May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and now more than ever, it’s important to take the time to put the stresses of the past year aside and prioritize your mental wellnessGetting enough sleep can have a significant impact on mental wellness, and increased stress can make it harder to get the sleep we need. From dealing with home schooling to job stress to our health, this past year has had no shortage of stressors, and for many people, it’s taken a toll on their sleep. Harvard University called sleepYou’re probably already familiar with some of the ways stress and anxiety can get in the way of sleep. Anyone who has stayed up late to cram for an exam or found themselves lying in bed, worried about a big presentation the next day at work, knows what I’m talking about.

But fortunately, those are short-term sensations that don’t tend to derail our sleep habits.

What’s more concerning is the effect of chronic stress on your sleep. Let’s dive into the relationship between stress and sleep, and how by improving our sleep, we can improve our mental wellness.

Trying to get good sleep while you’re stressed out is like trying to make a half-court shot while blindfolded. You can do it… but it’s really tough to pull off.

There’s a biological reason for this.