Life stress and sleep quality: What’s the link?

Life stress has been on the agenda for many people in recent years with an increase in mental and physical health conditions and the acceleration of premature mortality[i]. There are multiple stressors in our everyday lives and it is important that our stress levels are controlled to support both our mental and physical health.

Good stress vs. chronic stress

‘Eustress’ is the kind of stress that you feel when you are doing a presentation or sitting an exam[ii]. This type of stress is necessary as it helps us remain focused on our day-to-day tasks and motivates us to perform well in work and life.

On the other hand, ‘chronic stress’ can be defined as a condition where physical, psychological, or social dysfunction occurs[iii]. Chronic stress might be triggered by an overwhelming incident or constant sense of pressure in our daily lives. For instance, work is amongst the top common causes of stress in developed countries, which reflects in over one in five of Australians[iv] who suffer from work-related stress.

A study from Front Psychiatry showed a correlation between chronic stress and decreased sleep quality[v] and sleep disorders[vi].

The body recovery process takes place at night when we are sleeping. Getting seven to nine hours of sleep every night[vii] is crucial to ensure that our body is given the opportunity to fully recover both mentally and physically.

What to do for chronic stress?

It is important to maintain a balanced diet, which may include support from supplements, and incorporate regular exercise into our daily routine.

The use of supplements has been shown to optimise positive health outcomes and overall well-being with little-to-no risk[viii].

A recent study revealed a positive connection between ubiquinol supplementation for sleep management and reducing stress levels in people with relatively high stress sensitivity[ix]. Ubiquinol is the active form of Coenzyme Q10 and is a vital component in the regeneration of cellular energy in our bodies. Essentially, we depend on this enzyme to generate the fuel needed to perform cellular operations and promote high energy levels throughout the day, hence it can assist with our performance at work and prepare us for a good night sleep at the end of the day.

[i] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5066570/#:~:text=Life%20stress%20has%20been%20implicated,biological%20aging%20and%20premature%20mortality

[ii] https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/bies.201900238

[iii] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1074742711000517

[iv] https://www.headsup.org.au/docs/default-source/resources/bl1270-report—tns-the-state-of-mental-health-in-australian-workplaces-hr.pdf?sfvrsn=8

[v] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6545794/#:~:text=Results%3A%20High%20scores%20of%20stressful,life%20events%20to%20sleep%20quality.

[vi] https://www.pieronline.jp/content/article/0386-3603/47080/1231

[vii] https://www.sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/how-much-sleep-do-we-really-need#:~:text=National%20Sleep%20Foundation%20guidelines1,to%208%20hours%20per%20night.

[viii] https://www.pennmedicine.org/updates/blogs/health-and-wellness/2020/february/the-truth-about-supplements

[ix] https://www.pieronline.jp/content/article/0386-3603/47080/1231