If you feel too tired to concentrate during the day because you don't sleep well at night, you might wonder if you have blood sugar problems or another health issue to overcome. Although high blood sugar and other health conditions can affect your ability to sleep well, they're not always the reasons behind it. Sometimes the inability to fall or stay asleep can develop from stress. Stressful situations like running a business can affect your sleep habits. Here's how stress affects your sleep and what you can do to overcome it.

How Does Stress Keep You From Sleeping Well?

Insufficient sleep can affect your health more than you might think. Your body's tissues, cells, organs, and many other systems repair themselves during the night. However, you must get a good's night sleep without any interruptions for these repairs to occur. Stress can be one big reason for your poor sleep habits.

Stress can potentially increase your production of cortisol. Cortisol is a hormone your body needs for a great number of things, including managing stress. When you retire to bed stressed, the amount of cortisol in your body increases. Too much of this hormone tells your body to stay awake, even when it's tired.

Your body remains on high alert when you become overly stressed. In order to lower the amount cortisol in your body, you must reduce your stress load at night. 

How Do You Improve Your Nights?

You can do several things to decrease your cortisol levels and improve your nights. The first thing you might do is take a warm shower or bath right before bedtime. The water's heat can soothe your muscles and alleviate tension in your limbs. 

It's also a good idea to use an essential oil kit with your baths or showers. Many essential oils like lavender can help ease stress, soothe your senses, and quiet your mind. Essential oils may also help alleviate other problems in your life that can potentially disturb your sleep, including dry skin and the common cold. 

Be sure to only use the amount listed or recommended on your oil's packaging for your baths or showers. Although they can be helpful, some essential oils can irritate your skin if you don't use them properly. If possible, speak directly with a natural health care supplier before you purchase and use your oil.

If you want to learn more about lowering your stress, contact a natural health care consultant today.