A classic side effect of a stressful day or event is that come bedtime, you’re battling with a mind that simply won’t turn off to fall asleep or that wakes you multiple times throughout the night.

If this has been you, staring at the ceiling wishing desperately that you were asleep, you know firsthand the negative impact stress can have on sleep. So, what’s happening on a biological level to cause this situation? And what stress-reducing options are available to start remedying it? First, let’s take a look at how your sleeping pattern normally works when not adversely affected by stress…