The Importance of Sleep for Stress Management: A Guide for Parents

Parenting children of any age can be challenging. According to a recent survey, 57% of working parents admit to feeling overwhelmed, emotionally detached, and physically exhausted.¹ Although most parents understand that too many nights of too little sleep can compromise their health, far fewer are aware of the complicated connection between sleeplessness and elevated stress levels. 

Deep, restorative sleep is an essential component of stress management. Stress, on the other hand, is the leading cause of sleeplessness. Once you're feeling trapped in an endless cycle of stressful days and sleepless nights, it's important to understand what you're up against. We'll explain how elevated stress levels negatively impact sleep quality, explore the benefits of improving sleep quality for stress management, and provide a few suggestions that could help you improve both issues simultaneously.   

Exploring the Connections Between Sleep Quality and Elevated Stress Levels  

When you dim the lights and close your eyes in preparation for sleep, your brainwaves settle into a recognizable pattern of calm wakefulness.² Your ability to transition from calm wakefulness to the initial stages of sleep is dependent on the internal mechanisms influencing metabolic function, melatonin production, and temperature regulation (and more) on a 24-hour cycle – your circadian rhythms.³  

Your ability to wake feeling rested largely depends on how long you spend in, and how many times you cycle through the four sleep stages essential for memory recall, hormonal regulation, tissue repair, and fortifying your immune system.⁴ When you're running on too little sleep, your system compensates by moving through those cycles faster while the additional stress on your body triggers a surge of cortisol.⁵  

That's the catch. When your life is calm and stress-free, you have just enough cortisol in your system for focus and awareness. Starting your day at a biochemical disadvantage, on the other hand, can make managing day-to-day stress more challenging. Elevated cortisol levels can cause persistent fatigue, irritability, difficulty concentrating, impaired judgment, and sleep cycle disruptions⁶ – so the cycle continues. 

Breaking the Cycle: Why Managing Day-to-Day Stress Requires Prioritizing Sleep  

The nocturnal cortisol surge linked to sleep deprivation also paves the way toward more extreme cortisol responses during the day.⁵ Once your system is more sensitive to stress hormones, it's easy to fall into counterproductive patterns triggered by negative thinking as your capacity for problem-solving and strategizing decline. The physical, mental, and emotional toll can make toddler meltdowns, teenage power struggles, financial setbacks, and other day-to-day challenges feel insurmountable. 

With minimal effort, you'll find numerous resources highlighting the importance of calming day-to-day stress. But stress levels running on overdrive can make it difficult to relax, unwind, and stick with a plan – even when you take time for activities you typically enjoy and find personally fulfilling.^6,7 That's why so many experts recommend fortifying the effects of stress management strategies by also prioritizing sleep duration and quality to help calm your body's overreactive stress responses, restore emotional balance,^8,9 and reduce the risk of long-term health complications like heart disease, high blood pressure, and mood disorders. 

Practical Solutions: Using Simple Lifestyle Modifications to Help Improve Sleep Quality  

Most studies investigating the impact of insufficient sleep on daytime stress levels focus on sleep duration, the number of hours devoted to sleep each night. Too little sleep and poor sleep quality, however, are intertwined. Restoring healthy circadian function often requires a comprehensive approach that includes spending time in natural sunlight, eating mindfully at the same times each day, and avoiding high carbohydrate late-night snacks.¹⁰      

Instead, focus on achieving a healthy dietary balance with a plan that includes foods high in protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and fiber. Consider snacking on tryptophan and melatonin-rich foods like turkey and cherries. In addition to exercising 3-5 days each week, work on including the stress-busting potential of deep breathing exercises, mindfulness meditation, or a few simple yoga poses into your daily routine. The lifestyle modifications used to calm stress responses and promote relaxation during the day make it easier for your system to respond to the following sleep-specific recommendations.    

Create a Sleep-Conducive Environment 

Your body temperature drops during and in preparation for sleep. Although individual preferences can vary, experts believe the ideal room temperature for sleep is between 60°and 68°F.¹¹ Trying to sleep in a room that is too warm could interfere with sleep onset and REM sleep cycles.¹² To help keep noise from disturbing your slumber, try running a fan, humidifier, or white noise app from your phone.   

Manage Your Screen Time  

The blue light emitted from computer screens, tablets, and smartphones is more intense than natural sunlight. That high-intensity light can interfere with melatonin production.¹³ If you're opposed to avoiding screen time an hour or two before turning in – which is ideal – activate the "nightlight" feature on your device, purchase a blue light filter, or wear glasses with yellow, amber, or red lenses. 

Establish a Consistent Routine  

Sticking to a consistent sleep schedule – going to bed and rising at the same time each day – is essential for re-establishing healthy sleep patterns.¹³ Sleep experts also recommend supporting that schedule by creating a relaxing pre-sleep ritual. Consider sipping a cup of herbal tea, listening to music, reading, or enjoying the calming effects of CBDistillery® shhh+ distilled THC + CBN Deep Sleep Gummies.   

Mechanisms of Action: How CBDistillery® Deep Sleep Gummies Promote Rest & Relaxation  

The full spectrum CBD (cannabidiol) in our dreamberry-flavored Deep Sleep Gummies works by interacting with more than 65 molecular targets, including the endocannabinoid system (ECS) receptors.¹⁴ As the largest regulatory system in the human body, ECS signaling is involved in everything from emotional regulation and stress responses to sleep cycle regulation and metabolic function. Based on decades of study, researchers believe supporting ECS function with CBD helps promote homeostasis.¹⁵  

Our expert botanist fortified the sleep-promoting potential of our full spectrum CBD with precise amounts of CBN (cannabinol) and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol). CBN is a minor cannabinoid with a soothing, relaxing effect.¹⁶ THC contributes to an enhanced entourage effect while producing a mild yet uplifting buzz. According to a 2023 CBDistillery® study, 88% of our participants achieved more nights of quality sleep when using the gummies than when they didn't take them, 91% said they were likely to recommend the product to others, and 60% of the participants reporting positive results were parents. 

'Life-Changing'

"Nothing worked to settle my brain at night, so sleep eluded me…until a friend recommended this product. Now I wake up refreshed and well rested." – Danielle L., Verified Buyer 

'Tried So Many Others'

"This is the only product I have found that actually works on me for sleeping that isn't pharmaceutical. It works." – Melanie S., Verified Buyer 

Discover How Better Sleep Could Impact Your Parental Stress Levels  

Every hour of sleep lost to parental stress can negatively impact your physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Even seemingly minor sleep disturbances could trigger a cascade of disruptions that can leave you feeling overwhelmed and exhausted for days, weeks, or months at a time. 

If you're looking for a natural way to get back on track, try adding CBDistillery® shhh+ distilled THC + CBN Deep Sleep Gummies to your nightly routine. They're made with 100% clean ingredients, quality assured, vegan-friendly, and backed by our 60-day satisfaction guarantee. 

We recommend enjoying our gummies about an hour or so before turning in for the night, so the cannabinoids have time to metabolize. If you're leaning toward trying a CBD product for sleep support but not quite sure where to begin, consider scheduling a personal consultation. 

References  

1. Kaplan K. (2024) Q&A: Parental Burnout is Real. Here's What You Can Do About It. Los Angeles Times. 

2. Sleep Onset: What Happens When You Close Your Eyes and Drift Off (2024) NeuroLaunch.   

3. Bryan L, Guo L. (2024) Circadian Rhythm: What It Is, What It Shapes, And Why It's Fundamental to Getting Quality Sleep. Sleep Foundation.org. 

4. Suni E, Singh A. (2023) Stages of Sleep: What Happens In a Sleep Cycle. Sleep Foundation.org. 

5. Breus M. (2020) The Connection Between Cortisol and Stress Disorders. Psychology Today. 

6. Tee-Melegrito R. (2023) Cortisol and Stress: What Is the Connection? Medical News Today. 

7. 11 healthy ways to handle life's stressors (2023) American Psychological Association. 

8. Yurcaba J. (2023) Better Sleep Can Improve Stress Response and Increase Positivity, Study Shows. Very Well Mind. 

9. Sin N, Wen J, et al. (2020) Sleep Duration and Affective Reactivity to Stressors and Positive Events in Daily Life. 39(12) Health Psychol 1078-88. https://doi.org/10.1037/hea0001033 

10. Mawer R. (2024) Top 15 Proven Tips to Sleep Better at Night. Healthline. 

11. Silver N. (2019) What Is the Best Temperature for Sleep? Healthline. 

12. Okamoto-Mizuno K, Mizuno K. (2012) Effects of Thermal Environment on Sleep and Circadian Rhythm. 31(1) J Physiol Anthropol 14. https://doi.org/10.1186/1880-6805-31-14 

13. Foster R. (2020) Sleep, Circadian Rhythm, and Health. 10(3) Inter Focus. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsfs.2019.0098 

14. Elsaid S, Foll B. (2020) The Complexity of Pharmacology of Cannabidiol (CBD) and Its Implications in the Treatment of Brain Disorders. 45 Neuropsychopharmacol 229-30 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41386-019-0518-1 

15. Sallaberry C, Astern L. (2018) The Endocannabinoid System, Our Universal Regulator. 34(6) JYI 48-55. https://www.jyi.org/2018-june/2018/6/1/the-endocannabinoid-system-our-universal-regulator 

16. Harris D. (2022) What Is CBN (Cannabinol)? CNBS.