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Stress and anxiety negatively impact sleep quality, especially when work, family, financial, and daily responsibilities leave no room to relax. For many women, the day doesn't end after leaving work or fulfilling duties; the mental to-do list can continue long after they go to bed, making it difficult to calm anxious thoughts and achieve the necessary restorative sleep for the body and mind.

When stress and anxiety begin to interfere with sleep, it can quickly turn into a frustrating cycle. Poor sleep leads to feeling more depressed and irritable the next day, while increased stress can further complicate falling asleep the following night. In observance of Women's Month, which highlights the importance of women's well-being, it is reminded that adequate sleep is not a luxury but an integral part of caring for physical and mental health.

Why is sleep important?

Sleep serves not only to recharge batteries. It helps the body recover, strengthens the immune system, and maintains the sharpness of brain function. From an emotional perspective, quality sleep promotes mood regulation, better stress management, and a general sense of balance.

When sleep is disrupted, everything seems significantly harder. When a person is stressed, their body enters 'survival mode,' releasing hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline, which maintain a state of wakefulness and readiness for action. This is the last thing needed when trying to fall asleep, so stress can cause worry and inability to fall asleep or early awakenings.

How anxiety steals your sleep

Anxiety exacerbates the situation. It is not just worry, but excessive rumination, constant 'what ifs,' and the inability to switch off the brain at night. Anxiety can cause physical symptoms such as rapid heartbeat or muscle tension, which further hinders relaxation. Over time, the fear of insomnia itself can become a source of anxiety, only worsening the situation.

The vicious cycle

Poor sleep triggers increased anxiety and stress, and higher levels of stress and anxiety, in turn, make sleep more difficult. This is a vicious cycle that seriously undermines mental health, causing irritability, feelings of depression, or even depression. The brain needs good sleep for adequate emotional processing, and the lack of it makes everything more complicated.

What can be done to improve the situation?

Fortunately, there are ways to break this vicious cycle. There are several simple tips that can provide significant help. It is recommended to use relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing, meditation, or light stretching before bed, to calm the mind. It is also important to maintain a regular sleep schedule, going to bed and waking up around the same time every day, which helps regulate the body's internal clock.

It is important to create a sleep-conducive environment: the room should be cool, dark, and quiet, and phone or TV use should be avoided immediately before bed. Furthermore, caffeine intake should be limited in the afternoon, and one should try not to consume alcohol shortly before sleep, as both substances can disrupt sleep. If stress or anxiety seems too overwhelming, or if sleep does not come despite all efforts, professional help should be sought; therapy, especially cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, can be very beneficial.

Stress and anxiety are part of life, but they should not control a person's nights. By understanding how they affect sleep and taking steps to manage them, one can start sleeping better and feel like themselves again. Prioritizing sleep is not a sign of laziness or selfishness, but one of the best ways to take care of your mental health.

IOL Lifestyle

Pratishka Kumari Srivastava, a 26-year-old gold medalist, has been struggling with depression and panic attacks due to instances of exam leaks and falsifications. Despite always being an excellent student, achieving the top in her master's program and earning a gold medal, she is currently going through a difficult period.

Pratishka, who is originally from Jamtada (Mihidjam), notes that in addition to pressure from relatives and concerns about marriage, the system has led her to a state of depression and panic attacks. She shared that despite strong financial support from her parents, she has to pay for her own rent, groceries, and textbooks, remaining dependent on them at an age when she should be helping.

When she visits her hometown, she is often questioned about when she will find a job and when she will get married, which puts significant psychological pressure on her. Her journey from receiving a 'gold medal' to battling panic attacks has been a consequence of the uncertainty caused by reports of exam leaks or test cancellations, which has completely destroyed her mental health.

Pratishka explained that when demands are not met through democratic channels, the street becomes the last resort. She stated that her family is aware of her participation in protests and worries about her safety, but they understand her fight. The activist's main demands include ensuring transparency in the hiring process, clarifying cutoff scores, and conducting a full investigation into the CBI case, instead of simply 'sweeping things under the rug.'

Despite all the difficulties, ridicule, and severe stress, this 26-year-old gold medalist does not intend to give up her stance. She believes that if a timely transparent hiring process and examination calendar are implemented, the future of millions of youth in Jharkhand can be saved.

The parents of three-month-old Leon from Tashkent have appealed to the residents of Uzbekistan for help for their son, who has been diagnosed with Type 1 Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). This rare genetic disease causes gradual muscle atrophy.

The only way to stop the progression of the disease may be the use of the drug Zolgensma, which costs about two million dollars. It is critically important to administer this drug before the child reaches six months of age.

The boy's mother, Anastasia, reported that the diagnosis was made late, leading to irreversible damage to his body. Currently, Leon is receiving the drug 'Risdiplam,' which is provided free of charge by the state, but it only slows down the disease and requires lifelong treatment.

Anastasia described the family's difficult situation: 'Every day of ours is a struggle. Instead of walks, first smiles, and peaceful nights, our life has turned into endless home resuscitation. Mechanical ventilation (approx.), mucus removal, tube feeding, constant saturation monitoring, and the fear that at any moment my son's condition could worsen. We dream of only one thing—that Leon can stop living among medical equipment and be just a child.'

According to specialists, Leon has good prospects for receiving gene therapy. For this, the boy needs to undergo a special blood test in Moscow that will confirm the possibility of administering the drug. Doctors also emphasized that the lower the child's weight at the time of starting Zolgensma treatment, the better the body will tolerate the therapy and the lower the risk of serious side effects, so postponement is unacceptable.

The family cannot raise the required sum of two million dollars on their own. The mother expressed hope in the responsiveness of the people, stating: 'No child should die from a disease that modern medicine can already treat.'

To ensure transparency in fundraising, the parents decided that if Leon does not receive Zolgensma for any reason, all collected money will be transferred to another child with SMA. They also promised to regularly publish reports on income and expenses on Leon's Instagram page and on the parents' personal accounts.

Anastasia additionally mentioned that she has compiled all of her son's medical documentation in a Google Doc, the link to which is also available on Leon's Instagram page for review. In conclusion, she called on everyone who can to help, adding that even reposting the story can attract someone who can give Leon a life independent of constant therapy.

The article also provides information on the types of SMA: Type I, diagnosed in infants under six months, is the most critical because children cannot sit, and the risk of respiratory paralysis rapidly increases. Type II appears later, between 6 and 18 months, allowing children to sit, but they do not walk. Milder forms—Type III and Type IV—only cause gradual muscle weakness and have little impact on life expectancy.