In our fast-paced world, poor sleep has become more common than ever. While occasional sleepless nights can happen to anyone, chronic sleep problems are often deeply rooted in stress and hormonal imbalances. If you’ve been struggling with falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up feeling tired despite a full night in bed, stress could be the silent disruptor behind your sleep issues.
Let’s explore how chronic stress affects sleep, what underlying imbalances are at play, and how a Functional Medicine approach can help restore your body’s natural rhythm—without relying on sleeping pills.
The Stress-Sleep Connection
When you’re under chronic stress, your body produces higher levels of cortisol, a key stress hormone that impacts many biological processes—including your circadian rhythm, or internal sleep-wake clock. In a healthy cycle, cortisol levels are high in the morning and taper off by evening to allow melatonin (the sleep hormone) to take over. But when stress is unrelenting, cortisol remains elevated into the night, blocking melatonin production and leaving you wired when you should be winding down.
In other cases, stress may cause a sharp drop in cortisol, particularly in the morning, leading to exhaustion, brain fog, and a feeling of being “tired but wired.”
Signs Your Sleep Issues May Be Stress-Related
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Difficulty falling asleep, especially with racing thoughts
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Waking up in the middle of the night and not falling back asleep
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Feeling unrefreshed in the morning
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Energy crashes throughout the day
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Mood swings, irritability, or anxiety
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Increased sugar or caffeine cravings
If these symptoms sound familiar, stress may be affecting more than just your sleep. It could be impacting your adrenals, hormones, and nervous system health.
Functional Medicine: Looking Beyond Sleep Hygiene
Traditional approaches often stop at sleep hygiene tips: limit screen time, avoid caffeine, create a bedtime routine. While these are helpful, they may not be enough if there are deeper imbalances at play.
At Shioma Wellness, we go beyond the surface by investigating:
1. Adrenal Health
Chronic stress can dysregulate your hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, leading to adrenal fatigue or burnout. Cortisol testing can help reveal if your natural rhythm is disrupted.
2. Nutrient Deficiencies
Deficiencies in magnesium, B vitamins, and vitamin D are common in people with sleep disturbances. These nutrients are essential for calming the nervous system and supporting melatonin production.
3. Neurotransmitter Imbalances
Stress and poor sleep are linked to imbalances in serotonin, GABA, and dopamine. These brain chemicals regulate mood, relaxation, and sleep cycles.
4. Blood Sugar Fluctuations
Spikes and crashes in blood sugar—especially at night—can lead to restless sleep, night sweats, or waking up anxious. A balanced diet is key to stable energy and better rest.
Natural Ways to Support Better Sleep Through Stress Relief
In Functional Medicine, we focus on root-cause healing, not masking symptoms. Here are science-backed strategies that work:
Stress Reduction Techniques
Daily practices like deep breathing, meditation, yoga, or journaling can lower cortisol and activate your body’s rest-and-digest mode.
Nourish with a Sleep-Supporting Diet
Include foods rich in magnesium (leafy greens, almonds), tryptophan (turkey, oats), and healthy fats like omega-3s. Avoid refined sugar and caffeine late in the day.
Establish a Wind-Down Routine
Dim the lights, shut off electronics, and create a calm nighttime ritual. Natural supplements like magnesium glycinate, L-theanine, or adaptogenic herbs can also support restful sleep.
Get Tested and Treated
At Shioma Wellness, we use comprehensive lab testing to evaluate adrenal health, nutrient levels, inflammation markers, and hormonal imbalances to design a personalized sleep recovery plan.
Why It Matters — Long-Term Effects of Sleep Deprivation
Lack of restorative sleep is more than a nuisance—it has real health consequences. Chronic poor sleep is linked to:
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Weakened immune function
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Increased risk of hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease
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Hormonal imbalance, including weight gain and thyroid dysfunction
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Mental health challenges like anxiety and depression
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Accelerated aging and poor skin health
Sleep is not a luxury—it’s essential to healing and living well.
Your Houston & Austin Functional Medicine Doctor
At Shioma Wellness, we take an integrative and investigative approach to chronic stress, insomnia, and adrenal fatigue. Dr. Phyllis Okereke, M.D. combines the latest science in Functional Medicine with compassionate care to help you uncover the root cause of your symptoms and restore deep, restful sleep—naturally.
If you’re ready to stop the cycle of restless nights and tired days, we’re here to help.