that my blood sugar will remain steady throughout the night.

When I forget to do this, sometimes I will wake up in the middle of the night or super early in the morning and I can’t get back to sleep.

I usually do a little bit of turkey and some crackers or tortilla, a smoothie, or a small serving of whatever leftovers I have on hand.

Getting more sleep is a key factor in reducing stress. So tackle your sleep struggles now to feel calm and grounded throughout your day.

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How To Sleep When You’re Stressed Out