Your Wellness Cycle and Keeping the Balance Between Stress, Sleep Quality, and Energy Levels
Life moves fast and can be very demanding on your health and wellness. Many people find themselves stuck in a cycle where stress disrupts sleep, poor sleep leads to low energy, and low energy further increases stress. This is because stress, sleep, and energy are all connected; when one area thrives or suffers, the others follow. This is what we call your wellness cycle, and understanding this cycle and learning how to break it is key to achieving balance and energy.
Imbalance in one area impacts the others
When one aspect of our wellness, whether it is stress management, sleep quality, or energy levels, is out of balance, it can impact the others. Chronic stress increases cortisol levels, making relaxing and falling asleep difficult. Poor sleep quality leads to fatigue, mental fogginess, and low energy and motivation. Low energy levels make it harder to manage stress, leaving us feeling overwhelmed and burned out. This cycle can be difficult to break, but you can restore the balance by focusing on three key areas: lifestyle habits, nutrition, and supplementation.
How stress disrupts sleep
Stress is one of the most significant disruptors of sleep. When we’re stressed, our body releases cortisol, a stress hormone. While cortisol plays an essential role in regulating metabolism and immune function, chronic stress keeps cortisol levels high, making it harder to fall and stay asleep.
High stress levels also reduce the amount of deep, restorative sleep, leading to increased nighttime awakenings and shorter sleep duration. Over time, this disruption contributes to anxiety and lower cognitive function, making it harder to focus. Chronic stress can also weaken your immune system.
How sleep affects stress and energy
When we sleep, our brain doesn’t just rest; it consolidates information and makes connections that allow creative thinking and problem solving. So poor sleep can make it harder to regulate feelings, leading to irritability or being easily overwhelmed. Even minor inconveniences can feel overwhelming after a sleepless night. Sleep deprivation often triggers cravings for sugar, which provides temporary energy but ultimately disrupts energy balance, creating a cycle of fatigue and poor dietary choices.
How to restore balance between stress, sleep, and energy
Getting out of the loop of high stress, poor sleep, and low energy means addressing each area individually. Here are a few ways you can break the cycle.
Sleep
Quality sleep can help you think more clearly throughout the day. So it’s important to circulate through the phases of sleep, like rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. NREM sleep helps your body repair and restore, while REM sleep supports memory, learning, and emotional processing, making both phases key to feeling your best.
Improving sleep hygiene is essential for achieving high-quality sleep and overall well-being. Establishing a consistent bedtime routine, including limiting screen time before bed, and creating a sleep-friendly environment by keeping the bedroom cool, dark, and quiet, help regulate the body’s natural sleep-wake cycle and promote relaxation. Avoid alcohol in the later evening which can lead to further disruptions to sleep quality.
Sleep aids such as Dream Serene™, which contains melatonin and valerian root, can help support deeper, uninterrupted sleep.* Shaklee offers other science-based products to support sleep quality and relaxation like Rest & Rewind, a relaxing mint tea for restful sleep and anti-aging.*
Energy
Restoring and maintaining energy naturally requires a combination of nutrition, hydration, and healthy lifestyle choices. Prioritizing hydration, regular movement, and balanced meals throughout the day helps sustain steady energy levels.
Starting the day with a cup of Energizing Tea provides a refreshing, non-jittery boost to enhance focus, while Sustained Energy Boost* gives you steady, plant-based fuel without crashes.* Nourishing the body with essential vitamins and minerals from dietary sources and supplements like Life Shake™ and Vitalizer™ supports optimal energy production at the cellular level.*
Stress
Supporting stress resilience requires a combination of nutrition and healthy lifestyle habits. Shaklee Stress Relief Complex*, formulated with ashwagandha and L-theanine, helps reduce feelings of stress without causing drowsiness.* In addition to nutrition, mindfulness practices, deep breathing exercises, and regular breaks from screens can significantly lower stress levels and enhance overall well-being. Combining these strategies may make it easier to manage daily challenges.
Small changes can make a big impact
Breaking the stress-sleep-energy cycle requires small, intentional changes that support overall well-being. By prioritizing stress management, sleep hygiene, and balanced nutrition, you can increase energy, improve resilience, and enhance your quality of life.
Explore science-backed solutions from Shaklee to help restore balance and feel your best. Start making simple yet impactful changes today and take control of your wellness journey.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
