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Self-care

The Link Between Stress and Sleep

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Medically Reviewed by Mark Hrymoc, M.D., Chief Medical Officer, double-board certified in General & Addiction Psychiatry Stress and sleep are intertwined in an unfortunate feedback loop – depending on how you look at it. When stress levels rise, sleep tends to suffer, and poor sleep, in turn, can exacerbate stress – when you are able to reduce stress, sleep tends to improve, and in turn, stress is further reduced.  Understanding the relationship between stress and sleep is crucial for breaking a negative cycle and improving overall well-being. Research from the past five years sheds light on how stress impacts sleep quality and offers practical strategies for improving rest. Here’s more about the connection between stress and sleep, the consequences of sleep deprivation, and evidence-based tips to manage stress and improve sleep: How Stress Affects Sleep Stress activates the body’s “fight or flight” response, which is controlled by the autonomic nervous …

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Stress Awareness Month 2024

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By Ashley Barnes, M.S. What is Stress Awareness Month? Stress Awareness Month has been recognized during the month of April since 1992; it spreads awareness of the ways in which stress impacts our mental and physical health as well as urges us to find healthy ways to manage our own stress. What is stress and how does it impact us? What exactly is stress? According to the American Psychological Association, stress is defined as “the physiological or psychological response to internal or external stressors. Stress involves changes affecting nearly every system of the body, influencing how people feel and behave” (2024). In other words, stress is our own response to stimuli (stressors). Stress can be acute (responses to short term stressors) or chronic (response to ongoing, long term stressors), and not all stress is bad. Some stress can help us better navigate situations such as job interviews or help us …

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Sleep Awareness Week 2024

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By Ashley Barnes, M.S.   What is Sleep Awareness Week? Sleep Awareness Week was launched in 1998 and is the National Sleep Foundation’s public education campaign with the aim to spread awareness about the importance of sleep as it relates to physical and mental health. This year, Sleep Awareness week will be March 10th through March 16th. Prepare your pillows and blankets! The Importance of Sleep. Many of us don’t recognize the importance of sleep until we discover the difficulties we face when we are sleep deprived. We may not acquire enough sleep due to staying up late cramming for an exam, staying up late to finish work, or struggling with sleep disorders such as insomnia or sleep apnea. Lack of sleep tampers with our mood, memory, and health in very impactful ways.  In terms of mood and mental health, studies have discovered that lack of sleep induces heightened levels …

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Workplace Stress, Burnout, and the Stress Cycle: 9 Things You Can Do for Your Mental Health

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By Ashley Barnes, M.S. Stressors and Stress Stressors are what activate the stress response in the body and stress is the neurological and physiological shift that happens when you encounter one of these stressors. For so many of us, work-related stressors activate our stress response. Whether it’s searching for a job in our current economic conditions, experiencing burnout from working long hours without adequate rest, or working a high pressure job, work stress can permeate our daily lives – in and outside of work. Emily Nagoski PhD’s book, “Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle,” describes stress as “an evolutionarily adaptive response that helps us cope with things like, say, being chased by a lion or charged by a hippo. When your brain notices the lion (or hippo), it activates a generic ‘stress response,’ a cascade of neurological and hormonal activity that initiates physiological changes to help you survive…this …

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Moving Towards Self-Compassion in 2023

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By Ashley Barnes   What is self-compassion? In understanding compassion, it is first important to understand what compassion means. “Compassion involves feeling another person’s pain and wanting to take steps to help relieve their suffering” (Verywell Mind, 2021). The word ‘compassion’ is derived from Latin and means “to suffer together.” It is markedly different from empathy in that it takes a step further by taking action on the shared understanding of a person’s pain and suffering. Put simply, “Self-compassion is…the process of turning compassion inward.” (Neff, 2022). This practice is often easier said than done, as many of us have learned through experience or observing others that treating ourselves harshly is the only way to move forward.  From a self-compassion lens, we instead would provide ourselves kindness and understanding when we “fail, make mistakes or feel inadequate. We give ourselves support and encouragement rather than being cold and judgmental when …

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