Sleep, Stress, and Vigilance: The Intricate Connection
By: Michael Beiter
In our journey towards better health, it's essential to explore the complex interplay of sleep, stress, and vigilance. These three factors are deeply intertwined and can significantly impact our well-being. Let's dive into this intricate connection and understand how it affects our lives.
The Importance of Vigilance
Vigilance, or maintaining concentrated focus and awareness, is valuable in many situations. Whether navigating through traffic, performing surgery, or even crossing the street, being alert and attentive is crucial for your safety and success. A certain stress level can enhance vigilance, keeping you on your toes and focused on the task at hand.
The Pitfall of Hypervigilance
However, vigilance can become problematic when it morphs into hypervigilance—constantly scanning our environment for potential threats that we can't switch off. This heightened state of alertness is often a response to chronic stressors and trauma, particularly in early life. It's like our internal alarm system is stuck in the "on" position, and we can't stop looking for danger.
Hypervigilance is closely tied to anger and anxiety because constantly seeking out threats can lead us to find them even where they don't exist. Over time, our brains start to perceive more potential threats than reality warrants. For example, a military veteran might view everyday situations as potential danger zones, evaluating everyone around them as if they could be a threat.
Various stressors can trigger hypervigilance, including working in a high-stress environment (like during the COVID-19 outbreak), experiencing racism, dealing with health concerns, having a tumultuous upbringing, or living in an unsafe neighborhood.
The Impact of Hypervigilance on Sleep
Now, let's connect the dots between hypervigilance and sleep. Imagine being in a constant state of low-level paranoia—it's not conducive to a peaceful night's sleep. Sleep requires a sense of security for most of us, and hypervigilance erodes that feeling.
In cases like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), individuals may even fear sleep itself. Nightmares and the fear of being vulnerable while unconscious can make the idea of sleep terrifying. This fear is a significant barrier to getting the restorative sleep our bodies need.
Assessing Your Fear of Sleep
If you're curious about your own fear of sleep, you can take the Fear of Sleep Inventory. This questionnaire can help you understand your apprehensions about sleep. If you find yourself agreeing with two or more of these statements, it's worth discussing the results with your healthcare team, especially a mental health professional:
I'm fearful of letting my guard down while sleeping.
I try to stay as alert as I can while lying in bed.
I'm fearful of the loss of control that I experience during sleep.
When I wake up at night, I often fear returning to sleep.
I avoid going to sleep because I think I'll have really bad dreams.
If I wake up in the middle of the night from a nightmare, I avoid returning to sleep because I might go back into the nightmare.
I'm afraid to close my eyes.
I feel it's dangerous to fall asleep.
I'm aware of being especially vulnerable when I'm asleep.
I stay up late to avoid sleeping.
I try to stay alert to any strange noises while going to sleep.
Being in the dark scares me.
I sleep with a light on to feel safer.
Conclusion
Understanding the relationship between sleep, stress, and vigilance is crucial for maintaining our physical and mental health. Hypervigilance, born from chronic stress and trauma, can significantly hinder restorative sleep. Recognizing and addressing these issues with the help of healthcare professionals is a vital step toward achieving better sleep and overall well-being. Remember, seeking assistance in your journey toward a healthier, more balanced life is okay.
